ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 720, 31 July 1878, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENINCi MAIL. Sir, —Your remarks in this evening's issue hi M'Lellan's oase are hardly inspired witl -.hat spirit of kindly feeling which one lonk for, and usually rinds, iu your columns. Mr. •I'Lellau was teacher at Blue Spur from it.earliest days, and has grown grey in tin ervice on a salary averaging about Ll2O pe' year. Increasing deafuess and the commoi ■ufirmities of age alone compelled him t< lesist from following a vocation to which lu had faithfully given his best energies foi .bout 16 years. According to your view hi hould now be cast aside with as little commnction as an old slipper to spend th . emnant of his days with his aged wife or he interest derivable from his investments *ived from his magnificent salary. Be tin shortcomings of the Education Board what hey may—shortcomings more imaginary ban real—perhaps few persons will be fouin o carp at an action which preserves a iecayed gentleman from dropping into tin lsual refuge for the destitute—the Benevoent Asylum.—Yours obediently, Doceo.

Papakaio, July 25. [We admire the sympathy which our cor •espondent evinces towards Mr. M'Lennan nd are proud that such kindly feeling foi he misfortunes of their fellows are not uncommon amongst the people of this Colony. :> >ut wo denounce the principle rather thai 'he object involved in the case under dis ■ussion. With the Colony's burdeusom. labilities, it cannot afford to maintain tin >ension system, as in the past, much less t> ■xteud it. It would engender improvidene ;u anticipators, aud saidle the Colony witl i.n indebtedness the extent of which woulu -ooner or later prove embarrassing. ]f civil ■ervants and school teachers are not pah vhar. they arc worth, in our opinion they hould be. Then they would have no mori :laim to consideration when it was fouiu iccessary to dispense with their service .han those in private employment. Pro •ideel a man in the service of the Govern uent receives as a salary what he is worth, ind receives it regularly, can anyone tell u> ■vhy, when, from any cause, he relinquishes 'lis position, he should be a burthen on tin rovernment of the country? Mr. M'Lcn Kin's case may be one deserving of soecinl :onsideration at he hands of the Govern nent—judging from our correspondent's ro narks, it is so—and, in that case, we hop hat lie will receive the consideration due to dm. But people have no right to expect he Government to do what they care nc V) do themselves. In any case, M'bonnai'.'.'riends should rally round him and assis. lim in his hour of need,