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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1311, 19 June 1880, Page 2

For the second time the Oamaru Schools Committee has refused to recommend any candidate for the appointment of third master of the District High School. Some time since applications for the post were received, but the Committee, not deeming any of the applicants good enough, declined to make a recommendation, and requested the Education Board to advertise again. This request was complied with by the Board, with precisely the same result : The Committee are not satisfied with any of the candidates, and at last night's meeting decided to ask the Board to advertise for the third time for applications for the post, adding to their request a desire that the Board would give their notifications greater and mnch wider publicity. To this also was attached a gentle hint that, though in Otago the supply of capable teachers is limited, in other places there appeared to be a superabundance. Hitherto the Board have confined their advertisement to the columns of the Dunedin papers, and they have therefore only obtained a circumscribed publicity. Surely in the matter of such importance as the securing of a teacher for the principal public school of the second town in Otago the Board might with a good grace comply wirh the Committee's request and do the school an act of justice. To them the Committee may appear over-fastidious, but to the parents of the children attending the school the matter presents itself in a different light, and we therefore commend the Committee for the stand they have taken against the appointment of incompetent teachers. It is an evidence that they are fully alive to the importance of making a judicious selection of those who are to mould the minds of our youth, and that they have the cause of education at heart.

Is there such a thing as moderation in the political world? We ask this question in all earnestness. To us it seems that there is not, and as a ca3e in point we may be permitted to refer to the doings of two of the sister Colonies. While Victoria has gone to excess in her desire for protection, New South Wales appears inclined to go to extremes in the opposite direction. The Government of neither Colony appears willing to steer a middle course ; indeed, central channels appear to be unknown to those who generally steer the ship of State, particularly in the Colonies, though even in the Old World statesmen show a desire for excess in one direction or the other, possibly owing to the excitement that it supplies for the time j being. The latest instances of the desire for excess is given by the Ministry of New. South Wales, the financial proposals of which are certainly more unique than sensible. Ti:e tendency of the fiscal policies of all progressive nations or countries should unquestionably be to promote domestic pros- ! pcrity and foster trade and industry. The present Ministry of New South Wales apparently think differently. 1 hey abhor Protection, though the time was, we believe, when Protection claimed the Premier as one of its strongest admirers. Now, however, that rrentlem.m mnst have Free Trade of a most undoubted type. consequently h:~ propose to levy an export duty of one iarthing on greasy and one half-penny on washe ■ and scoured wool, sixpence per ton on the coal output, and sixpence per head on all horses and cattle exported! This is protection of the inverse order with a vengeance.. Talk of moderation after such a radical reform in

the commonly accepted notions of promoting the prosperity of a country as this ! With one of the propositions of the Ministry, now ruling New South Wales we will not find fault. We allude to , the impost in the output of coal. We can only regret that the amount was not even larger, for then it might have driven consumers of Newcastle coal in this Colony to see the advantage of supporting and promoting the opening np of our rich coal measures.