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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 8 July 1880, Page 2

A staktlixg announcement comes from Wellington. After all the talk that has been indulged in by the Ministry with reference to maintaining the present educational system inviolate; we are assured on the authority of several professedly well-informed Government organs, that the annual vote for educational purposes is to be reduced by L 32,000. In What direction this reduction is to go we are not informed, but we have little doubt that that the proposal will be brought forward, and we presume that the Ministry will find a majority to carry it into effect. It is a singular coincidence that the sum named should be precisely the amount set down on the Estimates as the amount to be paid towards the expenses of school committees, at the rate of 10s per head on the average attendance at scboo:s. We do not believe, however, that this vote will be struck out, for without it the carrying on of the educational system wou d be impossible, unleps every child was compelled to contribute 10s every towards the cost of cleaning the schools, providing firing, effecting repairs, &c., at their schools. We presume that the effect of the reduction will be to lessen the grants to Boards by by the sum named, and if this is the case there will be little chance of any new new buildings being erected during the current year. While the Ministry are reducing the amount of the education vote we would respectfully direct their attention to the wisdom of striking out votes jn aid of secondary education, amounting to about L4OOO, divided amongst the High Schools of Auckland, the- Thames, Wellington, and Dunedin. The Colony has no right to be taxed for the maintenance of schools specially designed for a class who can well afford to pay for the education of their children in the higher branches of learning, especially whep they, in common with other classes, participate in the blessing of a free primary education.

Mr. Levin, one of the members for Wellington, made a peculiar remark in the House of Representatives on Tuesday night. While speaking upon the question of reducing the cost of the Civil Service, he is reported to have reminded the House that they had been the means of placing high-salaried officers in false positions, and they should not drag them down so suddenly. In effect, the considerate member said that they had raised certain officials to the-dignity of leaders of society and fashion in the Empire City, and that it would be gruel to bring them down to their proper sphere in life, This is truly a Btartling argument .to use at a time when economy ia urgently demanded: Mr. Levin, as a business man, should certainly know that the civil servants are about the only class that have not suffered from the effects of the depression that has existed in the Colony for the past two years. He should certainly know'that every class of "private citizens, ffqeq. the rrjerchant down to the laboring man has felt the " pinch of the times," and that high-salaried, officials in being called upon to submit to reasonable reductions are only asked to share with private citizens the natural penalty of former extravagance in public affairs. He should have borne in 'mind that when the people of the Colony are struggling under a heavy load of taxation, an; when the Colonial Treasury is empty, we cannot afford to maintain a host of highly-paid civil servants. Mr. Levin, however, showed his impartiality by opposing the reduction of the smaller salaries and the wages of working men in the employ of the Government, and in this he went in opposition to his pplitica} party,

The Volunteer capitation grant is in danger. So we learn from the Parliamentary gossip published in several of our contemporaries. We are told that at the expiration of six months the capitation allowance will bo stopped to all Volunteers, except those in the Waikato, on the East Coast of the North Island, and in Taranaki. The reasons assigned for continuing the grants to the Volunteer.3 jn the districts named is that it is necessary to maintain and foster the Volunteer movement in positions where trouble is liable to arise with the Natives, and that the presence in districts where Natives are numerous of well drilled and §ffipiently equipped Volunteer Corps, is likely to have 3, salutary effect on those Natives who might, under other pircumstances, display a turbulent spirit. It would appear from this ■ announcement, if it is correct, as we. believe it is, that the Volunteers pf the South, if maintained at all, must be maintained at the individual cost pf members of the several corps after the ex= piry of the present year. As this yeais the period for which capitation will be given will extend over only nine instead of twelve months, while attendance at the usual number of parades 'will be necessary to entitle Volunteers to the full capitation, it would be weit-for them to attend regularly at all inspection parades throughout the remainder of the year.