SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1873.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 91, 27 September 1873, Page 2

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1873.

Colonel Russell, the Native School Inspector, has furnished his Annual Reports to the General Government, extracts from which will be found in another column.

The Hawke's Bay Herald of the 9th says that the Inspector 44 is one of the “ best abused men in the Colony, 44 particularly by the editor of the “Poverty Bay Standard,” and argues from the effect to the cause, that, as an Inspector at £6OO a year, “ no one, pro“bably, would take more pains” than Colonel Russell, in “performing the 44 duty, or preparing a more carefully “digested report.” As for the “performance of the duty,” we still beg to differ. We must claim that for ourselves which we willingly accord to all other

journals, namely, a more intimate acquaintance with the matters pertaining to purely local business, than those residmg at a distance can possibly have. Therefore we affirm again and again that to Colonel Russell’s thorough incapacity, and supercilious bearing, added to a heartless indifference alike to the rights and comforts of the teachers, are largely (if not mainly) due the non-success of these Native Schools. Of the Turanganui School the Inspector reports, 44 The “ schoolmaster is able, but does not “ appear to have any special love for his work.’’ Here’s the key stone to the arch. How is it possible for a public servant, whose occupation is rendered distasteful by the Inspector himself, to have any 44 love ” for a paltry hundred pounds a year, and an uninhabitable house to live in ? We say 44 uninhabitable,” advisedly, inasmuch as the Inspector personally contracted for the present building, refusing to allow the Committee to do so ; and, with a false economy, bound the contractor down to do for some £l5O an amount of work which, although in consonance with his—the Inspector’s—own ideas, comes under the category of 44 cheap “ and nasty ” —the consequences are that the private portion of the building is not sufficiently weather-proof to dwell in. 44 Love,” indeed! “ I thank thee Jew for “teaching me that word.” When we remember the disgust created in the minds of most of the teachers in this district at the intolerance of the Inspector ; in breaking faith with them, and putting them to much unnecessary annoyance and expense; in keeping them for months without salary ; and in refusing to liquidate travelling allowances that had been sanctioned by the Native Minister, we are not at all surprised to find that they have no great affection for work, the continuance or permanence of which has to depend on such a man as Colonel Russell. It is not correct either to charge the Committee with having made no arrangements for “ the comfort 44 and convenience of the master and 44 pupils.” When the Inspector visited Gisborne, and had a plan elaborated which he said was the production of the 44 Colonial Architect,” the Committee and others pointed out to him where the 44 great idea ” was deficient, amongst others that the teacher’s portion of the building, consisting of two rooms—the only means of egress and ingress being through the bedroom — was insufficient for a family, when the man with Six Hundred replied “that the Government did not 44 contemplate appointing married men as 44 teachers.” The Committee acted on their own judgment and incurred an expense of some £l7, towards securing the “ comfort and convenience ” of the teacher, which the Inspector refused to allow so long as he dare do ; and it was entirely owing to his capricious obstinacy that the Turanganui School hung fire so long, and caused the Government to pay a quarter’s salary before it was originally opened. That the schoolmaster receivedno 44 assistance from the Committee ” we can well understand. The Inspector’s offensive bearing towards the European members of that body, in refusing to recognize them in any way, caused them to resign at last as their only safeguard against further contumely and insult. But before they were driven to take this step, the Government have them alone to thank for what success did attend the school—its failure can easily be traced to Colonel Russell. At Whakato, a repetition of the same intolerant obstinacy by the Inspector, produced the same results as at Turanganui. The Committee selected a teacher, whom the Inspector would not recognize. The Inspector then nominated one, whom the Committee refused to induct. The school remained unopened for some months, and the natives were considering the propriety of refusing the Government grant and taking charge of the school themselves, when a teacher was appointed from Wellington by the Government. The original appointee had thrown the matter up —the Committee were disgusted —Major Westrup resigned, and the natives lost heart.

Now the 44 carefully digested report ” which the Herald thinks Colonel Russell has taken 44 great pains ” over, we confess to being too much for us to swallow. A fig for such 44 Reports,” we say ! Like “ Returns ” and suchlike “ information for the people, ” they serve their purpose. Who, we would ask, could not write a report while making a leisurely three month’s tour through the country on a salary of £6OO a year ? There is

not a word in the document before us that tells us the truth as it should be told, and that is, that the whole scheme of Native teaching in this Island, is, as it is carried on just now, a huge delusion and an expensive sham; and these literay annuals, like “ Reports from officers in Native districts, ” are, for the most part a means to an end. This institution which, under proper management, would conduce largely to the true civilization of the Native race, and teach them in another tongue how to lift themselves from the dark ignorance of a barbarous ancestry, has, so far as the teaching machinery is concerned, been a mere refuge for the destitute. We do not write this offensively ; but its truth is borne out by experience. We have expressed our opinion before upon the causes which operate against the “ life and vigour” element, the absence of which Colonel Russell notices in the Turanganui school; and so it will continue to be so long as the pitiful pittance of £BO and £lOO is the recompense a man has to receive for a whole year’s lab?r. If a man is worth his salt, in any other sphere, he will not, as at Turanganui, stay in such a condition of life one moment beyond the time it suits his purpose to leave; or if he’s not, as at Maketu, he stays where he is because no one else will have him. And, if we may take the schools of this district as fair criteria of all the others in the island, the sooner the Government looks into the matter, the better. Nothing we are convinced will ever popularize this education movement with the natives but the teachers themselves; and to give them an interest in its success, the only alternative is for the Goveitament to display a greater interest in them. Be sure that only efficient married men are appointed ; enter them on the civil service roll of the colony; prove their efficiency by examination; pay them well, so that one half or more of the time, which should be devoted to their duties, is not occupied in devising means by which a scanty income can be increased. Give them an assurance of permanency during good behaviour, and their heart (shall wesay their “love?”) will not be weaned from their work by the necessary shifts they have to make to secure those comforts to their families which a proper salary ought to command. Then we should not have schools “ dying of inanition ” or teachers recommended by the Inspector to “ better appointments in some other line of duty.’ Did we not take these “ Reports ” at their true value, we should possibly be surprised at the curious circumstance of Colonel Russell reporting unfavorably of the three schools (Turanganui, Whakato, and Tokomarua) the teachers to which he did not appoint; and favorably of the one (Tologa Bay ) whose protegee the teacher of that school is. I Mr. B ryant, at Turanganui, has, as we have seen, “no special love for his work,” Mr. Carrington, at Whakato, is, although “ a most amiable and willing man, without any aptitude for the work he has undertaken.” Mr. Warner, at Tokomarua, has “ no special gift of teaching,” while Mr. Parker at Tologa Bay, produces in most effulgent rays, “ the great effect which is obtained by a teacher who knows his work, compared with one who, however well informed himself, has never been accustomed to teach others.” Now this, without taking any advantage of Mr. Parker, is rank injustice to the other three. Analogy induces the belief that Mr. Parker, of the four, according to Colonel Russell, is the only one who “ knows his work,” or is a proficient teacher. If the Inspector had written that it was the exactly opposite reason, the Whakato committee gave for refusing to accept Mr. Parker as Colonel Rus- * sell’s nominee, he would have stated a truism from which the above analogy could not be drawn. He wouldhave allowed each of the teachers to stand or fall according to his own merits, and not have drawn comparisons which are as officially flimsy as they are privately odious.

Punt accident.—We are informed that Mr. W. S. Greene lost a dozen valuable sheep through the leakage of the punt at the big river, while crossing them from his homestead on Thursday last. This punt seems to be a source of much complaining. Ebratum.—An error accidentally crept into our. paragraph last Saturday announcing the beginning of a new quarter with thia issue. The present quarter, and year, will terminate on Saturday next, the 4th proximo. Too Good to be True.—Tha W. S. Herald of the 12th inst. acknowledges receipt of the

Standard of the Brd and 6th, and proceeds to quote the substance of them, concluding as follow t —“ From a private source we learn that Mr. Stubbs has resigned his office as Postmaster.*' The Herald has slipped the little par into the wrong place, as sucn an announcement never appeared in the StandabD. We, nevertheless, heartily wish such may be the case, and that it may not be too good to be true. However, all evils have an end, and this one won’t plague us for ever. Life Assurance.—Mr. Thomson, the indefatigable travelling agent for the Australian Mutual Provident Society, was a passenger per Paterson on her last trip from Auckland, and purposes making a stay in this district for the purpose of expounding the principles of the Society, and illustrating the advantages of becoming assured in it. Mr. Thomson purposes delivering lectures during his stay here, the first of which will take place at Dalziell’s Hotel this evening, and on Monday evening next nt the Music Hall Gisborne. Ladies are specially invited to attend ; the admission is free, and from the popularity of the lecturer, and the interest most people take in the subject matter of his discourse, we anticipate an overflowing audience. We regret to learn that during the stormy passage of the Rangatira on her last trip, when the heavy sea running prevented her calling at Napier, a valuable entire horse, shipped at Wellington by Colonel Whitmore, died, it is supposed, by breaking a blood vessel caused by the rolling of the ship. The Colonel had recently become the owner of the horse at the price of one hundred and twenty guineas. Quarterly Inspection Pabadks.—The usual quarterly inspection by the Commanding Officer of the various Militia and Volunteer Companies in the district has taken place during the week, commencing on Tuesday last. In consequence of the continued influx of population, the various corps mustered very strong, a proportion (of Militia particularly), equal to 30 or 40 per cent, being without rifles. The following Companies numbered on parade as follow :—No. 1 Militia Gisborne, 85; No. 2 Militia, (Matawhero section) 50; Makauri section, 50; No. 3 (Ormond), 80 P.B.M.R. Volunteers 46; G.R. Volunteers 40. The usual manoeuvres were gone through, the days as usual, were utterly wasted, and not the slightest bit of good resulted to anyone (certainly not to the Companies themselves) for the perpetration of this quarterly farce. From a spectator’s point of view it seems to be great folly to trifle with the industry of the colony in this absurd fashion. For three or four days every quarter employers of labor, and the employed have to sustain great inconvenience and loss through a total suspension of trade and business vocation, caused by the preremptory commands of the Government. Now we ask a reasonable question : “ what on earth is the use of a body of men being made to assemble once a quarter, without arms, for the mere purpose of having their names called over, and to receive four shillings for it ?*’ The money compensates no one but the abject loafer, —and he merely gets drunk with it—while the sums paid are a waste of public money. Those for whom the Government have no weapons might, at any rate, be dispensed with, or let them be supplied so that they can effectively carry out the duty required of them. The settlers, as a rule, do not mind a trifling sacrifice of personal interest if any good is likely to result; but it is a shade too bad to make them do so, without any advantage, and to pay for it to boot. Telegraph and Post Office.—The framework of this building was put on the blocks on Thursday last, and promises to be ready long before the wires are stretched between Gisborne and Napier; but we shall probably forget the absence of the Telegraph in the happy knowledge that we may possess a blessing in the future conduct of the Post Office.

By the arrival of the Rangatira last Tuesday we were glad to see amongst the list of passengers the name of F. Helyer Esq., who has returned, after an absence of 15 months, from a visit to the home countiy. We wish him a hearty welcome.

Gold in WaikaTo.—From private intelligence to hand we learn that a small body of natives have found some nuggetty specimens of what seems to be gold, in the Waikato some distance inland from the Kawhia ; the specimens are being tested, but full particulars are as yet kept from the public ear. The importance of such a fact as a payable gold field in the heart of Maori dominion and Kingism cannot be overrated ; we hope it may be true, for a mining population will soon settle the little difficult questions which the Government are afraid to tackle. Our files of Waikato Timet are silent on the matter.

A. C. Strode Esq., the Resident Magistrate at Dunedin, was a through passenger by the Paterson on Thursday last. Conundrum.—We have charged the advertizer half as much again as is usual, with 50 per cent., added, for the felicity of seeing the following in print. Why are the immigrants recently arrived by the Comerang from Auckland likely to patronize our Colonial ales ? Because they are all “ Be(e)rars.”

Immigrants.—By the Comerang on Thursday last a timely addition to our labor population was made by the introduction of a score or so of the Berar’s passengers recently arrived in Auckland from London. The fortunate circumstance of Captain Read’s presence in Auckland enabled him to offer assisted passages to such of them as would probably find readiest employment in this district —carpenters, bricklayers, stockmen and others — all of whom have already been engaged. The Court-house was placed at their disposal, and through the liberality of Captain Read, had their creature comforts attended to in . a way which reflects great credit on that gentleman’s kindly disposition. As this trial has been so successful it is Captain Read's intention, we believe, to give further assistance to snob as may be ef the disposable mate* rial- In another column will be found a paragraph from the Crate detailing the treatment three people have received at the hands of the Government, how their rations were stopped by the General Government, and how the Deputy Superintendent (very indignant of course) "promptly telegraphed to Wellington,” urging

that “at once” steps should be taken to “keep these poor people from starvation !” All we can say is that these things are a disgrace to both Governments, particularly to the Provincial one, as Mr. Gillies has been so long protesting against the non-introduction of immigrants, and when they do come, instead of sending them into districts where there is a demand for their services, his Government requests that they may be supported on the charitable aid fund of the colony. This is humiliating to the people themselves; and if continued will tend to put a stop to emigration altogether. New Appointment.—Dr. Nesbitt, by the last mail from Auckland, received a warrant from Sir George Arney appointing him “ Perpetual Commissioner for taking the acknowledgment of married women of Deeds executed by them under an Imperial Act intituled ‘an Act for the abolition of fines and recoveries and for the substitution of more simple modes of assurance.’ ” We hope our readers will understand this for the future. Ad Valorem Duties. —Great Britain does not collect any Customs duties on this basis. America is the place where it flourishes most, as the ad valorem duties in the States range from 25 per cent, on printing paper —which accounts for the abominable paper used as such there—to 60 per cent, on alpaca, and 90 on cotton and woolen goods. Victoria, with a protective tariff, imposes ad valorem duties ranging from 10 to 20 per cent.,while New South Wales is contented with 5, Queensland with 10, and South Australia, with sto 10 per cent. It will be seen from these figures that we are treading on the skirts of “ protection,” and that it is time for our commercial people to speak out. — Wanganui Chronicle. The following is the translation of a letter forwarded to the Bag of Plenty Times : —“ Friend, —Salutations to you. We have all seen your newspaper of the 23rd of August, about the words of C. O. Davis concerning the Arawa. He calls us a big-mouthed tribe, and says, send them back to Hawaiiki, or to some very warm place—viz., hell. Now this is a word from all of us in answer to Davis’ bad talk about us. That doublefaced man is like Judas and the Devil. His work from of old has been to give bad advice to some of the tribes of New Zealand. The Europeans are aware of the doings of that reptile, who crawls about over the land by day and by night, continually disturbing the peace and the laws of this island. Listen all of you. We do not want Davis, and we have driven him far away to the place from whence he came. We will not have him back again, because we have found out his deceitful ways. We are writing to Mr. M'Lean and the Governor to let them know the wickedness of this lizard without a tail. We think he had better be placed on one of those two islands, either “ Kuriina,” or “ Karewa,” in the midst of his own tribe (scorpions). O friend I this is sufficient answer to his statements in your newspaper. Please to insert this. From your loving friends, Henare Pukuatua, Temuera te Amohau, Paora Amohau, Petera te Pukuatau.” This is pretty plain speaking. If Government persists, look out for news.