South Centerbury Times, FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 1882.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2926, 11 August 1882, Page 2

South Centerbury Times, FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 1882.

A great scheme was long cherished by the late Earl of Beaconsfield, and is still cherished by many of the greatest minds of the age—that of a grand federation of the Empire. In dark and troublesome times like the present, the scheme seems to grow more and more desirable; and it is most probable that when tranquility returns, it will he still more seriously and practically considered. The Empire has grown so extensively of late years that a time mast come when the mutual relationship of the Mother Country and her colonies will have to be seriously examined with a view to placing them on a more satisfactory footing. It is a glorious characteristic of colonial communities that with all t&eir altered conditions, their selfreliance, and their remoteness from the seal of Imperial Government, their loyalty to the Throne is as true and as hearty as that of the people who immediately surround it. The idea of separation has never been gravely entertained by them. They are proud of their filial relationship to England and of the old flag under which they were founded. They derive life and they look for protection from the Mother Country. But as time wears on, as their resources are farther developed, and as their interests become weightier, they feel that their present condition with regard to the mother country is not all that they could desire. They belong to' the empire in little more than name, and they desire to belong to it as integral portions of the whole. They experience some difficulty in making the mother country properly acquainted with them, and are often placed at serious disadvantage thereby, while they are practically as completely separated from one another as are the different countries of Europe. They have no bond of union but their common language. In view of this, if a federation of the colonies seems desirable, why not an actual incorporation with the empire ? There seems every reason, for such a step. We trust that before long some action will be taken to give effect to the growing wish of colonists by the appointment of delegates from the colonies to the Old Country who shall confer with the Cabinet at Home concern,ing a basis of federation. Instead of employing an Agent-General to rep resent us at Horae, could we not, every colony, send Home elected representatives to-be admitted to the Imperial Parliament, one of whom should also be -admitted to the Cabinet as a Colonial Minister of the Crown ? This would siecure for us many advantages from which we are now shut out, and link us to each other and to the Mother Country by a firmer bond. In a commercial sense, the gain would be enoirmous ; in a national and patriotic settle, it would be a most desirable union. AJI the forces of the Empire would be strengthened, while the growth of the colonies would be fostered immensely; and the British Eimpire, as one great whole, would indued extend over the entire world. S ome such consummation is at hand, ajud we trust it may speedily arrive.

A 'OonnESPOKDENT this evening takes Tip the Scholarship question discussed in a sub-leader on Tuesday. He urges that the Board has no right to appropriate any portion of the money gained at Scholarship competitions for the payment of teachers for their labors in imparting the necessary instruction to competitors, unless that were a distinctly understood condition of the competition. As we understand the question, it stands thus:—The Board wishes to encourage youths of promise to pursue their studies in the higher branches of education, and for that purpose it institutes a number of Scholarships, presumably _ expecting that winners of Scholarships will attend a High School, and that the money they have gained will suffice to defray their expenses thereat. It is found, however, that some winners are kept at the Public schools after they have won these distinctions, where instruction is imparted to them free of charge. Now the “ Education Act” provides that the instruction given in Public schools during statutory school hours shall be of a primary character only. Consequently every Public school teacher with whom a scholarship' holder is pursuing his studies in secondary subjects must impart such instruction after school hours. It is therefore reasonably argued that for the scholarship money to be pocketed by the parents while the winner attends a Public school and receives secondary instruction gratis is not in keeping with the spirit of the

regulations, for the money is granted, not to enrich the parents, but to further the education of the child. If, then, the teacher gives extra instruction to pupils, ought he not to be paid for that extra work? Clearly he should. The Board, however, ought to have made this an understood condition of competition from the beginning. The thing, however, may right itself thus : —The Board requires, before it pays over the quarterly scholarship money, that a certificate shall be given it by the head master of the school which the scholarship holder attends, to the effect that the pupil has been regularly instructed in certain branches of secondary education. If the pupil is attending a primary school, the teacher should refuse to grant the instruction after hours without estra pay. In that case of course no certificate would bo forthcoming, and the Board would refuse payment of the money. The parent then would either pay the primary teacher for his extra work, or send his child to a secondary school, as be ought to do. The Board have bungled the business, however, and are responsible for misunderstandings.