THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1871.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 30, 10 November 1871, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. FRIDAY , NOVEMBER 10, 1871.

Resuming our review of the proceedings in Parliament, we propose giving prominence to one or two of those social questions which occupied so much of the time and attention of the Legislature at Wellington. Of these, the Education Bill was not the least important. The Bill prepared and introduced by tlic Government was withdrawn, after having been in committee a week or ten days, the opposition to the machinery being so great that it was apparent further progress would be extremely tedious. The clauses involving questions of principle were not touched in committee. The whole question is, therefore, “hung-up” for another year, and the existing Provincial systems of public education continue in operation.

Perhaps this was the best thing that could have happened after all. It was quite clear that the Bill, as it stood, was not acceptable to a larg’c number of people who take a deep interest in the cause of public education. The measure came upon them by surprise. It was not distributed throughout the country to enable the community at large to form an opinion of its merits after mature consideration of its provisions. In any future legislation of this kind, it should be clearly understood that the country will have an opportunity of considering the principles of the measure, and expressing an opinion upon them, before the Legislature is required to embody these principles in a law. And the Government, in withdrawing the Education Bill, promised to distribute it widely during the recess, and so elicit a general expression of opinion regarding it.

The friends of undenominational education have now a chance of making themselves heard and felt in the General Assembly. They were not without their representatives in the Assembly when the attempt was made to foist on the country a denominational system of public instruction, which would have stereotyped the very worst form of sectarian animosities, and perpetuated religious differences, which ought never to have been introduced into a new country like New Zealand; but these gentlemen were not backed by the intelligent portion of the public who thought with them. Indeed, it was said, we are informed, by the Premier, that the absence of petitions in favor of purely secular education was a proof that the friends of that system were not very earnest in the matter. The Auckland petition, however, shows what at least a very large section of this Province thinks on the subject; and it is to be hoped that 'during the recess petitions will be prepared and forwarded from all parts of the country on this question. The denominational element Las already spoken out. Those who desire to elevate the people by imparting a sound unsectariau education should not remain dumb. As we shall have other opportunities of discussing the proposed educational

system for the .Colony, wc shall not further allude to it now, beyond saying that it was a step in the right direction, and the Government deserve credit for bringing it in. Hcxt in importance was the Licensing Bill. ' This measure embodies all that is good in recent legislation on the subject of the liquor traffic. No one can deny the right of the public to impose restrictions and limitations on the liquor trade. In the very nature of things, this right must be recognised. And if the public see«tlic great evils which result from the operation of the law as it now exists, they have a right to demand from the Legislature a measure of redress. The Licensing Bill, prepared by Mr Fox, and introduced by Mr Creighton, is a great measure of social reform. It recognises the right of the people to control the liquor traffic: and it proposes to put the power in the hands of the people themselves to define its character and limit its extent. This provision is contained in what are termed the “ per-missive-prohibitory clauses;” We conceive that no right-thinking man or woman would object to this. Public sentiment is setting so strong in this direction, however, that any long-con-tinued insistence to it by those who have an interest in continuing the drinking habits of tlic people, will be impossible. The Bill may not become law during the present session. Indeed, in all probability, it will not become law; but the Legislature has affirmed the principle of the measure with a unanimity rarely, if ever, exhibited by any Legislative body. As our readers arc aware, the Bill provides that women shall vote on this social question as well as men. The member for Eden said, when moving the second reading of the Bill, that “ this was essentially a woman’s question;” and the cheers of the. House told plainly enough that lion, members felt the paramount claim of women to have a voice in determining the extent and character of the traffic in alcoholic liquors. They are, in the main, the chief sufferers by “the drinking customs of the age;” and they should be permitted to indicate the extent and direction of tlic needed reform. Doubtless it may be said, as indeed it lias been said, that men suffer from the drinking habits of women. This is true in degree.; but that argument only strengthens the hands of those. who advocate the “ prohibitory -permissive

principle.” The clauses of tlie Bill which refer to the sale of adulterated liquor are much needed. No one can doubt the fact that much of the insanity, disease, and death, in the Colony is caused by the consumption of drugged or unwholesome drinks. The competition in the liquor trade is so great that one cannot wonder at the extent to which adulteration is resorted to for the sake of profit. Now, we contend that, in the interest of the respectable portion of the licensed vendors of alcoholic liquors, the Licensing Bill introduced during this session, at Wellington, is needed. Wc have heard respectable publicans support the permissive clauses heartily. They have nothing to fear. It is only that class of houses which pollute the community in which they exist that will be largely affected by such a law as the one proposed. With these we have no sympathy. There is already too much misery and crime chargeable to them, to admit of a single regret should they entirely disappear.