The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, MAY 4, 1874.

Thames Star, Volume III, Issue 1667, 4 May 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, MAY 4, 1874.

His Honor the Superintendent informed tße Provincial Council by message the

other day, with reference to education, that he would submit a Bill which would provide '-' a further and a be tter system

of education for the youth of the province." The message" further said that "several alterations were, proposed with a view to rendering the measure,' as, the Superintendent trusts, ■ more workable o and more"'generally, acceptable, to 'the

people of the province without in jany _appreciable degree curtailing ...the opjpor-

tunities jof;: education; afforded by jthe p'reEent'Act.' Proper steps must be taken to utilise a and add; to the;}many valuable endowments throughout the province, in order to provide a portion of the funds Required to ..carry on education, and the Superintendent proposes' in the administration of any lands which may hereafter be Submitted to his control to select, jand invite the Council to assist him to reserve

a large portion ofthe best lands as school endowments. A proposal will 'be jiub,mitted for dealing with the property known, as the old Supreme Court fsite in such a manner that the revenue to be derived therefrom shall be applied excjusivjely to - educational; purpqsjes." ■It'ir dinicult -to; uhdersta^d^th# reason which^appearsj-^q feaye actuated jthe Government in preparing a new Acij, in

face of the almost unanimous testimony : of the majority of the inhabitants to S the excellence of the. present , ordinance.

There have been complaints against,; the operation of Mr; Lusk's measure, ; but they have been directed either against the incidence of taxation'"provided \by

the measure^ „or tjie secular cha-. racter .of the Act.' If ; '-'the" new jßill r contemplates dealing pnly with, the rating ' clause, there will be little ground'of cony plaint; bu^t if ;it is; intended, to alter! the character of the Bill—so as to make it acceptable tff those 7 wlio have previously .„ offered—a strenuous objection to seciilar education ■, rthen will -it be rejected by all who have pledged themselves

Jtoi ?%h.6 ■.system..:- at ".pfresent in operation. Under-the circumstances, therefore, it would have been wise fpr-the Government, to havf -circulated the draft of their Bill some weeks ago, in - order that the proposed changes might be fairly canvassed. This vvas done, with Mr Lusk's measure, and the alterations made in its passage through the Council , Were immaterial. If the present Execu- \ tive had followed the same course they would have been able to meet the Council ""'with a good grace. Their reticence in this respect has exposed them to suspicion in many quarters, and lias decidedly weakened their position.