THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8125, 26 April 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1906.

The report submitted to the meeting of householders of Masterton, held on Monday evening last, for the purpose of electing the Sohool Committee, was of a most satisfactory character. The whole report has been published and there is not much that calls for ■pedal comment, with the exception of the following iemarks:

"While a small credit balanoe of £i 7s 5d is shown as at March 31st last, your Committee baa incurred liabilites to betweeu £6O and £7O which will have to be provided for by fchti iuooining committee. Your Committee has to thank the Trust Lands Trustees for very liberal grants during past years, ■but this year fche Trustees felt themselves obliged to cut down the School grants by one half, and your Schools lost not only the amount out down, but also Government subsidy to an equal amount." We understand that the Maeterton Trust Lands Trustees reduced the usual grant by £45, which had the effect of reducing the Committee's income by £9O. The Maaterton Schools are a • credit to tne town and district, and the Committee have always wisely utilised their limited funds, and it is to be hoped that when the annual question of grants comes once more before the Trust Lands Trustees that they will see their way to make at least the usual grant to the Committee.

Tho conscientious objection which many parents have to their children being vaccinated was vividly exemplified at a recent sitting of the Auckland Police Court when a number of "vaccination cases" were called upon. Mr 0. J. Parr, who appeared for one olient, argued that whereas the law permitted conscientious objections within four months, it should apply at any time. The presiding Magistrate, Mr C. 0. Kettle, aaid he would decline] to grant an order for the child's vaooination. Mr Mays, who appeared for the Crown: Does your Worship say that you propose to extend the time when conscientious objection shall apply from four months to fourteen years?— His Worship: Whatever is the effect, 1 oannot help it. I won't take the responsibilty ordering this child to be vaccinated. It may die or become diseased, and I would be responsible. The law says:—"The distriot health officer shall compel them to do it." When a parent swears positively that he honestly believes vaooation is likely to be injurious to his child's health, I will not order him to consent. If you like 1 will state a case for the Supreme Court. Mr Parr: What are the intentions of the Health Department? Do ibey wi°h that the Court shall order every conscientious objeotor to have his child vaccinated? Mr Maya asked the chief, of the Health Department if he was willing that the four months' exemption should be extended to fourteen years, and he most distinctly said, "No." The Legislature bad fixed four months as the limit, and it should not be extended. Mr Mays then asked the taagistrate if he was prepared to say that a conscientious objection was sufficient? His Worship: I do not say it on the evidence of the defendant. The next defendant offered to produoe witnesses to show that there had been six oases of blood poisoning and two deaths in Auckland directly attributable to vaccination. He was prepared tn swear that he believed the operation would injure his child's health. The Magistrate declined to grant an order, and several other oases were similarly dealt with. At the same sitting of the Court, in eight oases where the Registrar asked for an order to vaccinate, the application was declined on aocount of the parents' conscientious objection. There were no instances in which the Magistrate made any order.