WEEKLY CALENDAR.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 41, 14 October 1867, Page 2

WEEKLY CALENDAR.

Moon.-—Full Moon Monday, 14th at lb. 3m. 23 secs, a.m.

p radically conversant with the principal characteristics and differences to be found

in each; and this ofitselfis amore important lesson than any books can convey, or any schoolmaster teach. It is a lesson moreover which neither the native colonist, or the new colonist has had tin; opportunity of learning. If this is tiie case, and we think it is undoubtedly so, the conclusion at which we must arrive will not be far to reach. In the course of time the “ new comer” becomes an old colonist, and reaps all the advantages which a double education, a double apprenticeship—and the alternate existance in an old and a new country are, educationally, capable of conferring. He has probably taken an active part in political discussions at home, and had a voice in the choice of members cf the Imperial Parliament. He knows something at all events of the working of the institutions of the home country, and tin's knowledge renders him a better judge of the merits of those which have been established here. While, therefore, in an educational sense, and contrasted witlx that of the old colonist, the course of the “ uew comer ” is progressive ; the course of the native colonist, compared with that of the other two, is necessarily retrogressive, andmust continue to be so until steps are taken for the establishment of adult schools of the nature of those above indicated.

We have taken it lor granted that institutions of Local-self-government can 1)3 properly considered in the light of adult schools, because all authorities have so regarded them. Even Mill, with the vicious working of the Old Poor Law before his eyes, admits that local institutions, under certain conditions, are of a highly educational character, while equally as great a writer, who had a better opportunity of witnessing the evils of centralization, says that “ they are to liberty what primary schools are to science; they bring it within the

peoples reach; they teach men how to use and how to enjoy it.” If, as was once stated by Dr Featherston, “all must admit that such a constitution as has been granted to this colony can only he mads to produce its legitimate fruits hy being worked by an enlightened and educated community; ” if during the first half of the colony’s existence it was denied the advantages of Representative Institutions, and had no schools worth mentioning; and if from these causes a comparatively large number of the young men bora or bred in the colony have not had the opportunity of acquiring political or even elementary knowledge; then we think it will he conceded that institutions of Local-self-government, of such a character as to induce men of education, ahillry, and position to take an active part in their deliberations, are absolutely necessary before the constitution can be made to produce its legitimate fruits, hy being worked hy an educated and enlightened community. We claim for the native born or native bred adult colanist the means hy which he can be placed as far as possible on an equal footing as regards his political education with the rest of the population; and we maintain that institutions of Local self-government are the best that can be devised for attaining this desirable object. In fourteen years hence we shall find the boys who have been educated in oar common schools grown to men; in the same space of time we shall find many of the old colonists removed by death ; and within that period, which is a long one in the life of au infant colony, a large portion of those to whom our constitutional liberties will be intrusted, have never enjoyed the benefits either of political education or of elementary instruction. Facts like these, when allowed to have their full weight, show the necessity for the immediate establishment of local municipalities as powerful means for promoting the political education of the native-born colonist, and of placing him, in this respect, on a footing of equality with those settlers who have had better means of acquiring information in their vonth