CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1504, 9 October 1883, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

(TO .THE, EDITOR WAIRARAPA DAILY.)

Siej—The writer of i\ letter signed "'Parent N0..3" in: the iDaily of this date accuses me-of suppressing some portion of the school committee minutes for a. sinister purpose, and as there is no doubt in my mind that that letter was written by tho head teacher (or some devoted follower of his faction—-his own .words, at his dictation), I hmi r the accusation'back in his face, The minutes I sent you were copied from the minute book, handed to me, and forwarded to you as written, so I can afford to treat the charge made by him. with the contempt it deserves. ••"

; I am, etc, , / ' Your Correspondent. Featherston, sth October, 1883.' ■

FEATHERSTON SCHOOL HOME

LESSONS.

(To the Editor.]

Dear Sir,—Your leading ; artijle in yesterday's Daily will evidently be a hard nut for the head teacher of the Featherston School to crack, the specimen of home work therein contained is certainly unique in its way, but that, sir, is nothing to some that havu been sent out from the same school. In one instance I can vouch for the fact, that an arithmetical proMem given to a pupil, after a deal of trouble and assistance given by a good mathematician was successfully worked out, and the next morning at .school the teacher declared the sum incorrect, but afterwards when worked out again at-home proved to be correct. What conclusion could be drawn from that; but that the teaclntr was unable to work out tin; sum correctly himself, or too indolent to do so, The truth of the matter is die head teacher of the Featherston School is not appreciated here; he is too good for us—too too utterly, utter—and lam only surprised that a gentleman of his attainments should hide his head under a bushel in such an insignificant place as Featherston. .

In conclusion, by all means let " Parent No 3" and the home work faction oust the committee; but it strikes me that lie and the head teacher combined will have to take a home lesson or two and learn how to spell that little word "able," before they accomplish that task. It is just possible,'you know, my friend, the boot may be on the other leg, and that some one else will be ousted in lieu of the committee. Ecce Homo. Featherstou, Oct, 6. :. To the Editor.

Sir,—l beg, by your permission, to make a few renarks in your paper with reference to the meeting couvened by Mr Hawkins at the Thetare on Saturday evening last. And in doing so, I do not intend to interfere with Mr Hawkins' scheme, as now proposed, as regards the association he is so anxious to establish. I was not wishful at the late hour the meeting was kept on there to challenge statements made by Mr Hawkins in his otherwise able address, At the first meeting at the Institute, Mr Hawkins made frequent reference to the working classes of the colony, which led me to believe that this class of people were entirely wrapt up in his sympathies; but with all honest feeling towards Mr Hawkins, I fail to see it. I confess, sir, that I felt deeply grieved while sitting' paying all careful attention to Mr Hawkins delivering his address to hear him, as a gentleman, make suchuncourteous remarks as he did toward that class of men to which I consider it an honor to belong; I refer to the mention made by Mr Hawkins thus: "The old identities, the old arrivals in the colony-" and so on. Happily for Mr Hawkins and many others of his class that there were so many of the old identities or old arrivals in the colony before him, It may be that Mr H, by his recently settling here has had to purchase land in some localities at a dearer rate than it he had been one of the old identities; but nevertheless, when he came he found the country opened up with all its general advantages to him, and I hope if he proves the working man's friend he may live long to enjoy. lam told that I am a member of the Association, be it so, but I wish it to be clearly understood that I accept the words of Mr-Hawkins "old identities and old arrivals" as vulgar and ungentlemauly, and I would far rather not be a member of the Association than to hear such words used towards myself or any others of the settlers whose presence and efforts in the colony, some for more than forty years, Mr Hawkins has found it to his benefit to, take advantage of. I would remind. Mr Hawkins with all friendly feeling and sound truth that the working classes are the. persons whose interests and characters I am am always ready and willing to defend or to help if need be, whether old identities or not, I can say I have been young and am now grown old, Hut we are told old age is honorable, therefore I regard myself as a man of God's creation, and as such I staiul on a level'with the highest in the land. While. lOanhot" boast of'wealth, at the same time I am not at a loss to ■ know that it is by the labours of the; "pc\»r or working ; man the rich man' gains, his \vealth and' establishes himself. ' ",...,; l ■■-■'•'■■■ : :■■■•■ '■ '7 ■•;...;Tamik, •. ■ Thomas William Shute. - ;