178 ; — the Bible—either on the part of those who believe in the! tersion read, or on those who do not believe ? What feelings ire implanted in the guileless hearts of those who aré sent to drink at the strengthening and refreshing fountain of know- ledge, and find litite but vall and bitterves# in the draugit 2 | Why, Sir, we should find in every County and Township of the Island a horde of juvenile dogmatists, ready to annoy, and persecute; amd worry their schoolmates; about matters Which have, for centuries, been a sourte of contention and | Muddshed with children of a larger growth. Leverse the | pietitire—let the school be a mixed one still, as is the case in 4 majority of districts in this Island, but suppose we find the | schoolmaster to be a Catholic, and a majority of the Trustees | Catholics, of course they would have the Douay Bible for | their Scripture! class beok } aud thére would be just about as tmuch benefit resulting from its use as in the case of the Protestant Bible. [Mr. Whelan then expatiated at con- siderable length on the iinpolicy of legislating on such a question as the one under consideration. Ile contended that it would be fur more conducive fo the peace aud happiness of soctety to allow the Education Act to remain silent, as heretofore, on the subject of religion. He considered that if the Legistatare recognised the use of any particular bible, that large class of the population—be they either Catholic ot Protestant--who conscientiously believed that particular version to be am ineorreet one, would only be encouraged to cherish the worst feclings towards that particular denomination whose Bible happened to be pat io ase agatost their will ; and thus would the Whole community be disturbed by | sectariutt aoiimosity, and religious persecution. Mr. Whelan said he had great respect for the school teachers of this country. As a class he did not think they were inferior | to those of amy other Colony in America for general | intelligence, and for efficiency and zeal in the discharge of the important daties allotted to them ; but be was compelled to say that there were very many of them who, from their youth, inexperience, and want of proper intellectual training, were wholly unfit for the office of religious instructor. lie wished to be understood as not disparaging the acquirements of a majority of the sehoolmasters of this Island, as school- | masters, but he considered it was not ouly improper and | worse than useless to connect religious with secular training, but that it was beyond the power of schoolmasters generally to attend to both. To expound the Bible well and fuithfully was held to be one of the most difficult intelectual pursuits, ~—the sblest, most learned and most sagacious minds that ever shed their light upon the world, bad, in all ages, been devoted to the elucidation of its sacred mysteries ; and many | of them, after a life time spent in that pursuit, might come | pare their labours to those of the great philosopher whe) contrasted his toils in the world of science to the efforts of | a child picking pebbles on the sea shore, Shall we then, | he said, entrust to the raw youth of eighteen or twenty years | of age the performance of a task which has puzzled the wisest | intellects? Even the hon. member for Princetown, with | the resolution before him which he had that evening submitted, | would be slow to believe that there were many parents in| this Island disposed to commit the religious training of their |

~~

children to a large proportion of our country schoolmasters. |

After several other observations from the hon. member—he | having spoken for upwards of an hour—he proceeded to read | the resolution which he held in his hand. Le said he would | not move it then, but lay it on the table for the present. It| was fot [tis intention to move it as an amendment to the Bill, | but as a record of the views which le entertained, in company | with many of his political friends, to be placed upon the | Journals of the House—as a faithful statement of the, pernsissive prinetple with respect to the reading of the Bible | i our public schools, as the law then stood—and as a suitable | answer to tLe Petitions before the House. The resolution was then read, aud is as follows :—

* Whereas, in consequerce of several petitions having been | presented to this House, and duly considered, praying that | the Holy Scriptures may be authorised by law as a class’ book in the mixed public schools of this Colony, it appears to the satisfaction of this House, that, according to existing | arrangements for the management of our district schools, adopted under the sanction of the Board of Jducation | —no prohibition is made to the free use of the Scriptures, | without reference to denominational distinctions; and it is further and very clearly apparent, by various returns from the pablie schools in this Colony, now before this House, that | the Seriptures have been and are used in many of such schools, without prejudice, where the School Trustees and parents of children desire or have desired them to be read. And whereas it bas bitherto been found to afford great | satisfaction to persons of all denominations, V’rotestants and_

Jatholies, to leave the use of the Holy Sepritures entirely | optional with School Trustees and parents, who are best) qualified to determine whether or not the Bible should be used as a class-book in our mixed schools.

« Resolved, therefore, that it is inexpedient to disturb the

several petitions of a similar nature

EXAMINER.

a eer NE ee

THE

Stlonal oF ‘thom with any show of truth ; and whether Mr, Munro, by following and supporting such a“ crew,” acted with honour

Whether it was inte to give it such a character, for wa to know that ifr be and it constituents.

| When the present party came into power some few years

a ea . for its tendency an interference wth the religious belief of any since, the public debt of the Colony amounted to something soon paid off, and in the mean

and all religious denominations. persia Pain dekh ten Hon. COL. SECRET ARY.—If the amendment proposed by | over Sut 000. Thi ca : \| public Bonds, lowered the hon. member (Mr. Whelan) was prefixed to the other, by way of | time reduced the interest on all put .

preamble, itwould be at ledst an explanatory clause. In 1845, the House went into a committee of the whole to report on to those lately presented to this House. ‘The result was a report to the following effect :—

“ ‘Thursday, March 27, 1845.

ords of the several Petitions now

this guise @ coercive spirit. not in the framer of that resolution is of little importance ; It 1s enough adopted it will be the means of working much harm, ' becomes our imperative duty to resist every measure laaving

and incr@ased the revenue, Next, they established a system of Free Education, such as is not equalled in point of per- fection and excellence in any of the British Provinces, or, perhaps, in any part of the British Empire; and in connec- tion with this they have increased the number of public under consideration, relative to the introduction of the Bible, | Schools from 120 to 260. They have obtained for the people as aciass book, inte the Central Academy, and other schvols ‘i Sitaadod of Yes Elective Franchise, alehoat extending to » [sls eceiving grants of weblie money, * to; * wae . . , .

eetpreee ne Sas he k | of Lord Jesus | the principle of universal suffrage, thus securing to the sub- promote the glory ot God, and the knowledve of the sore esus | | I 'P pT ee oe than hitherto enio a Christ. by the early instruction of youth io the principles of the ject a larger amount oO ber y an o yoyed. ' the House of Assembly considers a duty Incum- They have secured the passage of an Act commonly called

bent on every parent and pastor, and is esseatial to the well- ithe * Ove-Ninth Bill,” by which the tenantry of this. Is- bemg and social happiness of mankiad : , | land are protected from the cruel exactions of merciless ‘©And whereas thie comuttee deprecates any par e ‘tandlords and their more merciless agents. They alae Education which does not recognize mee rpc oon | carried, ia the face of a formidable opposition, a eae re moore = ee aes | bab Academy — chase Act, under the successful operation of which hundreds SS ames pon a due respect for thre rights of conscience— of persons have already become frecholders, They have in- which ‘eaves the Institution epen to all: And whereas the | corporated a Banking, Telegraph and Gas Company, &e. introduction of the Douay Bible, as a class book, into the | They have established a system of Free Trade with the

‘* Whereas, to quote the w

word of God,’

| which the House enjoyed a considerable share of merriment ‘their expense—their explorations ended in nothing but ridj- and eredit to himself, aud with satisfaction and benefit to his) cule, as will be seen by the fact that they attempted to put no ‘eondemnatory resolution upon record, excepting that in refer.

i would be condemned by another 5

‘| general instruction, and vet,

‘{ have just read, which, if

Central Academy, would give offence to one portion of he | United and States and neighbouring Colonies, and opened our comerenity, Whilst the introdvetion of a different version thereof : so nothing can be more fo make the reading of the Bible a necessary the advantages of ose a tax

injudiciqgs than and indispensable condition of receiving secular education ; nothing more unjust than to mp upon a large portion of the peopie by compulsory regulations as to the use of the holy Scriptures, to excinde them from a parlici- pation in its benefits, aniess they thought fit to accept it on terms of which they conscientiously disapprove :

‘+ Resolved, 4hat this committee deem it inexpedient to adopt any compulsory measures for the introduction of the Bible, as a class book, into the Central Academy, or the other schools throughout the Island, receiving grants of public money.’’

I observe the names of some hon. members, who flow support the introduction by law of the Scriptures mto the common schools, who then voted for the report of the committee, which earried, would have excluded the Scriptures from not only the Central Academy, but all the schools inthe Island. [I was opposed tothe preamble on the ground that it would exclude the Seriptures altogether from the schools; but as the resolution admitted their use where no objections were made by the parents or trustees, I fully agreed with it, and moved that all before the word “resolved” be struck out, which was carried by a majority of one,—10 voting in the affirmative, and 9 inthe negative. The hon. member (Mr. Palmer) also moved an amendment to the report to the ¢ffect that it was ‘* expedient to repeal so much of the Act of the 10th George 4, cap: 9, as prohibits the use of the holy Scriptures, without note or comment, in the Central Academy, by clildren whose parents or guardians shall not object to the

came.” | voted fur this amendment, because I considered it a just eractment; but it was lost on a division of 6 to 13. J

think the resolution by Mr. Whelan cerries out the one to which have alluded; and as an experience of twelve years has shown the propriety of such a measure, | can eee now no reasonable objection to it. ‘There is one potnt however, which it will be difficult to settle satisfactorily, that is—in a school where one half the children are Roman Catholics, and the other half Protestants, the two versions of the scriptures will have te be tanuht, which will ereate confusion. The school- master ig asked to read one version by the parents of one portion of his scholars, and the other version by the parents of thre other, and what will it lead to? Confusion,

Ilon. Mr. PALMER.—The act is nothing more than a specious shape of law as it atands. ‘Mhe real question is whether such regulations shall be introduced by the parents or Trustees of any school, er by the Board of Education.

The question on the amendment introdnced by Hon. T. H. Havilan', was then put, and it was rejee ed on the following division +

Yeas—flone. T. H. Haviland, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Montgomery, Vr. Longworth, Mr. Wightinan, Messrs. T. Heath Haviland, Laird and Yeo— 38.

Navs—llons. Col. Secretary, Col. Treasurer Mr. Whelan, Mr. Mooney, Mr. Lord, the Speaker, Messrs. Clark, Munro, McDonald, Muirhead, Metntosh and Cooper—12.

LOS

———

Correspondenee.

To rue Hprror or tHe KxaMIner.

Sin,—Having, by a mere accident, seen a copy of the Islander of the 17th instant, [ observed a communication over the signature of “A Belfaster,” addressed to Donald Munro, Esq., M. P. P. In this communication, which is worded in all the insulting vulgarity peculiar to the character of the writer, an unjustifiable attack is made not only on the conduct of Mr. Munro, as a representative of the people, but also upon the character of the present Government of this Colony, whom “A Belfaster” attempts to stigmatize as a

present arrangements for the regulation of our mixed schools, ' band of bungry officials,” accusing Mr. Munro, in the very with regard to the Books that are used therein, by enacting | ; ; : ;

euch a clause in the Education Act as would give a relivious | ®2™° instanee, of * backing them out in every scheme so that 4 d f Aus | ° ° : ”

aspect or colouring to our educational system, and prescribing | thay could feed upon the public money for doing nothing. such new rules in reference to the introduction of the Bible | Then comes the charge against Mr. Munro of betraying the as a clasp book, ab might, though perha sees Seiiindiit he | interests of those who sent him to the House of Assembly ; euforced to the ites ons se “ P ¥ asltet of ea and, now, let me tell “A Beffaster,” that Mr. Munro was lation, and chick ta thee ica” of Hike Ficaie ind id | not sent to the House of Assembly to support the particular vedas al good warers but a the contrary atid os views of «A Belfaster,” or of any Belfaster in particular. alive religious sithadilindh sill apiisesity : ae ae only | (ou will bear in mind, Mr. Editor, that the good people aS Y | wenerally called the Belfasters, are those residing to the

destroy the harmony which has heretofore existed between © ard of Lot 57.)

all classes of Christians, but would, in a great measure yave . :

: : aE ~ | L854, it was on the unmistakeable understanding that he

ee A OT ieee eae | would support the views of the party now in power, and help ‘ ‘to deal political death and desolation to the ‘Tory party, who

aan ro the _—, amendment was then put and carried | then held power by means of the most flagrant tergiversation, ollowing division :— pee — ba aa ua > tis Teassntlens. ve Speshér, ‘T. 1.” Hevitewd,” Palmer, | ‘Tick sud stratagem, mo os i on A Aa Longworth, Montgomery, Wightman, Whelan and Mooney, | Colonial Legislation. Now, Mr. Munro has done this to the Messrs.. Macdonald, Yeo, Macintosh, I. Heath Haviland and | entire satisfaction of * th ; ‘of Assembly, the assertions of ‘A Belfaster” to the contrary

Laird—13. ‘ Nays:—Hons, Col, Secretary, Col. Treasurer and Lord, | notwithstanding. Mr. Munro is next accused of being “ the

Messrs. Munro, Muirhead, Clark, Cooper—7. ‘means of appointing a great many magistrates all over the R. Lainp, Rep. | County.” But most unfortunately for himself, he neglected

Hon. the SPEAKER.—The resolution moved by the Hon. | to have ‘* A Belfaster” appointed among the number. ‘This member (Mr. Whelan) is out of order, as nothing can be certainly was a very serious error on the part of Mr. Munro, —— from the committee but the Bill and its amendments. ‘and may be deemed one of the “ great many instances” which hedemad rhe ac is in the chair the hon. member can move ,, 4 polfaster” says he “ could mention, in which Mr.

seen eee SERGE A102 1'de nok with toongratt Wiepan the | Munro hes gooe astray, and with which the mayosity of his Act ; but to submit it merely as an exposition of my principles | constituents were disgusted.” But of all that Mr. Munro on the question.

Hon. the SPEAKER continued, | have given way hereto- fore ; but will now say a few words. It would, perhaps, be a work of supereogation for me to enter into the arguments introduced in support of the views I hold on the question now under consideration, or reiterate the sentiments already expressed with so much power, and supported by so many able arguments. I will, therefore, only say that | believe there will @ great deal of mischief arise if any material alteration be made inthe present Act. (The hon Speaker then illustrated his argument by showing that if the Catechisin of any creed was by law madea school book it would not for a moment be tolerated, and if a Protestant teacher was compelled to teach a Catholic Catechiem, or a Catholic teacher compelled to teach’a Protes- | tant Catechism, not by the parents and guardians of is scholars, | but by law, it would be an endless source of contention and discontent ) The resolution introduced by Hon. ‘IT’. H. Haviland, unintelligible invective, such as no person—not even “ A says the Bible shall be read in al! the public schools, Now, if Bellaster” can possibly make head or tail of, and consequently this amendment cannot be carried out without opposition, strife yuworthy of any further notice. end ill-feeling between man and his fellow ; withoutembittering | Let us now take a glance at the doings of the Govern- a religious hatred heretofore barely existing; without en- |. A bs heal a fcials.” : 4 lesnutt gendering a feeling the sure precurser of fanaticisin.—if, | won, ee of aePety ee pn ee oy indeed, it cannot be carried out at all—what is the use to styled by “A Belfaster,” during their legislate for the purpose of creating d sorder and discontent ?

Phe amendment is unfair in so fur as it professes to be merely au exposition of the inteutions of the Act, while carries beneath

‘conscientious vote on the Bible Question, when the re-cnact- | > " e e e ° ment of the Free Education Act was under consideration in

“A Belfaster,” to be his crowning sin. Now it must be quite evident to every person who will take an unprejudiced view of Mr. Munro’s conduct on that oceasion, that in deal- ing with that question in the manner he did, and voting as ‘he did on that question, he acted on the broad principle o free and general toleration toall—a principle which em- braces the whole range of Christian philanthrophy, that is,

scheming aud dving uothing, &c., can be preferred against So Cc o Cc

When Mr. Munro was elected in |

the people who sent him” to the House |

has done “ during the past two sessions,” his iudependent and |

| . . . * ‘the House of Assembly, seems, In the immaculate opinion of

gives vent to his feeling or rather his malice, in a strain of |

administrative | wanagement of the public affuirs of this Colony ; for it is by doing this that it can be shewn whether the charge of Accounts ; ‘which they happened to turn up, and for the discovery of ap

ports to the free eommerce of the world.

protect the revenue and commerce. | roads to be opened wherever they were required, and esta-

for supplying the means of | blished post offices in all parta of the country where such were wanted. ‘They have, in the session just ended, carried the passage of a Bill to secure the Imperial guarantee for a loan to purehase the proprietory estates, in order that the

«“ bleeding tenantry of P. E. Island” may become happy and independent frecholders; and they are at present ne-

the Belfast Estate, (and with every prospect of success) in order to convert the unfortunate tenantry of Belfast into honourable and independent frecholders. And to show that Mr. Munro possesses the confidence of the people of Belfast, it may not be out of plece here to mention that on the 17th of March last, in the House of Assembly, Mr. Munro pre- sented a petition from “ various inbabitauts of Lots 57, 58, 59, 60 and 62 and others, inhabitants of Belfast, praying the House to sanction a Joan by which the Government may ob- tain the means of purehasing the Earl of Selkirk’s property in this Island, and reselling it to the petitioners.”

There, then, is a faint and imperfect outline of what the Government and their supporters have been, and are still doing. How, then, can it be asserted that Mr. Munro, by following and supporting such a party, (‘ crew” as they are insultingly styled in * Belfaster’s” letter,) did not earn for himself the respect and confidence of all unprejudiced and right-thinking men. Mr. Munro's conduct in the House of Assembly during the time he held a seat there, but as “ A Belfaster” promises « shortly ” to visit him with another dray, I will, for the present, confine myself to the foregoing, and remain,

Yours, very respectfully, A HIGHLANDER.

Orwell Head, April 27, 1897.

—- oS >-

—~

To rue Eprror og tuk Examiner.

Sin,—-As I wish the enlightment of some of the speakers at the * great Protestant meeting,” held last February, in the Temperance Hall, and that the public may judge for themselves how far their statements ou that eccasion are to be relied on, [ send you the following extracts, which speak for themselves. I would further beg to refer them to Lazng’s “ Deseription of the Morality of Protestant Sweden,” and | Head's “ Account of the Chastity of the Women in Ireland.”

Both these gentlemen appear quite as orthodox Protestants, though not quite apparently so ignorant in matters of History, as the spouters at the meeting referred to.

A SUBSCRIBER. COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF CRIMES IN ENGLAND AND WALES AND IRELAND, AS LAID BY ORDER OF HER MAJESTY BEFORE ROTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, IN FEBRUAKY, 1897.

1851. was 17,922,768. at the same time the population of Ireland was 6,515,794, being very nearly as 13 to 36 in proportion to each other, and henee the crimes in Ireland ought to approximate to those of England as 1 to 3.

Eng. & Ire-

During the years 1852, 1853 and 1854, inclu- Wales. land.

sive, there were Capital Convictions, 144 44 Murder, il 4 Attempts to murder, with wounds, 7 0 Sodomy, 15 0 Burglary, with violenege to persons, 4 0 Robbery, with wounds, 7 0 Arson of dwellings, persons being therein, 5 0

Shooting at, stabbing, wounding, &e., with intent

to maim, X&e., 97 Breaking into shops, Xc., and stealing therefrom, 106 Robbery by persons armed, 21

18 10

» -~

Larceny from the person, 1570 = 389 Larceny by servants, 2140

Simple lareeny, 12562 3329

‘Frauds and attempts to defraud, 676 62

| Forgery, 144 4

Uttering and having in possession counterfeit coin, O74 4

Personal violence on women and young girls, 141 30 72

‘Bigawy,

~—_-o--—

To rue Epiror or THE EXAMINER.

| preached in the

They have also ‘established an efficient and effective preventive service to They have caused new

gociating with the Karl of Selkirk with a view of purchasing

Much more might be said in defence of

The population of England and Wales, by the Census of

Sir,—Since your last issue a somewhat different version has ‘derably smaller than they were in 1848. heen given of Mr. Heard’s interview with the gentleman who receives only £300—then he had £500. It is true there is a de- Morrisonian Chapel, Pictou, referred to in my | ‘last, from which it appears that a avritten document was not |

meta

at

ence to the contingent expenses of the Land Offiee,—(which

| we fully explained in this paper of the 27th ult.)—and which

was found to be only a mare’s nest of somewhat large propor-

rate of duty on imported articles of general consumption, tions The ingenious accountant of the Islander office has ’

howevor, proved, to his owm satisfaction, that his friends and

_ patrons in the minority are hopeless blockheads—that the Aw-

counts are altogether wrong from beginning to end—that

exhibit nothing but fraud and raseality on the part of the Go- vernment—and that this country, which we were all weak und vain enough to believe to be in a prosperous condition, ig actually on the verge of bankruptcy and ruin! Is it not a sin

‘and ashame that a rotten borough cannot be found to give

this brilliant financier a seat, so that, by the exercise of his marvellous powers as a debater, he might force the Snatchers

to hide their diminished heads—bring the officials to their

marrow-bones—knock the Administration into a cocked hat, aml realize expectant Snarlers’ hopes of the ‘* good time com- ing,’’. by the formation of a Cabinet im which he could figure as Chancellor of the Exchequer?

To illustrate the accuracy and ability of the ‘* coming” Chancellor, we shall briefly notice two or three items ia his non-official budget, published in the Islander of the 24th ult.. Ile informs us that the Saiary of the Normal School Teacher is ** £300 per annum.’’ This is news to us, and to che pub- lic. The law allows only £200, and not one penny over that amount is paid. ‘‘ Then we have,’’ he says, ‘£277 paid in ‘* four warrants for ‘ special grants to teachers.’ Who are ‘‘ the favoured four, and what is the object of the special ‘‘ grant? We have also 5 scholarships charged at £116, « What does this charge mean? To those queries the Public ** Accounts afford no answer.’’ It would be very queer if they did. But we shall tell Mr. Maclean that if he is anxious for correct information on these points, he will find it in the journal of the House of Assembly, and in the laws relating to Education. The ‘special grant to teachers’? is an annual vote of the Legislature, given on behalf of those Schoolmas- ters who are not fortunate enough to pass the Board of Eduea- tion, and who annually petition for public aid. Their petitions are referred toa Seleet Committee of the House, who set apart such sums for them as the cireumstances of their position and their qualifications may appear to demand. These petitions are generally numerous—perhaps not less than thirty or forty, —they are closely myestigated by the Select Committee— reported upon at considerable length — their report is every year published in the newspapers as well as in the Journal of the House; and what is more, the Education Law specially provides for this appropriation of the public money ; and if we wistake not, the practice of voting it obtained even when Mr- Maclean was in the Legislature, and has continued ever since. With respect to the charge of £116 for five scholarships, our admirably correct financier can ascertain whet that means by perusing the Education Aet. We shall only tell him, that ‘*the law allows it,’’ and the Legislature, very properly, every year, ** awards it.”’

The new candidate for the Chanecellorship is desperately puzzled to make out how the earting of coals * from the wharf is charged at twice as much as the freight from Pietow or Sydney.’’ So he might be; bat sinee he ean’t be on the floor of the Assembly to hear explanations upon this or other topics of like financial importance — why did he not ask some of his friends of the minority, who did hear the explanation, to make him aeqtainted with the faets of the case? The ex-

satisfactory to the House, and will be so to the country. It was to the effect, that the Auditors had charged a large amount to the cost of the coal which should have been charged to the cost of the freight. Although these errors on the part of the candidate for the Chancellorship in the Tory Government, that is to be—the Lord knows when — may seem to be * trifles ight as air,’’ they are not calculated to enlighten the public as to his fitness for the post to whieh he aspires. Ie is not more happy in his comparative statement of the public expenses in 1848 and 1856, than he is in reference to other matters of the Publie Accounts. Why has he gone back so far as 1848? Or, if he wanted to make the comparison particularly striking, why not have ran ten years farther back, and have shown us how small our expendi- ture was in 1838? or still ten years further? Now, if the Islander could be honest enough to furnish a fair statement, _he would have taken the year when the Civil List first ceased | to be paid by the British Government, or the year previous to the present Administration coming into office. That would not answer his purpose so well. The charge for salaries may well appear to be a heavy one in 1856 in comparison to what it | was in 1848,—in the latter year the British Government paid the largest proportion of those salaries; in the former year | the Colony has paid them all, except the salary of the Lieut.

2 Governor. And the Islander knows very well, that at present

the salaries to individual officers of the Government are consi- The Treasurer now

'

-_puty in the office at £150; but the revenue and the duties of the

presented, but a statement made and permission asked to affix office have enormously increased. Still the salaries of Prinei-

his name. It will therefore be necessar last communication.

C. BARKER.

——

Che Examiner,

Ch. Town, May 11, 1897.

CHARLOTTETOWN, P,. E.1I., MAY 11, 1857.

THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS.

to substitute the | | word ‘*statement’’ for ‘* document,”’ in the postseript of my

By inserting the above, you will oblige yours respeetfully,

Tue tenacity with which the Jslander clings to the publie

pal and Deputy are £50 less than the salary of the one was in that model year to which we are referred, when there was no responsibility and little labour to be done. The same remark will apply to the Secretary's office. The receipts of the incumbent of that office from various sources were little less than £1000. ‘The responsibility was nowhere, and the labour was not so arduous but that the gentleman filling the post could find leisure for many important private speculations. The salary of the Collector of Excise cost £260, when the incumbent of the office did scareely anything during the whole year round — but take his pleasures, The Customs .Depart- ment cost the British Government an enormous amount,—but

‘accounts is only equalled by the audacity and recklessness | the two offices are now united ; and with an immense increase.

with which they are misrepresented. The editor is death on of business, the cost for salaries in those two offices is only

figures.

7 : | . m . . ° Nobody eun cast up accounts and strike a balance so £400. The decrease in the amount of other salaries, with the

cleverly as himself, and the public accounts present so fine a | increase of business, might be noticed, but want of space

' us, in his latest, to continue his ‘*herculean efforts’’ in the same | £2],

| line. |

stupid set, or

The minority in the Assembly must be a singularly Mr. Maclean an extraordinary ingenious fellow. the public? Have not the agriculturists of the country—who | They laboured with becoming zeal for several days, nay weeks, | are its mainstay—a very direct interest in seeing an institu- to discover errors, over-charges, or dishonest charges, in the | tion like the Agricultural Society liberally encouraged, and

but, with the exeeption of a couple of mare’s nests | have they not a

“to do uuto others as we would that others should do unto : field for display, that a dozen Nos. of the Islander will barely forbids.

” inc . + 2 - 46 2a ‘AS ay’? x ‘ ° ° ° us.” In the concluding part of his letter, * A Belfaster” | cafice to show off his larning, to his own satisfaction. He has} ‘The Islander refers to the grant on behalf of the Agricultu- already flourished through half a dozen issues, and promises’ ya} Society, as a piece of extravagance. In 1848 it was only

In 1856 it reaclfed the respectable amount of £1,216. But is not this outlay of the publie money for the benefit of

lready largely profited by its exertions? The

propriation for agriculture in 1848 was as disgraceful to the

planation given by a member of the Government was quite -

sya

a

é : &

; f