. ‘,

~ “who .. .

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, Marci; 12.

' (chales_toatiaud.)

EDUCATION.

lil use in Committee on the Report of the S cial Committee on the siiibject of Educationz—Mr. D. Macdonald iiithe Chair.

Mr. Rat, in reasntin the Report, as Chairman ofthe Special Committea,aaid its scarce y expectnd thatevery suggestion contained in there rt would meet with unanimous support; but, from the

' 'ha wh eh had been taken to ascertain the sentiments of the pub- is on the subject, he thought the report would meet with the support of the major part of the House. He would pro so that the repogt should be read, clause by clause, that _indiVi on! members mig t havoan opportunity to express their opinions thereon. [ML ’ as here read the School Act of Nova Scolia, an.d_also that of how Brunswick] It would be better, he was ofo iiiion, to recommend the moderate arts of the School Act of Nova. cotia, than to put in force either 0 the two Bills which he had just road. He thought the recommendation contained in the former part of the report was sufliciently astringent, and that an assessment thus carefully guarded would not or could not be an engine of oppression.

M . sax said he was well aware of_tbe necessity of making persdnscii'ho were unwilling to educate their children pay by assess- ment. There were unfortunately such persons possessing large families iii the country. Two thirds of the inhabitants would a auficient majority to decide all matters relative to any District School; and the makin_ of such a majority necessar to the carry- ing of any question afigcting the school, Would, is thought, the sufliciant, and be a provision which would be found to work we . The School Acts of Nova Scotia and New Brunsvuck were not Ida ted to the circumstances of this Colony. \Vjtli the greater part 0ft e re rt he was disposed to agree, but he did not concur wrih the whorl: Oftlie first part be approved. He thought the whole should be printed in the Newspapers of the Colony, that, being

eaerally read therein, any information which could be oflered on his subject might be had.

Mr. Li: Lsct-imtit said be readily concurred with the Chairman

of the Special Committee from which the report respecting the ncouragetnent of Education in this Colony emanated. He thought

tfthe assessment plan were adopted it ought to be very guarded. None but such families as stood in need. of a teacher should be assessed. He would approve of a bill's being brought in on that principle. provided it should be aIIOWed to the over till next sosstpn.

Mr. Sruarrit was ofopinion that unless it were inteudcdto bring in a Bill witha view to its going into immediate operation, the report was quite sufficient for the present. 110 did not see exactly how far he should agree with, or object to, the recommendations of the report; but it might be printed, and time sufficient given to afford the country in general, as well as every honourable member of. this house, a fair opportunity to give it a full consideration ;_ and so. excellent a report as it appeared to he, would surely greatly aid them in arriving at ajust conclusion. I .

Mr. Dsuisi. wished to have the Report printed, and thaw might lie over for sonsideration. He thought the assessment might be so guarded as to prevent its operating unjustly. . '

Mr. Hunsort said, he had spared no pains, as far as lay iii his power, to ascertain individua opinions on _th_e subject. borne thought taxation an excellent plan; but the majority of those whom he had consulted were decidedly against it. “my said specie was scarce; and he (Mr. Hudson) said, it was well known by honour- able members to be so, especially in the back settlements, He agreed with the honourable the Speaker as to the utility. of printing the Re rt. Hethonght much information would be derived front it.

Mr. PIAIER said the report wasa sufficient fpundatioii on which to erect a proper superstructure; and, by having it printed in the "'0 Island Newspa ers, and allowmg I'lltt further consideration of all subject by tho ouse in their legislative capacity, to lie over till “10 next session, they would then. he hoped, be able to frame such in educational measure, as might be found adapted to the wants and Iifoumstances of the country. . I

Ids. Loaavvoa'rn had no ob‘ections to the printing ofthe report, provided the house should not 6 considered as pledging themselves to any details.

Mr. Jossru Discwstr. wished to call the attention of the. home to aquesiion which he thought it very necessary to put with res- pnt to the assessment scheme. “'ho were to be judges as 10 Who on ht to be assessed, what the amountofnssessinentought10 be: and who should be sent to school? It ought to be remembered that it was very difficult to judge of the circumstances ofanotlier.

Mr. RA]: answered, that ersons who had money to spare for the tavern and other purposes 0 such a character, ought to be considered as having it to spare for the advancement ofeducation. It was the duty ofa Legislature that every sub'ect thereof, having the faculties ofacquiring usefuland beneficial in ormation, should be an educated to a certain extent. f a man were not able to educate his children he might make an affidavit to that effect, or iffroin conscience' sake he should scruple to make oath to thntefi'cct, two Magistrates or two Commissioners of Small Debts would be able to certify the fact. He (Mr. Rae could not see that any assessment whatever could be more guarde . It was not to be imposed on any non-subscribers by the trustees ofany school distant more than a mile and a quarter from such non-subscribers, and in no case to exceed thirty shillings per scholar, nor to be imposed for more than three children in the same family. “’hen there was only one child in a family, the assessment was recommended to be imposed for only one half of the year; as when there was only one child in a famil . it might frequently be necessary to keep him at home, or to take im away for one half of the ear. No assessment could be more guarded. It was a duty of the egislature to provide thatthe rising generation should be taught at least reading, writing and arithmetic; and where parents could not iifl'ord to educate their children to that extent, the public ought to assume the hurtlien. This was acknowledged by every enlightened country in Europe, and also in the United States of America.

Mr. Susana—We appointed a,Committee to give us information. We have obtained such information as thev have been able to afford us, and that is suflicient for the present. There is no necessit for our now pledging ourselves to the adoption of any details. ere we now to discuss the re ort, clause by clause, we might as well bring in a bill at once. 0 say let the report be printed is not to say we will adopt itall. It is not even a pledge to our adoption of an art of it.

T e Hon. J. S. MACDONALD observed, that the object of printing the report was merely to give information. There could, therefore, in his opinion, be no objection to the motion of the Hon. the S alter. He would support it. If honourable members have any

'ections to the recommendations contained in the report, they will thus be afi'orded time for deliberation and enquiry. ,

Mr. Loitowom-n said he would object to a Bill brought in in ac- cordance with the report. but he liiid no objection whatever to the report's being printed. He had been a member ofthe Special Com- mittee b which that report was prepared; but he (lid not agree with its l‘. He quite difl‘ered from that part in which it is said, that in the present state ofthe revenue and ofthe mass ofthe people this Colony cannot afl’ord to maintain by legislative aid, seminaries’ more as naive than schools for the ordinary branches ofeducarion.

Mr. onsets proposed the appointment of another Special Com. routes to ascertain, during the recess, how the people stand sfi‘gcred to the recommendations contained in the report, and their opinions on the subject generally. \

r. L_e Lscnaoit said, if the report were rinted there would be no occasion to appomt another committee. very member or 9.. House would consider it to be his duty to examine and consult his constituency u on the subject of the report durin the recess, and would personaly report I sir opinions in his pface in the a.“ session of the house.

Hr. Mania-roan said, if he dissented from the report, because the assessment proposed was not a general one.

Mr. Hanson said, he did not mean to press his motion; but he would remind honourable. members that what was every body‘s business was nobody’s business. If a Committee were a pointed they would be stimulated to exertion by feeling that they were, directly accountable to the country and the House for the perform- an'crshof partjcuslaiiputy. '

h _e on. . . acnonLn said, so rest was the diven‘t pplnipu u p the subject, that, he believed, there were scarcely Ithyrfef individu s in one settlement who thought in common thereon.

.Mr. Susana observed, that although at one time he thoughtit might be well to appoint another Committee, he did not think so new. The appoiptmsnt of another Committee would be inter- preted as a re ectiop u on the Committee appointed by the lug “um”- “FWldrm _act, he as ing that that Committee had not done-all which they mi ht have dime, and that it was necessary to appoint another to do 1 tat which they had lelt undone. The last Committee had done Well, and had given in a very full and able report. The Schools Act was about to expire, but before it would do so, honourable gsntlarnen would have an opportunity to give the subject all necessary enquiry. ,.

Mr. Speaker than resumed the Chair. [For the remainder of this day's proceedings,

it was only

seed-st week's report]

eruansv, March 14. _ ' - - . ' -' ' ' ‘ atla of

House in Committee on the Bill to predvettt km“ '0’ Horses and Neat Cattle An th'q Stfieezfll‘hzllé ( “d, Radius).

0 re eal certain ct t eretn , 500° . . . .ngfi'. Elia, i: urging his idea oftqe_nm:£y:t;tyh:hgilj;n ' t countr 0P 0 l . . arise-olf- $23131”. in hirelottettqun, _said léuh waltm‘l'l: is: ' ‘ fatouo a into at i ' libm’hirhzrzotlgddlga';lid: hay standing in the market squlfe the {shale da , he ,vrould not find he had enough left in the moan"; to {bed his one with. Many ofthe inferior animals, liesat ,Wero capable of certain degrees of education, and of acquirin certain d reesofknovvledge.As a roofofthis,tho most knowingo .the cows irrerarlottetown were rein arly observed to frequent Queen a Square on market dava. Some persons, he observed, said that in t e stim- mer season horses and cows ought not to be restricted from running at large in Charlottetown, and the reason ven was, that manyf

ersons who kept these animals in the town, ad no other means 0

eeping them. than by allowing them to run at. large in the streets. it had been denounced as a curse upon certain places, that-grass should grow in‘thair streets, but he was'nnt aware that such a curiae had been pronounced against Charlottetown. He had certain y never observed that the grass growing in the streets of Charlotte- town.cnuld afford much nourishment to hprses and cows, and it would doubtless afl'ord less as the population should increase._ A certain degree oflibel’ty was necessar to a horse that he mfigpt exercise his limbs, accordingly when a nurse was turned out o is liable, it was observable that it was not pasturebu: gamboling upon which be ap ared to be intent. The hardship to the poor man, who kept a no or cow was, that there was no Common. OuIr Inceltal’l had aiade such reservations ; but it appeared that'althoug i there had once heena Charlottetown Common,it was vanished It s the south end ofLot 3; iflooked for. the return made would be non est inventor. If this common were established it would contain_ ten or twelve acres. Where then would be the objection to preventing the running at larg ofhorses and cows in the Streets and Squares of Charlottetown. llad not his attention been turned to the subject he would have known nothing about the existence ofsuch a Common. Ifthe Common could be got again, its restoration would remove all objections to the Bill. Perhaps some of those.who were better acquainted with the history of the former good things done in this Island than how” himself. would favour them with some account ofthe missing Common. The first Act he met with mentioning the Common of Charlottetown, was one passed in the year 178i), intitiiled “ An Act to enable the Governor, or other Commander in Chief, to lease out certain parts of the Common of Charlottetown, Rent free, for the space often years." Mr. Rae here very happily ridiculed the reasons assigned for the passing of such an act. It was agnod idea,.he said, that the Common was not useful for horses or cattle, nor even an a place ofresort for the amusement and exercise af- forded by those athletic games to which the race from which they were sprung were so peculiarly addicted. The next time the Common was mentioned in the Statute Book, was in the year 1809, when an Act was passed to repeal the Actofl790. Other members of the House, he expected, were more cogiiisant of the history of the Common, than himself; and from some one or other of them he hoped they would be made acquainted with the facts on the subject. To prevent a poor man, who might be under the necessity of bring- ing a cow to town for sale, perhaps to pay his rent, becoming liable toa penaitv of We. in consequence of his cow's gettiiig loose. and running t trough the streets, or any other case ofsimilarevtdent hardship and injustice, he had been thinking some provuiion was necessary, that all horses and cattle brought to town for sale should be exposed in some place, fenced in at the public expense. _ The centre of the market square, be thought, would be the most suitable place for such an enclosure; and it could ‘not well be considered it nuisance, if not nearer than 100 or 150 feet to the houses. If this were objected to, the centre ofthe common might be chosen. He had, he said, thus touched upon something that would be good for the eople ofCharlottetown, and upon something also that would be guerrfortlin people from the country. He had declared his ignorance on the suli'ect ofthe Common, but hoped it would be explained by the liononrab 0 members for Charlottetown.

Mr. PALMER said he did not deny the existence, to a certain ex- tent, of the evils complained ofhy the country people,respecting the injury done to their produce at times, in the market square and streets of Charlottetown, front the allowing ofhorses and cows to run at large therein ; but he did not think the evil was yet so great as to warrant their going so fiir as was proposed by the Bill. He admitted, that as far as related to horses, it was proper that they should be prevented from runningat large at certain seasons ; but, as applying to summer, it would he too street-e ; it would be unjust. It had been stated by the honourable member for Prince County, and very correctly, that the poor people ofCharlottetown had not now any advantage arising to them from Commons. It was most unwise and uncomjimunnnj to grant away the Commons of Charlottetown. It was done, he be- lieved, by the Governor : he was pretty certain it was not done by an Act of the Legislature. A Common out-c having been laid off, it should have been preserved to the public. thy it was otherwise he knew not. If the honourable member for Prince Countv could tell how the Commons could be regained, he would most heartily go along with him. Could the Commons be recovered, it would then be less hard to cause the prevention contemplated by the Bill. lftlicy could prevent horses and cows running at large in the prin. cipnl streets and squares of Charlottetown, and leave the road; and lanes of the other parts ofthe Town and Royalty free for tha run. ning and grazing 0 horses and cattle, it might be well. But it was obvious that that could not be done. The roads and lanes produced a great deal ofgrass, and during the summer season, the cattle ofthe poprer and middling classes in and about town, derived the whole or nearly the whole oftheir nourishment fi-oin the grass growing in the less frequented streets of the Town, and in the roads and lune. in its vicinity. It would he very hard that crime and horse. should be sliut up, almost to starve, in stables and pens, and debnrred from gasturing ti on the uncncloscd grass growing so luxuriantly in the

Own and oyiilty ofCliiirlottetovvn. There were few families in Charlottetown that did not keep a horse or a cow. Several oftliem indeed farmed pasture Lots; but these Lots were not suflicieml extensive _to serve both for pasture and for raising a little produce at the same time. The com laint ofthe country people amounted to no more tltan that they can d not leave their produce unguarded in the streets and squares, without a risk ofils being damaged or destroyed, And this was true enough. But was it not equally so as respected any town? _Were_not persons exposing goods for sale, in any town 3" the W” 3"» "bl'fld 10 watch their property so exposed whetheii "' {he market, 0|! ll"! quay, or elsewhere? Much ofthe bvil com-

laH-md Pf w“. "use." b petwn’l Who brought Produce to town euvtng It unguarded in t ie streets, while they loitered awa the" lime m the “or” 0" 'egaled lhemselve‘ in lap-shops He t ion ll: a greater number nfindividuals would be irriured by age“ a law “5 I would be benefited by its enactment. He ‘would win," I I?" “one! and cm" {mm "mm"! m “"50 in the more Publicg tindxlciolim‘i l°“”"‘°“ “we WW"; Pmt’tded they could be left to roam at large

populous parts ofthe town, it would be necessa down the grassin those parts in summer. It {gap-use: pil'xljj‘pltior}I wpiuld not be so obj a it a on can no to market-da s ' but it ‘ would soon become a nullity. If barges,audioiwiivszrzotgogfsfigbif ed the free pastor-age of the streets for four or five days in the week the law might be attended to for one summer; but alter that time, like most other laws ofa similar nature, operating against privile ed {pong erHoyJid, and in themselves not unreasonable or unjust, it wofild boogie y isregarded, and stand a mere dead letter on their statute Mr. Srnxsit said he saw that ifcattls we days, and allowed their freedom four days a wlii’aiio[itsiiveriiildnb'dmariiet nefit to the country people attending markets with produce ad: could be.no great injury tothe towns eople. He thou lit it do lit be sntfictsnt that the restriction shooid extend to thosg portions8 of milirkct days during which country produce was usual] exposed for as 0. However he would go With the Bill for the prohibiting ofhor- sea and cows running at large in the streets on market days.

_r. Helios thought in framing such a Bill a favourable op r-

which were 0 en-

ry to employ men to cut 'was true he thought the ectionable, were it ititended

, the less individual damn e I ‘ the honourable gentleman who had i‘ntrwddiiicgdbilirgiil’iakenliid opportunity aforded him to add to t w

againstcorta‘ln liberties which were highlj-n'eam" “me emctmenu gone with him. Aait was, he wauld o ‘ and vol ] wrth the learned and honourable member for Charloi e a on‘ _ x d . which comb and horses in town. was hay,,ani°iiiu'3ii°.:°§:ii:ie "In ,im‘mzs :Z‘lellllmégr: lgvs‘ryflgayh not on market davs only ; so _ . . e a s ' ' w-nyut:u:::r;:lél‘lfevtlmplhlned of. 'Hhovl'iglftiiiurfigl:atvi§ 5; . fir arlottetown was particularlycareful of the ,l

, g of u constituents u kepteows ; and be (Mr. Raojniiiiléihi

objecfiom ,. h'i.‘ 5",“ so, prov'ided‘liis cars of their interests wontt

not to injursthsvlilmests 'of' three-tony people.“ vafigfigi‘bi.

an loamsd-gbitlsman had said that the iadrtiduu.g.;w.gwho I

ould be in‘ursd b the Bill'were more than those magnum",

:ho would bengfited by It. RIO) day“ «the, in- dividuals from the country supplying the in! with prod ‘fisre, lie contended, more in number than the people in Town vs jkept cows. The learned member for Charlottetown had said tlt em all towns 'vvhere goods were exposed for sale in the open air, it swat... cessary for the owners to keep a watch_upon them. As applying to the uays in towns in the old country, ifcows eat paneheona ofrum and heads of molasses, the argument of the honourable and lear gentlemen would apply ; not otherwrse. He (Ir. 8g.) an- serted that in towns in En land and Scotland .loads of bay in the markets were free from mo estntion. There might be a way of pre- venting depredations tipon ltay brought to‘marltet hate, that was by the erection of a pro erly enclosed ha -marltet ; but unless that werevdone, or such a Bill as that then be ore-them d rates low

a man bringing bay to town for sale might, before s got it wotgbs and delivered, have to wait halfan hour or an hour,'or perhaps half a day, and during that time, whatever it might be,»,his haywoujd be I exposed to de redation. But to return to the Commons, he wished to know whet er or not they had been ranted away by specisl au- thority : independent of that, a grant root the Governor was no grant; liis Commission prohibited such grants. Individuals towhcsn grants ofthe Commons were made, were, perhaps, ignorant oftliis ; but, however, he was inclined to think they must have known they had no right to them. He had thought that, perhaps, the beacon-- ble and learned gentleman would make some motion relative to the lost Commons, for the good ofhis constituents : hohopsd he would do so yet. There were still some pasture lots to be sold ; and iftha < Governor, as it was said, had granted away the Commons, on s ro-