33

the buildings required, and in the other
expenses attending the first foundation of
schools. The permanent annual cost will
still be left unprovided for. I know of
but four ways in which these funds can be
raised. 1st, As the existing ordinance
provides, that is by setting apart a certain
fixed amount of, or per centage on, the
Public Revenues. 2nd, By annual votes
of the Provincial Council. 3rd, By pay-
ments made by the parents of the children
attending the schools. I will speak of
these three before recurring to the last.
An examination of the estimates will show
that the present ordinary Revenues are
barely more than sufficient to provide for
the ordinary expenses of Government;
whilst the annual sum required for educa-
tion would amount to nearly one-third of
the Revenues. Again, the sums derived
from weekly payments by the scholars,
can never provide more than a small part
of the expence of a school, except in lo-
calities, where, from the density of popula-
tion, the numbers attending are very
large. In this country, with a widely dif-
fused population, that will never be the
case. Nothing can be less satisfactory than
grants in aid or votes of your house, vir-
tually making the education of the people
contingent on the political chances and
party struggles inherent in a popular from
of Government. The fourth mode of pro-
viding these necessary funds is by a rate
on the whole population of the Province.
I have calculated that a rate of ten shillings
on every person above the age of fifteen
years, and five shillings on every child
between the ages of three and fifteen years,
would produce, even with the present po-
pulation, a sum sufficient to provide for the
permanent charges of an efficient educa-
tional system. But with such a rate another
great principle might be asserted, I mean,
free education for all alike. That the
schools should be entirely open to all the
inhabitants of the Province, without any
charge, and that, not as a matter of charity,
but as a matter of right. A tax so small
to accomplish an object so great, would
not I think, be deemed a burden. Upon
those who had large families it would fall
most heavily, but to those, very persons it
would be an actual boon, because it would
enable such persons to educate their fami-
lies at a less expense than if they had to
make the present weekly payments. To
those without families the charge would be
too trifling to occasion complaint, whilst it
would constantly bring before the minds of
all, the moral duty which belongs to that
provide for the education of the youth of
the community. To make such a system
complete it would be right that endow-
ment should be attached to every school

in the form of scholarships and exhibitions,
by which children, living too far from the
schools to take advantage of them by daily
attendance, might be maintained as board-
ers without additional charge either to
their parents or to the public. The crea-
tion of these permanent endowments would
be a legitimate object to which to devote a
portion of the Land Fund of the Province.

At the same time the Government have
not thought it wise to propose in the pre-
sent measure any such plan as I have de-
scribed. I entirely agree with them in
thinking, that a rate if adopted should be
assented to by the population at large. I
have therefore brought it before you in
order that it may be fully considered by
the Province.

I do not share in the apprehension that
a rate really expended in providing a good
and free system of education would be
obnoxious to the people: on the contrary,
the time will, I hope, come when the peo-
ple will demand as a right that the means
of education for their children shall, at any
cost, be provided; and will justly charge
the Government, which shall neglect to
provide those means, with forgetfulness of
its highest duties.

Gentlemen, I claim your indulgence for
having entered so fully into this subject.
I have it too nearly at heart to forbear to
urge it upon the Province. To create in-
stitutions of the Province—to bestow on
them the character of permanence—to
establish for ever schools for all—to
enlist the sympathies of the people in their
progress and management—This is a work,
which will be remembered, when all the
ordinary subjects to which our attention is
now directed will have been long forgotten,
in the political changes of the day and the
hour.

I cannot conclude, gentlemen, without
alluding to the great struggle in which our
Queen and country are at present engaged.
For although it has pleased God to cast
our lot in a land far removed from the
scene of war. The fearful interest of that
contest is undiminished by distance.

It will be for you to consider whether
we may not give some evidence, more
substantial than words alone, of our sym-
pathy with a cause in which the liberties
of Europe are involved. Whether we may
not seize the opportunity of proving our
gratitude for the gift of those free institu-
tions which we so long wished to enjoy,
and now so highly prize.

The finances of this Province will not
enable us to follow the example of those Co-
lonies of the Empire which have made grants
of public money towards the expenses of