The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-05-08 00:00:00

tunate, the indolent, or the lazy. We are a
progressive people. Art and science are daily
adding to our influence, wealth and power; yet,
singular to say, we shamefully neglect to elevate
the profession and calling of the teachers, The
day labourer, the mere 4‘ hewer of wood and
drawer of water," receives his 3s. or 4s. a-day, the
teacher of youth is offered from 201. to 301.
a-year, with a few insignificant perquisites.
Society must be far from entertaining either
liberal or enlightened views on the subject of
education, whilst its " ministering priests " are
so neglected, and despised. In all the agitation
which has been carried on respecting eduntion,
there is a singular absence of any direct or even
indirect attempt to improve the profession of the
educator. The grand theme of contention is
about mere trifles, whether the national system
shall be purely secular, or secular and theologi-
cal amalgamated.

This is a mistake, and clearly proves that those
who take the foremost rank in the question of
"Educational Reform" have not considered the
subject in all its branches. They call for the
building of school-houses, and their maintenance.
The nation wants education, and to obtain that
she must have a race of educators—men and
women trained and practised in the best methods
of instruction, and patterns of all those moral
qualities which adorn society. The calling
should be placed beyond the reach of poverty
and degradation. It should be made a fourth
learned profession—the best ally of the other
three. Again, the duly Tialified teacher, in ad-
dition to a proper rate of remuneration should
be induced, by a system of promotion, to aspire
to the highest grade of the calling, and to feel
that he may yet occupy, should his abilities and
exertions merit it, the highest honours which
can be conferred upon those who make the
country what it really is. Sentiments such as
these induced the great Dr. CHANNING to exclaim
that " one of the surest signs of the regeneration
of society will be the elevation of the art of
teaching to the highest rank in the community."
We are proceeding slowly, but certainly, to this
much to be desired state of things. We want
reform in education as much as an extension of
the suffrage. It must, and will be carried. To
bring it about we do not require the brilliant
achievements of any single illustrious statesman.
All that is necessary is the mighty and wonder-
wor.king efforts of a determined and willing
people—a people whose minds are set on having
useful and qualified teachers, the reward to whom
will be both certain and liberal. To revert to
the " Poor Schoolmaster" who advertises in
the Times, surely he will not be allowed to sink
down in abject poverty. Has London become so
fond of show that she cannot affJrd to look
with an eye of commiseration upon this distress-
ing case ; and if all the advertiser says be correct,
will not some of her philanthropists come forward
and extricate the unfortunate man from the
difficulties by which he is surrounded.

W are_not displeased._ that the consideration
of the great Water Question, has been again
postponed for three weeks. How often has it
been considered we should like to know ?
Why, if the town of Liverpool stood too
much in want of water, has there been
so many postponements—so many adjourn..
ments—so many special councils and select
cninnittees to devise the last means of introduc-
ing or rejecting the Pike Water ?

Assuredly, if the assertions of the Pikeists bad
been correct—that the wells were failing—that
the town was on the point of being left without
a drop of water some ten years ago even—and,
that the source of supply, namely, the red sand-
stone was completely exhausted of its water-
bearing capabilities ; then one and all would
have hailed the advent of an additional supply of
that essential to animal existence—and like the
inhabitants of all other great communities,
whither ancient or modern, have commemorated
the event of its introduction, by such demonstra-
tions as would have been unmistakeable evidence
of the feeling of the recipients. Look at Rome.
at Mexico, America, our own country, in every
instance where additional supplies of water have
been wanted and furnished, there have been rejoic-
ing and ebullitions of popular feeling, which
have generally resulted in furnishing some insti-
' tutory memorial of the gratitude of the inhabit-
ants for the boon conferred upon them.
Liverpool is an exception to all other towns in
this respect, whether in the new or old world.
The water which was declared to be so much
wanted, and without which we were said to be
destined to an early decadence, did not make its
appearance on a bright summer morning—the
limpid stream was not allowed to flow into our
Kensington tank amid the roar of artillery, the
sound of trumpets, the clang of cymbals, the
ringing of bells, the march of troops and muni-
cipal bodies arrayed in their robes of office, with
banners flying, and all the other paraphernalia
appertaining to the denouement of a mighty
event—no, no, the blessed Pike water (that was
to be) was smuggled into the town under the
auspices of the " most faithful servant of the
Water Committee ;" and a couple of turncocks—
on the memorable 2nd of January last. Who
welcomed it ? What heart has it gladdened ?
How many who have gone to their graves con-
demning it, and how many still live to do the
same ? These are questions, which that eminent
statician, Mr. Alderman JOSEPH COOPER may
perhaps answer ?

This great Pikeist told the Council, on
Wednesday, that there was only fifty nine com-
plaints from the inhabitants of Liverpool since
the water from the Pike was introduced, did the
obese alderman think he could mislead his
hearers (the councillors) that the people were
satisfied with his doctored bog wash.
The public are wise enough to know that they
need not complain to him or any of his satellites.
They know it would be as sensible for them to
whistle jigs to a milestone, to try to wash a
negro white, or instil an enlightened opinion

into the oily head of the Chairman of the Water
Committee--to perform any other impossibility,
in fact—as to expect to obtain any redress of
their grievances by complaining to the creatures
who obey the behests of the Pike jobbers. As
an illustration of the disgraceful manner in which
the proceedings of the Water Committee are con-
ducted, the statement made by Mr. Alderman
BENNETT has only to be instanced. A week
ago, it appears, a resolution was duly passed at
a meeting of the Committee, that samples of the
Pike and well water should be produced for the
inspection of the Council, yet with the Town
Clerk and all his staff at his elbow, Mr, CoorEß
tells the Council, with the utmost complacency,
that although the resolution was passed, yet in
consequence of a clerical error, it had not been
entered on the minutes! How many other
clerical errors have taken place during Mr.
COOPER'S administration of the water affairs, is
what we should like to know ? The samples of
water, it appears, however, were brought to the
Council-room ; but as they appeared very ugly,
and gave ocular demonstration of the perfect
correctness of our description of the stuff, they
were ordered to be removed. before
.the Council
met, by some Pike Councillor. Perhaps Mr.
SAMUEL 1101.3rE will say whether he had a finger
in the pie. Be that as it may, the whole affair
was most discreditable to the Council. On this
question we respect no person, be his position
what it may, who presumes to interfere, or in
any way obstruct,. the efforts or independent
members of the COunCil who`. know tb • a
•• !It3r
to their constituents, '.11.d who also desire-to


perform it. ", 16! , .
It was not creditable for the Mayor to make
the comments he did, in regard to the sample
bottles of water. Assuredly, if the Council
chamber is made into an eXhibitiOn•room, it
would be as well occupied with the products of
the chemist's lAciratory, as that of gingerbread,
and card models of St. George's Hall. Whether
does the supply of water to 400,000 people, or
the sneezing lions in Lime-'Street, Claim the, prior
consideration of our Council ? Mr. BENNETT
did well. Let him continue to pursue the same
course, regardless. of the jeers of ignorant,
scheming jobbers. He carried his point. The
samples were produced ; and they left him
nothing to say. He said,: in his mild, gentle-
manly way, after Mr. COOPER had floundered
through his wretched excuse about the
Minutes, that he accepted his apology•
Of course he only spoke for himself.
The Ratepayers are somebody, and apparently
they do not in this case coincide with Mr. BEN-
NETT. The brazen-faced trickery was too
apparent for them to be satisfied with any such
knowing as they do to their cost how frequently
such artifices have been resorted to previously.
The affair was quite in character with all the
previous proceedings of the Pike faction, who
appear to have no regard for decency or straight-
forward conduct.
One of the members denounced a statement
which appeared in our p4per,_ from our own
reporter, on the actual condition of the Pike
reservoir, in a style which we submit to him was
neither temperate or gentlemanly. Our re-
porter is quite able to repel the charge, and it
will be found that he has done so. When
members of the Council go to visit the Pike, we
recommend them to go at their own expense, and
not for the sake of a pleasant out and a good
dinner at the " Black Boy," paid for by the
Corporation. They will then not be under the
tutelage of paid officials, and in a much better
position to judge impartially of what is going on
around them. We are glad to find that one
Pikeist has seen reasons to change his views—
one of our latest importations into the Council,
Mr. GRAVES, declared himself from the outset in
favour of the Pike. After some complimentary
badinage about his seeing nothing offensive at
the Works. Not likely ! He says his
" opinions had by inspection of these great works
been materially altered regarding their future
destiny." What this destiny is he does not
say.

The P►keist policy is now as it ever has been—
to weary out the patience of the inhabitants. Let
this storm once blow over, say they, and all will
be forgotten. We regret to say that in this they
have been but too successful, but if they
suppose that by a persistence in their legerde-
demain tricks of doctoring the Pike water—
shutting it off in one district, turning it on in
another, and so on, in order to mystify the
consumers, they will be mistaken; they will
find there are spirits in Liverpool opposed to
their proceedings who will, not desist from their
opposition until they have justice done them.

FLCCTION OF HONORARY MEDICAL. OFFICERS TO PUBLIC
CHARITIES.—A sp dial meeting of the members of the
Livcraool Medical Instittifi-n was h-ld on Wednes'ay,
May 6th, to take into consPeratiol a letter from the corn-
mittee of the Southern Hospital, requewing the opinion of
the members as to whether the adoption of the plan ot
eleci n withyut canvassi• g, recommended by them, and
circle 1 into ( ffect at the last el( ction of surgeons to the'.
hospital, had given sitisliction or o herwise, and whether
they would recommend the same plan to be adopted at a
future election. The chair w:s taken by Dr. Cameron.
[t was propose] by Mr. Desmond, seconded by Dr. Nevins,
that it b 3 resolot d —" That the membf.rs of this institution
return their most cordial thanks to the committee and
trustees of the Southern Hospital for the courtesy and
readiness with which they have acvded to their recotn-
mendatien as to the method of conducing elections of
honorary medical officers, as well as fot their let er enqui-
ring the opinion of the members as to the result of the
adoption of that rt commendation at the last election. It
is a matter of great sit,sfaetton to the members of the
Medical Institution that the change in the mode of elec-
tion has been adopted They trust that the example th.:s
set m •y he foil }wed by the other ch r ties in the town ; an f
thy hope that the trusb es of the Souih rn Hospital sill
perievere in thee course dready enter:d upon, with such
modifications and altera ions as may
appear to them desirable." Carried 2ze con,. It was pro.
try D
posed by Dr. WhiA'e, and sewn led nz from experience
Dr. Vo e—" Teat
a suggestion be made to the committee of Southern
Hospital, th,lt in future, elecgions candidates should not be
allowed to circulate copies of testimonial." After a dis-
eu,.s.on, in winch considerable d fferenee of opini-in was
expres,ed as to the a viiabli y of such a rusJiction, an
a :.endrn.nt was proposed by Dr. Macintyre, sconded by
Dr. Ilibbert Taylor "that the consi toration of this and-
other matters of detait be postponed for future Oiseusion."
The amendment
was earri:•d. It was moved by Mr.
Waters, Sec ,nded by Mr. Iligginson, ° That the secretary
be requested to send a report of the proceedings of this
meeting to the medical and local papers." Carried unani-
mously. A vote of thanks to the chairman was carried
unanimously.