PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
LICO. 885
4 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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undertake to convey these views to Government, they would, they said, rest satisfied; if not, they must and would send a deputation to London, expensive, disagreeable, and inconvenient as such a step would be to them.
They very clearly expressed their particular views respecting the affairs of the island, generally, under their various heads.
1. Constitution. Council.
They seemed reluctant, as I thought, to meddle alteration any with the Council, and did not wish for
In the constitution of that body at present, but ouly that it should be enabled to take effectual measures for enforcing its judgments, and compelling people to pay their dues. Nobody pays the slightest attention to the Council as a Court of Justice or a Local Government. Some two or three ruffians set the whole of that body at defiance, and even mis- chievous children laugh at them,
2. Wardsmen.
The Wardsmen should or might be elected in con. currence with the Council; but not by that body. The office of Wardsmen was very burthensome, and should not be held longer than a few years.
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3. Elders.
Great uncertainty prevails as to the mode in which the Elders were originally appointed, but as they are more properly the representatives of the people, they should be elected by them, although that might not be altogether expedient at present. The Elders, as now constituted, had not shown themselves capable of understanding the wants of the community; they ought to be all dismissed, retaining their small salary of 68. 9d. per annum, and their commissions as pilot officers for life. The number of new Elders should be reduced to eight, as being better calculated to ensure profitable discussion and intelligible conclu-
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sions. The new Elders might be appointed at first by the Governor and Council, and hold their office for five years; or the Governor and Council, and the outgoing Elders, might each present the naines of three candidates to the people or householders for election: the new body should have liberty to assemble when it thought proper. These proposi- tions, however, were only thrown out for con- sideration; the main thing absolutely necessary was that there should be sonie show of free election.
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4. Clergy.
They were not much pleased with their Clergy. The two ministers had, as long as could be remem- bered, ever been cat and dog to each other. They would, instead of two Clergymen, rather have one, with two teachers: what was wanted was, that their children should be well taught to read, write, cast up accounts, and be well-grounded in the German and English languages and modern geography. Was it not absurd, said one of them, to hear a child, as at the last examination, tell us every nook and corner
in Ancient Egypt, and yet know nothing of the opposite rivers and coasts ?*
They are most anxious that the Government should put an end to the present squabbling about the school. The Commune had, in deference to the "orders" of Government, engaged a second teacher; and yet his installation has been prevented
by Pastor Siemens, aided by burghers Every house- hold is disturbed by the subject: the unrepresented burghers have taken the matter in hand, and appointed
a Committee in Pastor Siemons' interest.
5. Consistorial Court.
Something should be done to institute a Consis- torial jurisdiction, which they thought might consist of two members of Council, the two Clergymen, ›
There is a movement about schools now going on in Schleswig-Holstein, which may very possibly have directed the attention of the Heligolanders to their own school.
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