A Place Called Home (Cannibal Country Trilogy, Book 2) by Andrew Wareham

Author:Andrew Wareham [Wareham, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Electronic Book Company
Published: 2015-12-24T02:00:00+00:00

Ned watched all from a distance and was amused - the missionaries had pushed a little too far in their onrunning grab for political power in the Territory. This time they had been slapped down; next time they would be more subtle probably - it would be fun to watch. The only thing that puzzled him was why the Catholics were suddenly talking to the London Missionary Society; the two had been calling each other Sons of Satan for nearly half a century and now were proposing joint ventures, and acting with joint dishonesty. He wandered down to Vunapope, had a quiet beer in Father Joe's company as he often did.

An hour of discussion of the state of local affairs - there were gold miners back in the Bainings again and a little of unrest as a result - and the conversation turned to the plans for more schools for the Tolai. The Administration wanted to see every child eventually receive at least four years of education, sufficient to achieve a basic literacy and numeracy so that they could begin to set up small European style businesses one day.

"Money, Herr Ned, that is behind it all. They will set up workshops and make things and sell them and earn an income and then they can be taxed. That is the reason for it. That and to make them less satisfied with a proper way of life."

Ned raised an eyebrow as he opened another bottle.

"Books, Herr Ned! They have it in mind to open a library!"

"Don't read that much meself, Father Joe, but what is wrong with that?"

"They will not accept proper guidance on the books to be placed on the shelves."

"Ah!"

"Add to that, they wish to allow newcomers to open schools of their own. Secondary as well. And they will allow them to send local boys to America or Samoa or elsewhere to attend so-called colleges!"

"Breaking the monopoly, Father Joe? Letting competition into the Heaven market? Must be bad for us all! I wondered what was happening. Have you heard anything about this idea of local councils for the Tolai villages?"

"Democracy, of all the forms of stupidity one might imagine, Herr Ned! I have asked them if they intend to have elections for the Archangels!"

"Not a bad idea, Father Joe - except that they are all whiteskins, ain't they? Thanks for the beer, mate. Drop in next time you're up my way!"

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.