The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST 7, 1903. A SCHOOL NEEDED.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 962, 7 August 1903, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST 7, 1903. A SCHOOL NEEDED.

While in the centres of population, there is much discussion on the subject of high schools, technical education, and so on, it would be well if more attention were pajd to/-the children in the less populated districts, and an eßort m'ade to give them some of the advantages- of the system of education. A portion of this district that is greatly in need of a school is Whatatutu. .The settlers there have determined to see if they cannot obtain some measure of justice in that .respect, and with that object in view a meeting was held, presided over by, Mr \V. Hay. A committee was deputed to go round the district to ascertain the number of children who would attend a school, the information to be supplied in a petition to the Education Board. Including Europeans and natives, it .was found that there were thirty children of school age, within three miles of Whatatutu, and there are a number outside that ■distance, who at present go to Te Karakai but .would he nearer Whatatutu, and some are unable to reach Karaka when there is 'a fresh in the river. At the meeting a generous offer was made by Messrs Hawkins and Richards, to allow the use of their hall for the school, in case of the building question .constituting an objection. The need of the school is undoubted, and it is to be hoped that the petition will be granted without delay, or put-off answers. It would say very little for our boasted system of education if some provision cannot be made for such a large number of children.