PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1882.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1183, 16 October 1882, Page 2

PUBLISHED TRI- WEEKLY. MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1882.

It is clearly, not only a great mistake, but a huge injustice to Inangahua, that the district should come within the jurisdiction of the Nelson Education Board. The members of that august body have neither knowledge of, or sympathy with, our requirements. The continued neglect that it has shown, notwithstanding protests out of number, prove that it is high time steps were taken to emancipate ourselves from such an " Old Man of the Sea" as the Nelson Board has proved itself, so far as the promotion and encouragement of education in this district goes. It would really almost appear as though, instead of fostering, the Board set itself out deliberately to check education to the utmost of its ability. We need go no further than Black's Point to prove the truth of this charge. At the State school there, the average daily attendance is about 100, though the accommodation is really only equal to about 60. The wretched building that does duty is a simple disgrace to any Board, and representations from the Local Committee on the subject might just as well be made to a set of graven images as to members of the Nelson Education Board. The result of this overcrowding last summer was that children were frequently carried out in a fainting condition, and the approaching summer will no doubt witness the same scandalous scenes. Not only that, but there are at Blacks Point and its neighborhood at least 30 children that cannot be sent to school at all, for the simple reason that, pack it as you may, tho present structure in the shape of a school-house will not cubically contain them. We believe that to these causes in a great degree the recent resignation of Mr Edridge, the master, was owing. At Boatman's, the Board has steadily and persistantly refused to build a house for the master, and the consequence is that he, perforce, has to take up his quarters at a public house. Were the same causes of complaint existent in Nelson, or its neighborhood, even the fossil Board would wake up, and remedy'them forthwith. As to Reefton, they do not care, and treat the district with marked neglect. We would ask any impartial person if such conduct in a public body is not absolutely disgraceful? Surely it is the duty of Education Boards to provide necessary accommodation for both scholars and masters, but the Nelson Board do npt seem to recognise that fact. They are not ignprant of the state of Black's Point, or as to the necessity for building tliat exists, but so far, they have completely ignored everything. Nothing can be done till

the next session of Parliament, but then we hope tliat a strenuous effort will be made to annex this to the estlantl Educational District, with which naturally it should be allied, and that the Nelson Board may be altogether relieved from any connection with, or authority over, the Inangahua. In the meantime perhaps the Nelson Board may have some regard to the health of the children at Black's Point, even if it does choose to debar a large number of children of education, through declining to afford the needed accommodation. If serious illness, or death, during the coining summer occur amongst the children, the Board, having been so repeatedly warned, are clearly responsible.