The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1878.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 42, 6 March 1878, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1878.

A telegham from Djinedin, pubKshed- ia ( ou p .last issue, reveals (jopr siderable. dissatisfaption. respectii^c thp apcompaodajkion. in.pub}icj9©hqjpis. 11^ is sa^d tliat, according to.the^reppsts givexi by the^ oaim|;rvy s.chpol-. coQ^mjttees to the. Board, lluAdqeas of children:, haya, been, nefusei 1 adr injttauce. to, the. schools* ■which are already oyercrowded-; that £50*030 would be scarcely, sufficient for.the needs of Otago,Avhereas only £10,0 JO

; liava baea appqrtioned. This is the j ficst note qf diasatisfactiqu that has I reached us respecting the working i qf the new Agt, and it will^ doubtless, be followecl by others of similar: , jrqpart frqm 4iffe pe > nt parts of th e ! country. It miash he admitted tha.t sufficient pjpivision has not been, made fqn inaugurating s.uccassfully the new systerq. A sss,tem oi education.that professes tq be^national, and, moreqvep, compulsory, must needs produce a "much greater, attendance of children m. the schools than did the, fo.rmei?.^syste.m., which did not profess to educate every child m the country. This fact seems not to, have been sufficiently taken into account when the Estimates ware considered.' To. give the national system a proper start the. Q-ovenn-ment should nave been prepared to expend large, sums for the first year pr two m the enlarge m.ent of existing schools and the building of new .ones. We fully expect, also, iha,t during the present year there will be felt a great want of ne\if teachera. These requirements, m view of the inadequate, provision the G-overn-ment ihas m,ade. for tfxew, will for. some time giye, rise to a great deal of flissatisfaction and incquvenience. to the. present .teachers and tq the piiblic, .a,n^^:.i^. very lively that ; whojej-Act will be. brought into, public disfavour, m consequence. Yet it is sufficiently ajjpja.renjj th^at these, disadvantages are. nqt the. fault, oj- .'.'the. rijew system qf education; at all. They are wholly due to the' Government not having provided the. requisite means for. bringing the. Act into su.ccessfu.l operation,. We trust thaj; the Gk>vernmen.t be. induced by the popular clamour, which will soon, be raised over the. country, to, make radical changes m the. Act. Such changes, to" bje effective, could not be other than retrogressive. lsFe think the. Act will not require, much interference, and least of all is it desirable, that the.Go.vernm.ettt should alter, the. compulsory clauses, or, as is suggested m Ityznedin, re-impose capitation, f eps. These, changes w,ould weaken the ; Act m its most compreiierksive: " characteristics. The chiefc want at the, present time, is money tq. carry, out education, on the; enlarged- sca^; B^t W%& quantijty of money th^t ia m the* first iusta,n,ce required 1 to make, the initial changes will not be,req ? uired onpe, thp system becomes established. A temporary measure, therefore, is what is indicated. Iflfche Qqvermnen.t.wiUnegct Session introduce a Bill to, impose, upon every a.duit male, an education tax, terminable m, say> three, years, such, tax to. be. paya^blej to, the, local bodies tHroughoAt every Bduoat^pn ©£striei; x they will thus, provide a, feasible way out of- th.c present difficulty, and will not thereby, vitiate the fundamental principles of the. Education. Act. It is perfectly clear, that the money will have to be.found else. the. Act will prove abortive, andas the Consolidated Fund- is already overcharged! with burthens, vv& think this plan sufficiently unobjectionable and effective to, merit consideration^