EDUCATION RATE.

Auckland Star, Volume IV, Issue 1011, 16 April 1873, Page 2

EDUCATION RATE.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.1) Sir,:—Can you inform me through the medium of your evening paper whether the authorities who empower the collector of the " education tax " will, in the face of strong opposition, persist in their demand. A rather amiising incident came under notice the other day. The collector, who is really to be pitied, called upon & lady who has educated her children by her own industry, and who declared that rather thail pay for other people's she would willingly submit to three months' imprisonment every year. This tcix is considered by the majority of people as'obnoxious. If it were to establish a public school for destitute children, for our little street Arabs, who have a claim on the charity of those whom God has more plentitifully endowed, then willingly would those who could contribute towards it; but to compel every householder, male or female, single or married, to pay for schooling the offspring of others is a measure which, to say.the least, will be rather difficult to accomplish in New Zealand. Many respectable heads of families who have to struggle hard to give their children a respectable education, but who would object to sendingthemto aGovernment school, will oppose an Act which would compel them to do so, or have the mortification of paying for other peoples. Many other instances might be cited in which this tax will meet with determined opposition, but as I have already trespassed too much on your space, I must remain, yours truly, Leveret.

[If cmr correspondent and those who may feel with her will accept our candid and kindly advice they will pay the tax. It will unquestionably be enforced, and though in individual cases it seems a hardship, the individual must yield in this case to the public good. Let our correspondent not listen to those who urge " determined opposition." It is simply a matter for the R.M. Court, and law is for the rate.-^ED. B.S.]