FREE SCHOOL BOOKS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 41, 17 February 1910, Page 6

FREE SCHOOL BOOKS.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Topsyturvyism is so much the rule in the conduct of New Zealand affairs that it would scarcely be worth while to draw attention to a fresh instance were it not that it presents features of unusual interest and liumour. One would have thought in relieving the family horse of a portion of his burden weight would have been taken in the first place from that part of the animal which was least capable of supporting it. Thus we might suppose that the first standard to obtain relief would be the sixth, and, following that, the fifth. For not merely is a parent called upon to expend more for books as the child moves upwards, he, must also sacrifice the ten or twelve shillings a week which might be earned were he removed from school. Failing this relief, it would seem a more reasonable s- - tern than thi , present to supply free su-,,1 things as nou; books, exercise books, copy books, drawing books, etc., the demand for which, like Tennyson's brook, seems to go on for ever. But no! The antipodean method is otherwise. A parent may have the option of continuing his child's education through the higher standards; he has none as to the lower; therefore, we will offer him no encouragement where a little would make all the difference, but pat him vigorously on the back where it can make none at all. However, the truly Gilbertian touch is yet to come. These books supplied to the lower standards, costing but a few pence a-piece, must not be removed from the school. They are available only during school hours. It is a matter of complete unimportance that spelling and reading are likely to become lost arts; the books will be kept nice and clean! For my part I will have none of them on these terms, but I cannot help sympathising with the under dog, who, with so much parade, has been granted this meatless bone, and my heart {roes out to the children of firmer parents than I can claim to be, whose little bands will have to pay the penalty that waits on erratic spelling.—l am, etc, T. TDRVY.