THE NEEDS OF EDUCATION.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 191, 13 August 1919, Page 6

THE NEEDS OF EDUCATION.

Tho business-like conference 'between educational bodies and members of Parliament yesterday should have valuable results, and we hope that similar meetings will be held periodically. Members were told of the needs of the education system by those qualified to speak on the subject, and they will take with them to Wellington a very definite idea of what is most urgently required. The weakness of the resolution proposed by Sir Frederick Lang, whioh perhaps, under tho circumstances, was unavoidable, is that it pledged the members to give their support to reform in vague general terms. Members are to "support to their utmost the interests of education," and to that end are "to urge Parliament to vote a sufficient sum of money during the coming session to place education upon a satisfactory footing." That is very well as far is it goes, but its practical application is full of difficulties. What is a satisfactory footing? Opinions evidently differ widely on the subject. There is talk of three millions being needed, but if 6ome people had their way wo doubt if six millions would suffice. This paper has again and again drawn attention to defects in the system which ought to be remedied without delay, but it feels obliged to point out at this stage j that there is a limit to what the country can afford to spend on education, and lhat proper economy should be observed in framing the education estimates as in other departments. We say this because there was a tendency in the addresses at yesterday's conference to force the pace unduly, to make suggestions which would probably cost more than the country can afford, at any rate for some time to come. The programme of urgent needs is heavy enough. For instance, whatever the cost may be, overcrowding and understafling must cease. These and other urgent reforms should be attended to at once, and other matters deferred until the new Parliament meets. With so many other things to do, and so much uncertainty in the air, it would be impossible for this Parliament to recast the whole of our educational system. We make these comments in no spirit of hostility to yesterday's conference, but for the purpose of remarking that it is impossible to gratify all the wishes of educational enthusiasts—at any rate all at once—and of indicating the danger of weakening a strong case by asking for too much. There are certain things that are urgently required forthwith, and attention should .be concentrated on them for the time being to the exclusion uf other projects on which opinion will be divided, and should for that reason and on the ground of expense be very carefully considered.