TRAINING A PEOPLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 124, 28 May 1928, Page 10

TRAINING A PEOPLE.

FOR SERVICE OF PUBLIC.

FAULTS IN EDUCATION.

Sill CIIAS. FERGUSSON'S VIEWS.

There is something lacking in the educational system of this country if it does not send out its scholars properly equipped for future citizenship. This was the theme upon which his Excel lencv the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, addressed the Auckland Rotarians to-day. Sir Charles first referred to the contention voiced recently by Mr. J. W. Shaw, M.A.. who, rn an address to members of the Karangahape Road business Promotion Association, had expressed the view that there was not at present a distinct New Zealand type. To-dry s speaker disagreed with this view, and held the opinion that New Zealanders possessed many individual characteiistics of which any people might be proud. However, Co-dav, he was desirous, lie said, of making some reflections to which he thought some attention should be given. He would raise the question whether our system of higher education in New Zealand did as much as it should in training men and women for the public service. Were the yonng people who were growing up being trained to discharge intelligently the duties and to exercise the responsibilities conferred upon them bv a very wide and extended franchise, and to take their places later on in political, municipal and administrative capacities? Wore we building up a body of Civil servants who would be capable of handling the affairs of the country to the best advantage?

Lacking such an education a community would have a badly informed and ignorant electorate swayed by waves of emotion and passion at the mercy of demagogues and unscrupulous leaders; also inefficient administration in public affairs.. At Home there were ample facilities for education in the universities and elsewhere. There were several colleges, usually promoted under the auspices of j different political parties, which held] courses for students aspiring to positions] in public lft'e and in the political world. The prospectus of one such institution stated that the curriculum was "to furnish instruction which would equip the trade unionist or the co-operator on the one hand to take an active and effective 1 interest in the affairs of his or her, society, and on the other a Parliamentarian or a business man to discharge with greater knowledge and insight such duties of citizenship as may devolve upon him." In New Zealand, his Excellency thought, there were no facilities of this sort at present, or, at least, that either in the university or in any other centre was there a curriculum I which really provided for the political or administrative education of our young people in the sense he was considering. One result of this gap in our educational system was that the public services must suffer, and, more than that, that our men would not be trained for wider positions in the service of the Empire. We did not. in fact, develop the intellectual and business eapacities of our young people with a view to public service. For instance, the Civil Service in New Zealand at present was not built up, as it was at Home, from the pick of university men, selected by means of a stiff competitive examination from those who had trained themselves specially for the service of the State. It could not, indeed, be so built up until the necessity of such training for .State servants was recognised and facilities for such trattling were made available. One might further remark that there was at present little opportunity for embryo Parliamentarians and politicians to equip themselves with that knowledge which was so essential for those who aspired to be leaders in a democracy. He had read with satisfaction the other day of a scheme which would provide a course of lectures on public bodies' administration and local government, followed perhaps by more advanced courses dealing with general community civics and sociology. Tills, he hoped, marked the beginning of a new era, and it was an experiment to which he wished all success, and which he believed might have far-reaching eilects throughout the country. In these believed Rotarians could ]>erforin a iwful service by lending their unqualiticd support to the advancement of education of this sort.

At the conclusion of the address, which was heartily applauded, a vote of thanks moved by District Governor Charles Rhodes was carried by acclamation. Mr. Rhodes stated that for some time the local club had been looking for a major activity upon which to concentrate its energies, and lie threw out the suggestion that they could make no better choice than to seel; to promote the educa t ional scheme to whicli hi-. Kxcell- nev had referred.