PRIVATE TECHNICAL SCHOOLS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11581, 12 May 1903, Page 5

PRIVATE TECHNICAL SCHOOLS.

10 THE EDITOE OF THE PKES3.

Sir, —I lx-g to forward for your information copy of a letter received by me from the Secretary for Education, bearing upon the subject of railway conceejtionH for students attending private technical classes, and to request that you will be so good <n to draw public attention to tho attitude taken up by the Education Department— an altitude calculated to hamper privatelyownetl commercial colleges and technical schools in the currying on of their work.

At the present time our country students aie allowed to attend classes on uiiy and every week-day for th« fare of 10s if under 16 years of age, and £1 between 16 mid 20 yearn of age. This is the charge p*-r quarter now being made by the Railway Department for pupils attending schools for the purpose of receiving preparatory training for commercial and mercantile careers, for civil service appointments, and ao forth. But if '"technical school tickets" are not to be issued to students attending privatelyowned classes, these student* must pay the ordinary railway fare, which means that most of them could not possibly afford to attend the classes at all, and thus would be debarred from acquiring any knowledge of the subjects concerned.

The Secretary for Education, in his circular letter now under notice, says tliat: •—

"In view of tho facilities that now exist for the establishment of classes for public instruction in technical subjects. . . the Minister has decided that it is not, desirable to continue to register, for the purpose of railway concessions, teachers of private claseee in such subjects of technical instruction as are prajscribedi by the regulations. . ."

Will you, sir, kindly point out to your readers VJuit facilities exist in Christ - ohnrcb at the present time for persons, young or old, attaining a knowledge of shorthand, typewriting, book-keeping, business letter-writing, oftico procedure, and languages, apart from those provided! iv "private elatajuel" Take the cas«j of a seventh standard boy or girl, or of ow who has matriculated, and may be desirous of following a commercial career: does there exist an institution in this city where such a student may bo trained at "classes established for public instruction in technical subjects," i.e., tho particular technical subjects the student requires for the purpose in hand? If such a State-established institution does not exist, why hamper the privately-owned classes? And of euch a State-established institution doea exist, how comes it that the private classes can gain a footing at all, much less be doing the important work they alone are performing? Trusting that you will immediately draw public attention to this important matter, — Youre, etc., C. H. GILBY. (Copy). Mr C. H. Qilby, OliTisfcchurch.—ln view of the facilities that now exist for the establishment of classes for public instruction in technical subjects in accordance with the regulations issued under "Tho Manual and Technical Instruction Act, 1900." and the the Amending Act, 1802, the Minister has decided that it is not desirable to continue to register, for the purpose of railway concessions, teachers of private c!as»e« in such subjects of technical instruction as are prescribed by the regulations referred to. For some time past, unxl for the above staled reasons, appMcatiotis for concessions from teachers of private technical classes have not been entertained, anj at the end of the present year the concessions previously granted will be withdrawn.—(Signed) G. HOGBEN, Secretary for Education, Wellington, April 28th. "