EDUCATION IN THE PACIFIC

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17862, 7 September 1923, Page 7

EDUCATION IN THE PACIFIC

MR CAUGHLEY'S IMPRESSIONS

(PBEBS ASSDJVTION TELF.OPiSt.) WELLINGTON, September 6. Mr J. A. Caughley, Director of Education, who lias been on a visit of inspection to the dependencies of New Zealand in the South Pacific, states that as a result of this visit, after next year, New Zealand will be sending inspectors periodically to visit these islands. All the authorities are agreed that New Zealand snouid select Uieir teachera for them, the superannuation and promotion rights of tue teachers Oeing preserved for tnem while absent in the islands. > in the course of his investigations, Mr Caugliley louiid that widely different policies were being pursued in various parts of the Islands. . The chief defect noticeable was an attempt to give itfuropean education to native chiluren. lu all the Islands, the native population predominated, and it was to be hoped, he said, that this would always be so. Every effort should therefore ba made to preserve them and develop them according to their own national tf t ;irit. Such forms of education snouid be given them as would fit them to live their own native lives, according to the climate and food. ' summing up his impressions, Mr Caughiey stated that three things impressed him forcibly. l n the first place, the magnificent work done by the Missions; secondly, the fine worli done by teachers botn white and native who had taken up the work in isolated regions appealed to him; in the third place, he could not help admiring the self-sacrifice, zeal, and devotion shown by the Civil servants who i were cut off from society and civilisation, and who were devoting them- i selves whole heartedly to the interests of the natives.