COUNTRY SCHOOLS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20498, 17 March 1932, Page 13

COUNTRY SCHOOLS.

10 THE EDITOR OF THE l'Hß'lß. —ln to-day's paper "Harassed" lucidly explains the great inconvenience country parents would be put to if the smaller country schools are tloscd. Country children do not receive an adequate return for the taxes their fathers. They canuot

make qse of the libraries, museums, etc., etc. Their primary education is of paramount importance., since few receive a secondary education, and if railway passes are withdrawn there will be fewer still. Could economies not be made from other directions? I do not consider medical inspection necessary. In the past there has been too much duplication. The discontinuance of itinerant drill and agricultural instructors is to be commended; the teacher should be competent to give the necessary tuition. The inspectors are fully qjalified to do all the examining.— Yours, etc.. SYMPATHY. March 10th, 1032.

THE COST OF EDUCATION. TO THE EDITOB OT THE f'BESB Sir, —The wisdom of the recommendations of the National Expenditure Commission could have no better proof than the howl of protest with which they have been met. It is from such nien, who do not depend oh the country's support for their seats, that ws should expect fearless advice. It is delightful to read the comments of the various education bodies on the proposals—"senseless," "unjust," "ridiculous," etc. On the contrary, 1 feel sure, many think them admirable. No Department has suffered more from

over-government than the Education Department. No country has been so carried' off her feet with the "free education" cry as has New Zealand. The country is hopelessly over-educated as it is, and the sooner this menace is removed the better. • The. professions are not only overcrowded, but are being filled every year with unsuitable entrants. — Yours, etc., - T. March 16th, 1932.

ADULT SUFFRAGE. TO THE EDITOB OP THE PBES3. Sir, —In your issue of the 14th "Bawbee," replying to my letter, says that "to give increased voting power to property holders is certainly not logical." I still adhere that it ,is reasonable, sound, just, and logical. There is no need to. dig into French or Russian revolutions to find reasons for maintaining the present system of adult suffrage. To endure a wrong because of threatened violence is sufficient condemnation of itself. . Human ,values are. as diversified as the houses we live in; and any law that tries to make a community a bundle of sticks is, sooner or later, doomed to failure. "Bawbee" states that "a contented worker is an asset to any concern," which may be quite true. It is just here that I see the folly of adult suffrage. The Labour leaders in Britain, Australia, and here make no secret of their desire to seize control of the Governments. Did not a Labour member for Parliament say quite recently in this City: "Gfve us another 17. Labour members for Parliament and we will do for this Dominion what the Christchurch City Council has done for Christchurch." The wasteful expenditure in this City is appalling. One Councillor said in meeting quite recently "that three men were engaged to do the work'of two.' J To secure contentment at that price should be resisted. I would remind "Bawbee" that the above is not theory but further evidence of the folly of adult suffrage.' So far I have not proposed eliminating adult voting; but there are cases where that would he justifiable. The age for voting could be increased without injury to the State. "Bawbee" further states that "raising the lowest to the height of Democracy is the only 1 form of government umW which BriI tons could work in harmuuy." The

recent Labour Government placed Bri« tain in financial jeopardy. • As for the quotation from Mr Burnett, "Trust the People"; I prefer "Trust in God, but keep your powder dry." Adult suffrage is as dampness to powder; it paralyses the forces of righteous government.—Yours, etc., A.B. March loth, 1932. \ ■ FERTILISERS. ' TO THJS EDITOR OF THZ PES 3S Sir, —In continuation of my letter, which you so kindly published to-day, I may say I have never when reading reports published on the results bf the Agriculture Department's cxperimenta found the real reason why they, use a much larger amount of fertiliser than the average farmer. The amounts they use, and the amounts I use, are in excess Of the actual amount the crop can use. But unless the phosphate and potash are at the saturation point these fertilisers will not give the result expected. . The land in Canterbury has been cropped so often, and over such a long period, that it is a good deal below the saturation point in superphosphate, potash, nitrogen," and lime—the four important plant foods. It is therefore necessary to give extra amounts until the saturation point is reached. After that is accomplished it is an easy matter to keep the land in what is called good heart. - And the much larger crops that be produced will handsomely repay for the money spent bringing the land into a satisfactory state. As I stated in my, previous letter, the farmer will not have to. work harder. The extra production will enable him- to pay for labour.— Yours, etc., GEORGE LEE. Templeton, March 15th, 1932. "

PRICE OF POLLARD. / TO THE EDITOB 0» THE PBESS. Sir,—-1 was interested tb read in today's Pkess a letter signed "Little* White Hen," and I heartily' support bim in his potest against the unjustir fied increase in tlie price of pollard. The millers'have shown scant consideration i'or the poultry- and pig-farmer in the past, and have quite failed to appreciate the support the Canterbury - poultry-farmers hav<? given to the wheat interests. As a duck-farmer, i have taken a keen interest in the price of wheat offal. It is a well known fact that pollard is-at.present in short supply in Australia, and that little is available for export' to New Zealand. . The millers have been quick to take advantage of the position. In view of the reduction in the price of wheat, flour has fallen in price, but the price of pollard' has been increased. Fpr years the North Island poultry-farmers have been agitating for the removal of the sliding scale on wheat, but the Canterbury poultry-farmers hate m the past loyally supported the wheatgrower. That the support is not appreciated " by the millers is evident. Thev havfe failed to give the local purchasers any consideration, the .fact that pollard is quoted to-day at £6 10s per ton local, £5 per ton shipping, surely proving my contention-. If the millers can sell pollard for shipment for the North Island at £5, why do they charge the Canterbury consumers £6 10s per ton?— Yours, etc., INDIAN RUNNER. March 16th, 1932.

; I TO THE EDITOB OF THE PRESS. Sir, —Kindly allow me a few lines in your paper to ask Ltd., what we have to do with North Island getting pollard at our prices. We in the South expect to get pollard at the door of the manufacturing and growing districts at reasonable cost, and if they can sell at £5 a ton for shipping,, why can't we get it at £5 per %on local ?—Yours, etc., • YORKSHIRE. March 16th, 1932. THE BRITOMART. TO THE EDITOB Or THE FBESS. Sir, —In your report this morning of the passing of one of our few remaining pilgrims it is stated that the arrival was in Akaroa in the ship Monarch in 1850, and that this was the year in which the Britomart had sailed post haste from Wellington to Akaroa, ete.; 1850 was the year in which the Monarch arrived in Akaroa, "but the rest of the statement is so far from fact that it might be as well to correct it. The Britomart arrived in Akaroa . in 1840, not 1850, and from the Bay of Islands, hot from Wellington.—Yours, > PISCJATOR. March 16th, 1932.