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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5970, 24 October 1890, Page 2

Sir Robeut Stout says that free education should not stop at the Seventh Standard, bur, should be extended to the grammar Fchools and universities. We have advocated tint five education should not go beyond tho Fourth Standard because compuiutively few cf the pupil.-* sro beyond that stage, and to educnto thtifo who do entails enormous expense. Even tho.-e who do not agree with us in that respect will be inclined to support us with the view that pupils who intend to proceed to secondary schools should do so as soon as they have pushed tho Fourth .Standard, otherwise in their secondary course thoy will bo greatly handicapped. What we have contended for all along is that scholarships should bo awarded to the pupils of the Fourth Standard, not the Sixth, so that tho secondary course may bo entered upon at the proper date. We have always strenuously advocated that the door should bo very wide to enable those of special ability to obtain the very highest education possible without cost, and we say that can best be dono by scholarships and exhibitions. To throw open tho doors of grammar schools and universities free to all is to givo a premium to wealth. The sons of wealthy men must tako such a course of study, and why should they do so at the expense of tho comrailnity ? Tho sons of poor men, on the contrary, cannot avail thomselves of such privileges, not because of the cost of tho education, but because the parents need their assistance, and aro unable to support them during their scholastic career. Hence, if we want the poor man's son who displays special ability to have a chance to climb the ladder, we must by scholarships not only provide for his school fees but his maintenance in addition.