BURIED IN THE BACKBLOGKS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 138, 10 December 1908, Page 4

BURIED IN THE BACKBLOGKS.

NO EDUCATION FACILITIES. ZfiT TELEGBAPH. — PBESS ASSOCIATION.] | AUCKLAND, 9th December, j A wail from the backblocks reached the Auckland Education Board to-day. A mother, writing from an isolated place in the King Country, thus expressed herself:—"l have three children, the oldest is twenty-one, a eon, the next is a daughter of eighteen, and the third a boy of seventeen. The eldest left school after passing the fourth standard, and the youngest just after he passed into tho first. The girl has never been at any school through being weakly ; Some years ago we came into the King Country, and though the maps were marked showing roads and schools, the roads are still only tracks, and no schools exist. Meanwhile my children have grown into men and women with scare© any education. Could you tell me the best thing to do for them before it becomes too late? If I could get a teacher in tha house it would bo a great improvement. They could cease work earlier, in the evenings and perhaps sometimes in the afternoons. The eldest boy 'has improved himself wonderfully, but he has not tho patience to teach the younger ones. I have taught them all that I can, and bought them books, but I_ am too tired at night to do much. This is the penalty we have to pay for coming back so far to make a home. I don't understand Mr. Fowlds. A travelling teacher would be better than none. People on bush sections are never well enough off to send their children outside. It grieves me to see my children with so little education to go through life, whon the children near the cities have every advantage at our expense. lam sure that in the future they_ will blame their father and myself for bringing them so far away from all comfort and education that nothing will ever make up for." 'Mr. M'Kenzie suggested that a copy of the letter should be sent to the Minister. Mr. Parr "mid that it was a peculiar position. They could not deal with adults. It was admittedly a case of hardship, and he thought it as well to forward the letter to the Minister. Mr. Greenslade said that the position these people lived in was very isolated, the people living thirty-one miles from Te Kuiti. Though the board was sympathetic, they could not legally do anything, 6ince the children were beyond the school age. It was decided to forward the letter to the Minister for Education.