TEMPERANCE TEACHING IN STATE SCHOOLS.

Evening Star, Issue 12927, 25 September 1906, Page 4

TEMPERANCE TEACHING IN STATE SCHOOLS.

WELLINGTON, September 25. A deputation, representing the Executive of the New Zealand Alliance, interviewed the Minister of Education this morning, and urged that children in the State schools should be taught the nature and evils cf alcohol. They were only asking that New Zealand should fall into line with the United States, Canada, Belgium, and other parts of the world. The Hon. Mr Fowlds said he was in hearty sympathy with the objects of the deputation, but there were considerable difficulties in giving effect to the desire. The control of the education system was largely in tho hands of tho local boards, who would require to be influenced. Moreover, there was a cry that the Syllabus was already overloaded, and also an agitation against the great cost of school books to parents. However, inquiries had been made as to a text-book which would give definite teaching on temperance without making the cost heavy or trenching upon the controversial side of the subject, so it might be possible to meet the desires of the deputation. The Syllabus would probably come up for some slight alteration next year, and temperance teaching might be given a more definite position under health lessons.