BACK FROM SOUTH AFRICA

Evening Star, Issue 18811, 9 December 1924, Page 6

BACK FROM SOUTH AFRICA

AN M.P.'S IMPRESSIONS. EDUCATION METHODS. Mr James Horn, M.P., who went to South Africa ns a member of the delegation from the New Zealand Government, takes a keen interest in nutters educational, and this morning he gave some interesting details of what he had seen to members of the Otago Education Board. He referred to tire inconvenience felt in South African schools through the presence of two languages—Dutch and English. In the urban schools 34 per cent, of the children under seven spoke both languages, 40 per cent, spoke English only, and 24 per cent, spoke Dutch only. Over seven years of age 54- per cent, spoke both languages, 56 per cent, tallied in English only, and 9J, per cent spoke only Dutch; while a. very small percentage spoke neither. In the rural districts 45 ner cent, of the children over seven spoke both languages, 10j per cent, spoke English, 43 per cent. Dutch, and a small percentage neither. The ones who spoke neither language were the natives. Continuing, Mr Horn said that education in Smith Africa was carried on by the provinces. They were a sort of glorified comity council, and looked after the roads and” education. Up till some, time ugn the Cnion Government paid 50 per cent, of the cost of education. There had been an enormous increase in expenditure during the past ten years. The provincial expenditure had grown from £4,000,000 (o £30,000,(Z0. 'Hie' Transvaal deficit for the current year was £330,000. The Fits 54ate and Natal were on the wrong side with comparatively small amounts ; hut tno accumulated Free. State deficit was £136.000, while Natal had a deficit of £40,000. with a, prospect, of being on the wrong side, this year to the tune of £7.600 or £B,OOO. The Government, had to lend the provinces the amount necessary to enable them to carry on, and the- provinces va'ie, now burdened with the interest on that, loan. That was. the state of education finance. Mr Horn said that there were unique methods of taxation. Natal had tried a land sales tax, find in another ease a “ bachelor ” lax had been put, on. The schools generally were much the same as in New Zealand. During the time of the war teachers.were sent from New Zealand to South Africa. He found quite a number of these teachers were now married, with families. There were quite a- number of industrial schools, and these were well conducted. Technical and high schools were conducted in much the same way as those in New Zealand! Good work was done in the colored industrial colleges. There were also agricultural colleges, and each had usually irrigation works costing from one-halt to three-quarters of a mili’.o;;. They were paying their way, and were doing good work. The finest work was being done in connection with research into cattle diseases, etc. They had many smart young men there, and in a few veers the work they were doing would bo a benefit not, only to South Africa., but to the whole world. Mr Horn went on to speak of the gold mines at. Johannesburg, anfi of the X-ray tests which the workers had periodically to go through. Six or seven years in a mine affected a. man for life. The time came when they could work no more, and the men were given a pension for life. Sixty per cent, of the profits of the gold mines went to the Government, and that had helped a lot.