NO TOWN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 3314, 1 April 1879, Page 2

NO TOWN.

[prom a correspondent.] It is pleasiug to notice that the Westland Board of Education, after a most unnecessary delay, mean at last to do something towards providing foreduoational requirements at Bed Jack's. At last Board meeting the suggestion that an itinerary teacher be appointed for Red Jack's, Deadman's Creek, &c, was poatponed for consideration at the ensuing April meetiDg of the Board. The Inspector of Schools, in his annual report just issued, says with reference to the want of a school at Red Jack's: — "Perhaps the besc course would be for the Board to build a small schoolroom and offer to subsidise a teacher," How, with all due deference to the opinion of Mr Smith, thia suggestion of his will never do. The parents of children at Red Jack's cannot in the first place afford to pay weekly money towards the support of a teacher, and they are also wide-awake to the fact that State education, as it is called in New Zealand, is free. It is really absurd to expect that the head of a

family of four or five children of school age will agree to pay four or five shillings weekly as school fees when he knows that the Knight of Kawau has rounded the country with the exclamation, "Education is now free to the poorest child in the Colony." The number of children of school age at Bed Jack's is at present 18 or 20, and in a couple of years or so, at the present rate of increase, the number will probably amount to 30, and goon increasing. Neither the Board, there-^ fore, nor yet the Government, will lose much by the appointment now of a duly qualified teacher, at a fair salary; and besides, judging from the well known auriferoos capabilities of Bed Jack's, coupled with the fact that a bachelor existence, hitherto t,he rule, is now gradually giving way to married' life, it is quite possible, and at present really seems likely, that in a very-few yeaM Bed Jack's will have more children than tfo Town, which is now in>' a condition f of speedy decay. In this matter the School Committee* who have resided in J the locality for many* 7 and l 'know thoroughly its educational wantß, have unanimously recommended the appointment cf a teacher, and surely the Board ym will not scruple about a paltry' additional y LSO a year, and thus secure the services of a bonafide teacher, and thereby put an end to the legitimate grumbling of parents. The Board of Education has refused to accede to the unanimous request of the School Committee that a teacher of sewing be appointed for No Town School, no reason boiflg assigned; Nbw, ot of an average daily attendance of 24, 14 are girls, 10 of who m can be ; taught the elementary work of! «c wfog, .and 'as the recently appointed, teapher (Mr Q'JDay) has arrived, bringing his wife with him, perhaps the Board may yet think fit to appoint MrcO'Day as teacher of sewing at a small salary. • : ' The Readiag-room. Committee met on Saturday evening, when a motion was carried that Mr Clifford, the member for the Biding, be asked' to move, at the first 6rdinary meeting* of the Council, for an annual grant of LI S in aid of a free public reading room for the district, the Committee for themselves, and the general body of inhabitants, agreeing to fulfil and carry out the conditions, &c, imposed by the County authorities anent such grants. It may be mentioned that donations of books, &c, have-already been promised to the Committee, and the Hoti. % (Mr Bobb) will be glad to' receive 'small donations of a similar character from friends to the No Town district living in Greyuiouth and elsewhere. Mr Blair, C.E., accompanied by Messrs O'Connor, District Engineer, Gordon and Dobson, junr., passed through No Town on Saturday on his tour 'of inspection of survey for East and West Coast Bailway.