Hawke's Bay Herald. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1868. THE EDUCATIONAL BATE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 976, 8 September 1868, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1868. THE EDUCATIONAL BATE.

Referring to a letter written by Mr. Colenso, which appears in another column, and to opposition iv other quarters to the collection of the educational rate which may be looming in the distance, we take this opportunity of placing before our readers the view of this questiou which was taken by a large majority of the members of the Proviucial Couucil, and which led to the passing of the Act in question.

In the present state of the public finances, the Couucil had to choose between the closing of nearly all the schools iv the province hitherto assisted by the Government — certainly all the country schools — or the imposition of an educatioual rate. Impelled by a sense of the iuestimable value of education to the rising generation, and of the thousand evils which the closing of such schools would entail upon the future of the proviuce, the Council — wisely we think — chose the latter. The questiou then arose as to the nature of the rate, and a difficult questiou it proved. A poll tax was mooted, but met with few supporters, and a uniform house rate was, after long discussions, finally adopted. In the idea of a uniform rate— a rate applicable alike to small as to large houses — there did seem to be a measure of injustice. Similar arguments to those used by our correspondent were advanced at the time and seriously considered ; indeed, it will be remembered, a proposition was before the public from the Bishop of Waiapu, the foundation of which was a house rate based upon an aunual valuation. Many were in favor of a rate so based, but, in face of the machinery that would be required for valuatiou, for heariug appeals and what not,— considering also that the Act was intended to be quite a temporary measure — they gave iv their adhesion to the principle of the uniform rate. Nor, iv so doing, did they overlook the fact that it was the occupants of the inferior class of dwellings who would benefit chiefly, if not altogether, by the system of public education it was sought to foster. The names mentioned by Mr. Colenso are all those of gentlemen who, if they had children to educate, would pay for such education in a private school ; and their direct contribution for educational purposes would, taking a personal view of the matter, be for the benefit of householders in a less prosperous position than themselves.