BAGKBLOCKS EDUCATION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 609, 5 November 1913, Page 3

BAGKBLOCKS EDUCATION.

DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT.

In speaking on the Education question in the House last week, Mr C. K. Wilson, member for Taumarunui, put in a strong plea for backblock schools. He said he realised the enormous amount of money that was being spent oi the education system, but what he claimed was that though they had a free education system it was not for the people of the backblocks. Their education was very expensive indeed to them. They were asked to provide land for school sites, and yet they found the greatest difficulty in having shanties built for their children. He wanted to impress on the Minister that many children in ths backblocks were absolutely running wild because they had no school at all. They could often get money from the Minister for a school, but they eon lei not then get the board to move to expend it. He could not remain silent while he saw the children of the ba".k blocks settlers being denied the education to which they were entitled. He 'was quite sura the people of the Dominion did not understand the condition of the backblncl-zs children in regard to education, otherwise they would do something to sssisfc them to get it. in many of cur country schools if the health officer visited them to-morrow hs would condemn them, because of insufficient air space, Ten feet was the prescribed allowance; in many cssas they had only 4ft. Special provision ought to S)e made outside of the Education Boards so as to gve decent schools to the backblock settlera and better education for their children. He had -j letter in his possession complaining that sixteen children had been waiting for a year tor the Auckland Education Board to provide them with the means of education. They were entitled to free education, but they were not getting it.