TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Mataura Ensign, 13 March 1909, Page 4

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

-MAM I C: M'a'l V (inXUi. \i \ esi erday's meeting of (ht» Southland Count > Council, a letter whiclt appealed to iht; Council was lead from the Southland KdueaUion i>purd asking for a contribution u» waids the cosi. oi' maintaining and conducting technical classes. Tnc let'ei' was .supported by a deputation jroiu the |>oard, ccinsisting of Messrs T. ,\iac(.!ibbon. U. AlacAti.ster, W. .V. .McCaw (director of technical insi met i< hi j. Air Atact.i ibbon said thi' V asived the Council, to sup[)orl the e\ening classes, from which the \outh of the low ti derived benefit. I'liovr eiasse.s had been carriud on by drawing on the funds of the school classes, from which Ju-111. had been taken since I'.JUI. Tl»e lioard did not think it fair to take the funds from that particular branch and appropriate them for the purpose «»f currying on the evening classes which were .specially for the benelit <>i' the youth of the town, li had recognised by public, bodies, from Auckland downwards, that it. 'aas necessary to contribute out of ihe Corporation or local bodies' funds for the maintenance of such a kiiidahl" object. They had found '.hai the small amount «>i' captation was insuliicieul to currv on the work of the evening clashes, and a loss of L 7" a ve.-ti- had resulted. This had ! o crane out of funds which should , have been expended in connection i with the school technical classes. 1 From all parts of the Dom'.nion local bodies were supporting with ■ moiietar\ contribut ions the evening ; technical schools and counties far 1 h i ss important than the Southland one were coin ribul ing as much as L.*iO. Th.e Council should view the inaii"] in the bpiadeM sense; ii wa for the bench! of the children grow•oig up. They would start with th" tentn-s and work out into the eoun(ry as far a« |a»ssible. The classes were li.k'dv lo cost more in the future lhal» in the past, because there were fewer paying pupils. I»v the wn\ ihe Act was framed, I hose with certificates of etheieucy [\\ the public schools would be entitled to gel free education in those technical classes. Air Alac.Uister appealed to the coinmonsense of the Council in the matter ami said the Hoard uas not on a bogging expedition. Slarting evening technical classes was optional. but it must be attended to. The Council was quite within its lights in granting subsidies for such purposes. There were two controlling bodies—the Core .High School Hoard of Coveruors controlled there. Technical education was for the bonelits of the whole of the ratepayers, and , tor the benelit of the youth both of Core and luvercargill. The Chairman of the Council | technical education was going to be ■ costly to ihe country, and they did not know where it was going to slop 11 would be of more benelit to the towns than to those in the backIdocUs. The deputation thanked the Coundil for the hearing they had received, and then withdrew. Cr. Gilchrist, in moving" tii at the Council make a grant of. Co" towards -technical education. saHd that it was a most desirable thing, but if they were going to have il, they wotdd have to pay for it. The ratepayers paid for everything. There was son)'* misunderstanding in the matter. It was not a question of Invercargill versus t»ore, but of Southland's good. At (low the administration would bo undertaken by High School Hoard of Coveruors. Mention had been made that in.'U could not be goi to work on account of so much education, but that was not so. It was on account of the prosperous I state oi the country. Cr. Flaming opposed the motion, ami said he disapproved of spending : I tit* ratepayers' money on technical education. It was just, a beginning—

the thin edge of the wedge. Cr. Hamilton said Hie power giv»*n lo local bodies was given because it came out of the r^tepaAoV pockets and ma from tlv (iovernmcnt <T. (Ireeii su-pportcd the molion, and said he was considerably interested, more especially with regard l" Core he m us I admit Hurt technical education was a good Ihing. but they must nol get out of bounds. Cr. Middlelon was in favor of the motion, saying the Council should grant Ihe amount. lb- did not l hinlc the ratepayers would complain. although in Hie meantime the cTjuniry people would receive no benefit whatever. Ihe motion was carried by livv to