Education Matters

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7404, 20 September 1902, Page 2

Education Matters

Mr F. Y. Lcfhbridge, M.U.R., writes as follows' to the Feik}u]g Star:—ln an article recently you quoted from some Parliamentary candidate speaking at Hunterville, who said "That previous to last election two members of the Waneauui Education Board interviewed tho Minister of Education, etc., and obtained £lqoo from thp Colonial Treasurer, and gave £950 to the Palmerston North High School." This statement is wrons. The Board never obtained '£1500, and the grant to tho Palmerston North High School was made by Government without any reference to the Board. So much for tho cantl date's statement. As to tho Boards not doing anything for tho back-block settlers, the Board lias spent nearly every penny it had in building schools in the backblocks, so much so that it has not for years been able to paint its schools. I grant that it has given less to school committees than almost any Board in Ne'iv Zealand jft has saved the money to give to the teachers, and J. am afraid it has not.received any thanks1 from them (the teachers); but it must also be remembered that there are ropairs to schools executed by tho Board, which other Boards do not do, leaving these repairs fo the committees. The Board has also" been plapjng schools all oyer the district, and wherever twenty children can' be gathered together has built schools, and the Board is not allowed money to build for fewer than that; and wherever there are children tho parents do not —and rightly so—allow the Board fo forget them. I may say that I havo from my ffrsf clppfion on the Board maintained' that the committees get too little, and it was arranged at the last meeting that the officers of the Board should go into this matter, and gee what could be done.