EDUCATION ORDINANCE. [Passed October 7th, 1847.]

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue VI, 29 January 1848, Page 189

EDUCATION ORDINANCE. [Passed October 7th, 1847.]

An Ordinance for promoting the Education of Youth in the Colony of New Zealand. Whereas it is fitting that provision be made for promoting the education of youth in the colony of New Zealand ; be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows : — 1. It shall be lawful for the Governor for the time being, with the advice of the Executive Council, out of the public funds of the colony, to establish and maintain schools for the education of youth, and to contribute towards the support of schools otherwise established, as he shall from time to time see occasion. 2. Every such school shall be subject to inspection in manner hereinafter provided. 3. In every school to be established or supported by public funds, under the provisions of this ordinance, religious education, industrial training, and instruction in the English language, shall form a necessary part of the system to be pursued therein ; but in order to provide for the instruction of the children of parents dissenting from the religious doctrines to be taught in any such school, such children as shall attend the same as day-scholars only, may, upon application to be made in that behalf by their parents or guardians, be taught therein without being instructed in the doctrines of religion. 4. Every such school shall be placed under the superintendence and management of such one of the persons named or referred to in the ' Schedule hereunto annexed, as the Governor with the advice of the Executive Council shall in the case of each such school especially direct. 5. The teachers of every such school shall be appointed by the person under whose superintendence and management the same shall respectively be placed as aforesaid, and shall be removeable by him at pleasure. 6. In order to secure the efficiency of schools, to be supported by public funds, every such school shall be inspected once at least in every year, by an inspector or inspectors to be for that purpose appointed by his Excellency the Governor. 7. As soon as conveniently may be after the inspection of any such schools, such inspector or inspectors shall make, a report in writing to the Governor for the time being, setting forth the name or description of such school, the number of children educated therein, the funds out of which the same may be supported, and the amount thereof respectively, the salaries paid to the teachers thereof, and the yearly cost incurred for the support and education of each pupil maintained therein, and shall also report upon the discipline and management of the school, the nature and extent of the industrial iastruction pursued therein, the attainments of the children, and the state of the school generally as regards its efficiency. 8. As soon as the several schools which may bo aupported under the provisions of this ordinance shall have been inspected as aforesaid, the whole of the reports relating thereto, shall be together laid before the Colonial Legislature,

if the said Legislature shall he then in session, and if not, then within one calendar month nest after the commencement of the then next ensuing session. 9. Provided always, and be it further enacted, that the whole amount of the sums to be advanced under the authority of this ordinance, in any one year, shall not exceed one-twentieth part of the estimated revenue of the colony, or province, as the case may be, for such year. 10. In the construction of this ordinance, the word " Governor,'* shall be taken to mean the Lieutenant- Governor, or the Officer administering the Government of the colony for the time being. Schedule. The Bishop of New Zealand. The Bishop or other the bead of the Roman Catholic Church i» the colony of New Zealand. The Superintendent of the Wesleyan Mission. The head or minister of any other religious body, who shall have engaged in the education of youth in the colony of New Zealaud.