PUBLIC EDUCATION.

New Zealander, Volume 11, Issue 981, 8 September 1855, Page 2 (Supplement)

PUBLIC EDUCATION.

(From the Sydney Morning litrald, Aug. S.i It it re . arkable that while the sahj-ct of E location is occupying attention in our remote colony, it is exciting a special interest in the mother-country. Sir John Pakington Las lately submitted a scheme of popalu education to the British Parhamenf.

Sir J. Pakington refers in very pointed tfermstoihf low state of education in England cf the teachers now emnloji d ; be says, •• Some are over-trained, uj IEI inefficient,’’ while in “ in some schools the masters aid mistresses are unable to write their own names.” lie states t> at there has been a gradual ad races ia th; education of the peopl-, but contend' that “an exact analysis shows the ratio of improvement has beta less in late than in former years.” He appexls to copious and authentic da>a illustrating the “direct connection between ignorance and crime. The depth of ignorance exhibited by many of out convicts xtruei him,’’ he says, *• with horror.” Having thus exposed the ignorarce and th* 0/ the lower orders, lie contends that it is the duty of Covert, merit to take the subject of popular instruction into his own hands. And if such a staetnent can be made in England wiih its dense neighbourhoods, iu wealth, its private seminaries, and ns kuo-- n zeal in this very cause, with how much ra-ire propiietv may it bead of our colony, with its thin and scattered pr>| nlltioa. It is highly gratifying to see states making b their duty with regard to the ignotaut aad lliepwr, although they have waited to be goaded to their astj by the pen-dties of former and most criminal neglect. Ih-re is no doubt that much of the crime of biok, and of the enorrn-us expenditure of her police, gaoh, and transportation, is the natural consequence of • ■aretnai uegf-ct. if ball tl-.o money spent on cnmiaih were spent in giving a good and useful education,tt shoul I on all sides he gainers. Sir J. Pa ingtm hiving adverted lo the ijUrsrj and deg ad.- ion of England’s poor, observes ibat “ tbs n» l et of such a stale tf things, which he describes as worse than barbarcu-*, was nothing less thso tbs negh ct of one of the prominent duties of the C-hriatka Hisie.” He then explained the nacre of bis bilL “ He proposed, in the first place, to make it permissitf, and to 1 ken the mode of proceeding to that adopted for the administration of the poor law, the area cf operation to ne the municipal limits in towns, and these of poor law unions in the count-y. He proposed tbit an education board for the union or town should in chosen by the ratepayer-! at large; that the tuagu’rittl of the di-tiict should be ex officio members cf th Board; that it should have t e power !o provide schools, superintend ihe education generally cf tlis district, and levy a rate tor li.e eiprn-es cf tdociHWt and that the expenditure should be entrusted w , Boariks popularly elected. Being convinced that tie people could not be eduoa’eii on ihe votuntuy system, he proposed that, when a locality consented to k'J* Cct sain amount by rates, a contribution m a £x<d proportion should be made from the Consolidated Labile proposed that in ;.ll the schools established Mt ' !f the hill, the education should ie me. In no iu» t,D ® did be propose to interfere with existing schools; u would be optional with any such school ;o ectce Ma union or not under the Act. B it did, he pnsen- 1 certain conditions. The last point was the rclM- 18 d.fficuity, which he entreated the ho-.se to »p?wac » 1 a spirit of forbearance and moderation. Beat* l *® that the secular system, whether iiitrinsicalljtg°*“ bad, would be rejecte-i by tfj. country. liwmkw 9 **-’ the-n, in choosing a -ysle of religioE- ICschWgi consider what was practicable, aid be • ;s - e " ‘ p ovide a religious edueition, with a gcrupulosis V ct conscientious opinions. Bis schools in conn, etton with uny religuru* Jenoß-a* wherever they existed, should be entitled to w benefit, subj.-ct to the condition that no cm 8 , be excluded on account of religious opinionsthat no Church reboot should receive any the rates, unless it ad.i-itod diseemcrs ctum eC out I- rciug upon them i's creed. , jl^jj In the new schools, he proposed that 1 teaching should be in accorcai.ee with 1 « ri - I the majoiity of the di-trjcf. Ibis 1,11 | g |* I with the religious element had been SBC £„ jjjJ, foreign countries, and was not unkno»n in Lord Manley wished to take the earlits Pr j?rt | of expressing bis decided adherence principles upon which Sir J. Pakiogt-o time ka to setde this great question, fnr wbu g. ff g thought was eminently favourable. *? ir t jjdai the part of the Government, ga T * 013 assent to the introduction of the bill- w felt The difficulty felt in England i* 1* jjjjgiiß hire; nmi yet why should ii? \\!'▼ » t(0n ♦ pit; fett-r and hinder tne progress ol etiubahlv, the plan of Sir J. Baking* oo WOU j on of 4* the largest number of votes —th* I'* r '°* djjft 1 in-jorny, if by them demanded t° ’* j£t i without intolerance to others. 1 J ie a ‘ -je mi;'* j hinder the comprehension when th** c I most acceptable to the district, in ; colony', a manual prei ar»d by a bi-'° J i’ ®'. g cr jntisrt> 5 j of England, in the very word* °q‘ ° | go f which the great precepts and P rinC ||’ iial truth were taught, was used as a cat **' ( j ro aß parents a> pleased had their children . ' jjjdio, •’J . manual. ’J lie patents that had objec £l (J d ** their children were passed by; s° c Pf jj> ! ' p rents teaching at home, or throng fep School, the more distinct ve princtp U ; Q it seems the establishment of 1 pating l0 * j towns and districts is desired by Sir • . cc ai , ‘ 3i *[ Sir W. Denison, and the idea is ° ot where piactic&ble. There an*. [ egi between England and New Sout 1 ni*s‘‘ !rt i’.l district in England there are D ? t .,\rjs-m fB ' who are lo be »u- officio members ot L _,,j aie th# educated tliemselves, know bowtoapP. of education to others. But in this C^. : jg ibe c,o fj| of such men may be few, and 10 C **• education to incompetent me Q lS ’ case may he met in the presem H* te . n nufflS*-**,* i bony of salaried inspectors, sufnciei . j visit all the schuols at short in f rvft ‘ • no* f could wo k wiih local commit , r |iok * E oc.il committees could take in > ,,n j joo j g> B ouperintendiug the working of I°®