WHY CUMBERETH IT THE GROUND?

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9172, 29 September 1888, Page 3

WHY CUMBERETH IT THE GROUND?

TO THE EDITOR. Sin,—The Rotorua embroglio about admission of native children to the public school is of more than local interest, and gives rise to various reflections. First of all, what is the use of an Education Board? The school committee applies to it for guidance, and gets nothing but bit 3 of the Education Act picked out for perusal, especially the clause telling how the committee is subject to the very Board that is refusing to supply directions. Did the Board suppose detached portions more serviceable than an entire copy, or that the Rotorua Committee had never seen the Education Act. Another question is, why should there be any desire to exclude Maori pupils? Your correspondent's description of those at Rotorua tallies with the experience of others elsewhere. There are many readers of the Herald that have been taught in schools along with native children, and will remember that the Moor is were usually the best behaved. There are Maori scholars whose 'carriage any parents might envy for their own children ; and trouble in a public School from either Maori or half-caste children is rare indeed, from what I can learn.— I am, &c., A Settler.