THE W.E.A.

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12094, 23 March 1925, Page 2

THE W.E.A.

RAPID -GROWTH IN NEW ZEALAND. Notwithstanding the difficult times of its -birth in 1915 and of the years that followed, Jti spite of the many misunderstandings and suspicions during the early years, the W.E.A. has. made very rapid strides in this Dominion. During his visit in the earlv months of 1915, Mr Stewart wrote to the “Australian Highway”: “Those of us who have" watched the growth and development of the W.E.A. in Australia have felt we had good reason to be satisfied: but great though our progress has been. New Zealand bidis fair to prove .an even greater triumph.” The progress is evidenced most clearly on 1 the education side. During 1915 there were in the Dominion some 16 classes and 390 students. Last year in the Victoria University College district alone there were 23 classes and over 900 students. But the classes are onlv one form of *the educational effort of the movement. In most centres during the winter months the association makes itself responsible for a series of lectures on subjects of .interest to the people. Canterbury centre has for some years run a most successful “summei school.” This, form of educational effort is characteristic of the W.E.A., and there is every rens’on to expect that the other centres will develop it. The association. too. combines with other educational organisations in the investigation and discussion of educational and social, problems. The English people not likely to forget the valuable efforts of the parent association to ensure the enactment of Fisher’s Bill, by -which a more liberal scheme' of education was provided for the mass .of the English peoplo. The amount of work that can be done by the association depends partly on the enthusiasm of its members and partly on the funds available. In the 'Wellington centre there is a great field for effort. Apart altogether from the development of the work in the districts in which a beginning lias been made, there are great tracts of country in which the association should have tutor-organis-ers: Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Marlborough, Nelson. At present no funds are available for the salaries of tutororganisers for these districts, but it is hoped- that, ip the not too distanfuture, local vodies and private individuals will combine with "the Government in enabling this important work to he undertaken. The success of the movement so far warrants us :r. looking hopefully toward* the future. While the optimism of these days has been dimmed on occasions, still the promise of the earlv months has been realised. The weak organisations in each of the four centres in 1915 have grown into strong and vigorous associations Round these centres have been developed sub-centres that are carrying on edu cational work right hack into the country districts. In Hamilton. New Plymouth, Wanganui. Palmerston North, Timaru, Invercargill, and other smaller centres committees of the W.E.A. now exist, and local sympathy and local financial support are forthcoming. The Government and the University (and ite colleges! have stood bv the The Government makes a grant of £590 a year to each of the four University Colleges, and £1590 per vear to the Dominion Council of the W.E.A., besides providing, under the University Act, a subsidy of £ for £ on money given to the University Colleges for this purpose. The University in distributing moneys to the colleges provides that some £I3OO shall be spent on W.E.A. work. Local bodies too have realised the value of the work, and are supporting classes that have been organised in their districts.