The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 979, 9 June 1879, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1879.

Teefvrk arc many reasons why the Oamaru .Schools Committee are troubled more by a scarcity than by a redundancy of cash. In the fir3t place, the Education Board takes every care that they shall not fall into the terrible sin of prodigality. Country children do not require education beyond read ins*, writing, and arithmetic, and the pure air they breathe is supposed to serve them instead of everything in the shape of luxury. These being the opinions of the Otago Education Board, or the majority of its members, we would recommend our School Committee to be careful in their expenditure. The Port Chalmers School Committee differs somewhat from our School Committee. A little while ajjo they had tn hand so mtteh money that they desired to return their maintenance money to the Hoard, riot knowing what else to do with it. That this incqitalttr should exist in dtie to the peculiarities of the Education Hoard, which favors large centres of population at the expense of country districts. Notwithstanding the comfortable positions of the Port Chalmers Committee they are economising. They have built a janitor's loik'e. in which we suppose a in.niror will re-id-> : and this oftirial wilt, v.e tbin!:, enable them to save a considerable amount of expenditure in contingencies. The system in vogue here is not suited to our circumstances. We have now a number of persons engaged in cleaning the schools, removing rubbish. &c.. the aggregate salaries of which amount to far more than would have to be paid to a janitor. In addition to this advantage, the school buildings i would be better attended to, everything would be kept in better order, fewer repairs would be necessary, and the buildings would last longer. Some person woutd gladly undertake this work fur the sake of a free residence and a salary amounting to much less than that now paid to have the work performed by several persons in a much less satisfactory manner. V\e throw out this suggestion as» one that might enable the Committee to get better through the present difficulties of their position.