FREE EDUCATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6502, 14 December 1882, Page 4

FREE EDUCATION.

"TO THE EDITOB. Sib,—l was glad to.see Mr. Bolt speak out., The idea of calling'"free"an education that coats £400,000 a year! 'And it appear* that that is not enough. We have tb'get up entertainments to furnish prizes. And of course the taxation will go on increasing every year. If this be " free" education, Yd like to know what would " c'oatly" education be.

Mr Bolt says that the expense is compensated for by the efficiency of the teaching. I hope so. if not, I take it our whistle is about the dearest one ever bought. I have as yet no means of knowing. I have a little child about six weeks old, andforthenextsixorsevenyears he will not be fit to, go to school. Now, Sir, dm ing these six or seven years I have to pay for this " free " education; and when my boy leaves school I'll have to go on paying—in-fact I'll ha\ c to go on paying all my life for what it is the fashion to call " free"' education 1

As I ha\e said, my, little infant won't' be fit for school for years to come; but two streets from me there lives a gentleman who has three sons and two daughters—all at school. He is well off, and lam only a struggling man; and yet / have to pay for Ais children. I'd 'submit \ery willingly to be taxed for the children of those who can't bear the expense of education, but I object to pay for those who can (and some of them better than myself). I have no leason to suppose that the gentleman in question wishes other people to pay for his children, but how can he help himself? We all have to fit into the system somehow, whether it suits us or not.—l am, &c.,~ •' James Macphkbsm?.

December 11th.