LACK Of EDUCATION. HARDSHIPS OF RACK-BLOCKS LIFE. (Fromo Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, December 9.

Otago Witness, Issue 2857, 16 December 1908, Page 37

LACK Of EDUCATION. HARDSHIPS OF RACK-BLOCKS LIFE. (Fromo Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, December 9.

An exceptional case came before the Education Board this morning, when tho mother of a family of three wrote as follows:— 'I have 'three children. The eldest is 21, a son, the next is a daughter of 18. and the third a boy of 17. The eldest left echool after passing the Fourth Standard, and the- youngest just after be passed into the first. The girl has never been at any school, through being weakly. JSome years ago we came into the Kingcountry, and although the maps Tvero marked showing roads and schools, the roads are still only tracks, and no schools exist. Meanwhile, my , children have grown into men and women with eearcely aay education. Could you tell me the best thing to do for them before it becomes too late? If I could get a teacher into the house it would be a great improvement. They could cease work earlier in the evenings* and perhaps sometimes in the afternoons. The eldest boy has improved himself wonderfully, but he. has not the patience to teach the younger ones. II 11I 1 have taught them all that I can, and) bought them books, but I am too tired at night to do much. This is the penalty we have to pay for coming back so far to make a home. I don't understand Mr -Fowlde. A travelling teacher would bo better than none. People on bush sections are never well enough off to £end their children outside. It grieves me to see my children with so little education to go through life, when the children near the cities have every advantage at our expen&s indirectly. I am sure that in the futura they will blame their father and myseli for bringing them so far away from all comfort and education that nothing wil 1 ever make up for." <■ Mr Parr said it was a peculiar position. They could not deal with adult*. It was admittedly a case of hardship, art 9he thought lit as well to forward the letter to the Minister. Mr GTeenslade said that the position these people lived in was very isolated. The people were living 31 miles from T« Kuiti. Though the board was sympathetic it could not legally do anything, since the children were beyond the echool age. It was decided to forward the letter to tbe Minister for Education.