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Pahiatua Herald, Volume II, Issue 804, 3 August 1894, Page 3

Open Column.

[C*rrmpmn4tm<* m mv*td npon ruhftcts, but we do not hold ourselves rmpomible for the opinions of our eorreopomientsJ]

THE SCHOOL DIFFICULTY.

(To the Editor.)

Sim, —1» consequence of the weather being ao bad last week it wai Friday before I could start at ray washing, and I hare been so busy since that it was not until to day that I was able to read your Friday’s issue. I was surprised to see more than a column devoted to Miss Reese, the Education Board and the Pahiatua petition. This I carefully read through. The first thing that struck me was that a small seetion of the community wore playing our worthy representative rather low down when they used hiua to present that precious mothers’petition. The least they coaid have done was to have supplied him with eorreot information. First he says the petition was aigned by 87 parents and guardians. That may be, but that they represented over 200 children attending sehool was a crammer of a large order. From my experience I know that the air of Pahiatua is conducive to large families, but I cannot conceive thirty-seven parents and guardians sending very near six children each to school, and knowing as I do that several of those who signed have no children attending and some only one, the Others must have been sending at least ten or twelve each. Then leaving out all the sentiment about fair play wo come to Miss Reese s teaching career. Mr Hogg infers that Miss iteeso was a teacher before she came to New Zealand, and the difficulty has been her inability to pass the technical examination required here. Now, is it not a fast that the first start of Miss lleese’s teaching oareer was when she entored for a term of three years at the Normal School, Christchurch, where, if she had proved efficient she would have received the necessary certificate. Therefore, Mr Hogg’s remark about a grownup person finding it difficult to pass a technical examination would not apply, because at that time, about 22 years ago, I should imagine Miss Reese would be scarcely out of her teens, and if she could not pass then, ami has failed on every occasion upon which she has been up since, it is very evident that she has mistaken her vocation. Personally I have every respect for Miss Reese and know that *he is very nice with the children ; ’tis her nature to be so. Mr Hogg remarks that Miss Reese is not the only uncertificated teacher under the Board. I wish to call his attention to the fact that two wrongs do not make a right, and I am surprised that the Board should employ one uncortificated teacher whilst there is one holding a certificate out of employment. It is unjust and not in accordance with the Act.—l am, etc., Another Mother.

m If ANGAT AIK OKA BBIPGE

(To tli« Editor)

Sir, —Report sayetli that upon a resolution of the Mayor the erection of a bridge across the Mangatainoka River is to be hung up notv until the Council can find out from the Government whether or not they will give them LIOOO t. assist in building the bridge frbm bank to bank. Now, Sir, if this is Ira®, I for one protest against this sort of thing. It is now nearly twelve months since the ratepayers carried a loan of LlfiOO to bridge this river, and the bridge appears to be us far off erection now as then, ami probably a little further. Scheme after scheme has been proposed, and the whole thing is pitched to the wind, and now we have to wait for an unknown period of time, for whnt ? Can his worship inform us ? He probably can, by informing us that *he Government might

give the Council something between.: thousand pounds and nothing, and th

out oi them. ( ottsequenl upon the desii to get this unknown quantity, the erectic of a bridge is to be left in abeyanoo, tl

approaches to wash away, and the rate pavers’ money—or at least what »e left oi it—put on deposit at three per cent., whilst they have to pay five per cent., anti can see nothing for it. Sir, His Worship informed us that lie would if elected push oil the erection of this bridge, and hoped that by the end of his term of office the bridge would be erected. Lot linn redeem bis pledge to the ratepayers, and not delay its erection any longer.— I am, etc., Lose* Suffering Ratepayer.