Our Very Own Reader.

Southland Times, Issue 133357, 20 January 1896, Page 3

Our Very Own Reader.

. ■» At the last meeting of the Ocago Education Board Mr Cohen moved that a supply of the new Colonial Reader be obtained for use in Standards V. and VI., and that the same be issued to the schools under the Board's jurisdiction. He was inclined to agree with Mr MacGregor that a better selection of matter might have been made, but it was questionable, considering the limited number of authors of repute who had written about the colony, whether* the literary quality of the selections and the authors' treatment of their, subjects could be improve]. It would be conceded that 'Froude, Lady Barker and Dilke were authors of world- wide repute; Vincent Pyke was foremost among colonial writers and novelists, and Domett's poetry was of the highest merit. Therefore, the Reader satisfied all demands of a work that was intended to cultivate a correct literary style and to impart to the reader's mind a love of country. Of course it was never intended that thia Reader should supersede either of the two authorised by the Board, but it would be used as a supplementary one. The department had offered to place a large supply of theae books with the Board at a reasonable price considering the size of the book and the general excellence of its get-up. Mr MacGregor did not approve of Mr Cohen's proposal, and at the same time he did not wish to exclude the book from the schools. He did not say the book waa not as good as it could be made from the materials available, but it was not at all equal to either of the reading books now in the hands of the pupils. In his opinion a school reading book was not intended t° give information to the children. The book was really not a scbqol reading book so much as a book containing useful information to be placed in the hands of the children to be studied at home. The matter was not likely to stop there. It would not be a question of supplying this particular book, but other books, gratuitously for the use of the pupils. He moved that headmasters be informed that the Board will supply the New Zealand School Reader on application at cost price, to be used as supplementary reader in Standards V and VI. Mr Fraser supported the motion. This was a State reading book, and he conceived it to be the duty of the Board to introduce it into their schools. The book waß well written, its literary qualities were high, and the information given in it was most valuable. He did not think they should grudge L2OO for the purpose of introducing this book. Mr Cohen, in reply, said that Mr MacGregor appeared to have forgotten that Parliament had ordered the issue of this Reader.— (Mr MacGregor: "No.") Well, the matter of its issue had been repeatedly discussed in Parliament, a motion of approval was carried by the House, which had voted the necessary funds. If that were not Parliamentary authorisation, he failed to understand what constituted it. Parliament having expressly sanctioned the publication it eeemed to him to be the duty of the Board to facilitate its introduction into their schools.

On the question being put, the amendment was carried on the casting vote of the chairman, who explained that he had voted for it in order to save the funds of the Board.