THE PREMIER.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12906, 21 February 1906, Page 7

THE PREMIER.

&A&D FOR SETTLEMENTS. Per Press Association. OAMARU, February 20. At- 2he banquet to the Hon. T. Y. Dun--can at Ngapara last mveniug, replying to ! -the toast of the " Premier aiid. Parliament," j Mr Seddojj, when touching upon the land] settlement policy, said that the owner of; Corriedale Sad asked a price which the <3overnment would not .pay, but i they would acquire it if they could obtain it at a -fair pricel JBe made an announcement that, acting upon the advice of the Land Purchase Board, the Government had made.an offer to the owners for Otekaike. The Premier returned by special train from Ngapara, boarding the Tutangkai at 3 o'cTodk this morning, and l ,, sailing for Timaru en route for Ashburton. CALL AT ASHBUBTON. ASHBURTON, February 20.. The Premier arrived by special train at noon to perform the ceremony of opening the new High School. He was entertained at luncheon by the Board of Governors at which he referred to the charges made by Mr Moore, ex-M.H.R., in refer-enea-to an extra Is- which had been given io-Mie men as night allowance when they were away from headquarters. This was in accordance with the usual practice. When the men returned- to headquarters the allowance ceased. The allowance was still being paid to men wne.i sway from headquarters on duty. In performing the ceremony of opening -fbe ;new -High School, the Premier , gave figures showing the great advance that had Jjeen made in educational matters during the last few years. In 1891 the capifaidon amounted to £221,454, grants £4OOO, school buildings £34,316, scholarships £6390; •in 1904 salaries amounted _to £575,512, capitation and grants to £.'6, €74, school buildings £79,954, scholarships total £555,569—equal to an increase under these heads of » £169,419. Manual and technical education took £26,459, training colleges £5454, district schools £60,565, secondary schools £15,546, national scholarships £933; or a total of £590,774, and' -a total increase -oi" £224,524. Let them take the * last three years as showing progress and increased educational expenditure. Technical education, 1903. £9824, buildings £59,743, other votes £59,848; in ISQ4_the total was £679,000, and in 1505 or an expenditure in three years «sf £1,998.524. The vote in 1887SB was £416,252, in 1905 £821,000 which showed.an increased expenditure of £405,646 during that period upon education questions. .Whatever might be said or ■daunts raised upon other questions there *ould be no doubt whatever about the aclTancement made upon educational matters. Whenever Parliament was asked to vote money for the purposes of education, members cheerfully responded. It was the one question on which they set aside all party feeling, and worked harmoniously to do justice to the rising generation. _ : The number of schools, in the colony in 1901 was 1719, in 1902 1757, in ' 1905 1786, in 1904 1828. . The consequent amounts of increased caoitation were—l9o2, £57y000"; 1903, £62,000;; and 1904, £63,000. The school teachers had done much to lay the foundations of the colony. The increases in salaries had been—l9o2, £52,C 00; 1903, £54,000; 1904, £50,000. It would not be too much if it was increased .... -; to =Ja £IOO,OOO by national ~ scholarships. Higher the"reach s of every child in New Zealand and. the re--tunis -showed how;much it ttos appreciated. At the examinations in December last 790 candidates presented themselves and 095 qualified for free ■' places. At the Civil Service examinations there had been 1422 candidates, and the total pass had been 360. --■ The number of free places in secondary schools, district high schools, and technical schools now numbered 5000. The Premier, "dealt with the necessity of New Zealand training her own veterinary surgeons and dairy experts, instead of importing them. He would like to see schools ]of agriculture established in the country districts. He would not...rest until, the-sons of farmers were able to test the soils in their fathers' paddocks, and say what they were best fitted to produce. Referring to the cadet movement the Premier said.- that no movement in the co-' lony had done .more to further the volunteer movement than the establishment of the cadet system. The" Home authorit 1 ies were making enquiries with a view to establishing a system, and he affirmed that as soon as the Moth'.r Country took the cadet movement, conscription need not be mentioned again. In referring to the recent" cadet oamp 'held at Ashburton he said that hs would give ■every cadet corps a chance of a camp once a year.