Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly. Price 1d. FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1886. Higher Education.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1858, 16 July 1886, Page 2

Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly. Price Id. FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1886. Higher Education.

A bather animated discussion took place in the House of Representatives on Tuesday night, when the vote for higher education was proposed. The House readily passed the votes 0f*£337,050 for public schools ; £15,950 for Native schools ; and £17,121 for Industrial Schools; but when the vote of £3,500 for higher education was proposed, Mr Turnbull moved that it be struck out. Mr Turnbull contended that higher education was really costing the couutry £20.000 a year, apart from this particular vote of £3,500 now asked for. Then a general discussion followed, and it was contended on one side that the system of education should be such as would enable the child of the poorest person to pass from the ordinary schools up to the very highest, and thus obtain a first class and complete education. On the other hand, it was argued that under such a system the poor man would not be able to allow his children to obtain the teaching of the higher schools, and the practical result would be that the higher education would only benefit the children of the rich. In short, it was pointed out that the real effect of the system was to make the working classes pay for the education of the children of the rich, aud that the mass of the people would uot submit to such a state of things any longer. Mr Bruce quoted the words of an English authority as to higher education being one of the causes of the gravitation of young people in the towns. He agreed with that; he believed every young man who had a smattering of Greek or Latin disdained “ the pathways whereby bis father had hewed out independence.” Mr Bryce agreed that there was a great deal of dissatisfaction growing up amongst the working classes with the higher education system. Ultimately, the vote was passed, but the discussion which took place and the opposition shown to a system under which the working classes are taxed to provide higher education for the children of the rich, will bear fruit before long. We have always held the view that while it is the duty of the btate to provide, free of all charge, a sound elementary education for every child in the colony, yet those who desire higher education for their children, should pay for it. For the State to expend large sums in providing higher education, simply means that the working classes are taxed so that rich mens’ children may obtain higher education at a merely nominal cost. The State must maintain the common schools, and provide free education for the children of the masses, but it is no business of the State to help the rich to give higher education for their children.