RURAL EDUCATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12551, 14 July 1905, Page 8

RURAL EDUCATION.

WELLINGTON, July 13

Tho President of the Farmers' Union petitioned, tho House to-day to direct tho House Education Committee to tako further evidence with regard to tha "most important subject of rural education." He does so at the request of tho Colonial Council of the Union. He points out that the subject of rural education is receiving considerable attention in the Dominion of Canada and the United States of America, to the farming industries of those countries, and ho asks for the summoning as witnesses of Mr. Hall, of Onehunga, and Mr. Gray, of tho Wanganui Department, Avho have both recently visited Canada and the States, and have both made a study of the system or rural education in operation in these countries. JOTTINGS. Tho Premier's absence to-day leaves the House without interest. In a. listless way, we went about bur business. Listlessly Mr. Laurenson obstructed the second reading of a Bill for some shadowy but expensive improvement to tho harbour of Otago. Mr. Laurenson is of the order" of politician who measures the importance of his little borough by the relative size of the town pumps of other boroughs. He strutted aggressively in . front of the car of Otagan progress. He imagined himself to be covered with, glory. Otago cursed freely, your Scot being devoid of humour. The rest of the House yawned in a half empty and wholly uninterested fashion. Even the Land Commission report did not seem to have power to raise more than a languid interest. Wild stories reach the capital that all tho newspapers of other places have the report and the newspapers of the capital fiinie horribly. When the habitual criminal came up wrapped in, the Government Bill for his better regulation, Mr. McGowan's method of explanation did not tend_to wako tho House to any effort stronger than a groan. Mr. McGowan, however, was master of Kis subject, dealing with it exhaustively, but exhaustiveness is useless before exhaustion. The Bill was referred to the usual committee. The Leader of the Opposition gave notico to move for a return showing in detail the cost of the Land Commission, Sir W: Steward brought down his little Bill once more for removing certain restrictions on marriage, and Mr. Ell, who tried by surprise to get in an amendment of the legislation dealing with rating on unimproved value, was frustrated.