The Wanganui Chronicle "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1909. LOCAL RATING FOR EDUCATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12256, 2 July 1909, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1909. LOCAL RATING FOR EDUCATION.

Speaking at Addington on Saturday last the Hon. George Fowlds, Minister for Education, hinted at the possibility <>1 an important change of policy in the direction ,of providing for local rating for education in New Zealann. The Minister said that " mall civilised countries education was one of the chief functions of the State and Government. In New Zealand great importance had been placed in local control, and in his opinion the system owed a good deal of its success to local control. He hoped, whatever changes might occur in the future, that local control and local interest would be maintained..,..ln..Australia the system went largely to the opposite extreme, education being adminstered a-nd controlled from a central department. In other countries they found that local control was accompanied by local responsibilities, and local contributions towards the cost of education. He thought that in the days to come New Zealand would probably have to move in the same direction, by throwing more directly into the hands !of the people the responsibilities and j control of education within their o*.v,n immediate neighbourhoods. The system jof local "rating for education had been tried in practically all the countries j that were leading in educational matters, more especially in Switzerland. That little country, which had been the home of many experiments, was in his opinion standing in the front rank of the nations of the world to-day in regard to educational matters. The United States were forward in education in many parts, and though there was not the same level throughout the whole country, the general standard •was very high, and there also local control with local rating was the system. Mr Fowlds then quoted figures to demonstrate the relative relationships borno by the State fund and local taxes towards education in various countries. "In Switzerland," he said, "the proportion out of the State funds was 51.9 per cent., local taxes 45.1; Chicago (the foremost educational city in America), Stato 3.9. local taxes 56.1; United States general average, State 13.8, local taxes 81.2; England, State 53.7, local taxes 43.3; Wales, State 06.G, local 43.4; Scotland,- State 52.3, local 47.7; Ireland, State 92.1, loyal 7.9. In New Zealand almost the total cost of education came directly from the Government, and under such circumstances it was only to be expected that occasionally friction should arise between the local governing bodies, such as school committees' and Boards of Education, and tho Department and Minister in j charge of it. . . . Ho believed that in New Zealand, by means of the local control through school committees and Education Boards, they had secured a 10-:al interest whk'h would not otherwise be obtainable, but ha believed they had j not jjjone sufficiently far in that cfircc- 1 tion." AYo do not think Mr Fowlds will bo eiicour;ussad by tho reception accorded to his suggestion. He will rind, wo believe, that popular opinion is altogether opposed to relieving the State ■of . n.. burden which it ought properly to bear. We believe Mr Fowlcta to be an I able, conscientious and earnest Minister, and we do not suggest that the feeler ho bus thrown, out in inspired by ether than tho best of motives. He has doubtless discovered that the administration <;t Ins Department is not a<; satisfactory us it ought to be, and that a good deal of the very largo amount of money annually allocated for the purposes of education is not being expended to the best advantage. He no doubt honestly believes increased local responsibility, coupled with a direct tax on the local purse, would mako for increased efficiency and "renter economy. He will find, however, that while the several districts will b« ready ta accept incrcas-

Ed local responsibility they will not willingly sanction the pillage of the local purse. Ours is a national'system -in tho fullest sense of the term, and as such it is and should continue to be a charge upon the general purse. That, indeed, is the only equitable way of financing a system the primary attribute of which is that it is universal and free. What is wanted is not a change in the incidence of taxation, but a quickening of the administrative pulse. Mr Fowlds is right when he assumes, as he appears to do, that the public would be better served were tho local authorities endowed with wider responsibilities and greater authority than they now enjoy. He says ho thinks the time is coming when the School Committee will be'the centre of light and learning in every centre in New Zealand. In his opinion the School Committees "ought to be the focussing centre of the social and intellectual life of the communities in which they are situated," and he considers that if the committees would "set to work to try to gather round the school buildings, by means of libraries, reading clubs, and continuation classes, something-to develop the sccia! and intellectual life of the neighbourhood, the country would enter on a new era in its educational work.1' This ia an entirely commendable aspiration, the realisation of which depends, not upon a drastic alteration of the financial policy, but upon the more reasonable encouragement of the administrative bodies by the central department.