IV.—TO-DAY—(b) EDUCATIONAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11729, 2 December 1905, Page 2

IV.— TO-DAY— (b) EDUCATIONAL.

In 1888 New Zealand was governed by n Conservative- Ministry, of which Sir Harry Atkinson was the head. In Octobc of that year the session of Parliament was, as is usual, nearing its close. "LEGISLATION BY EXHAUSTION" is a term that has been invented only in recent time*, but the thing was well known to Sir Harry's Government. In the small hours of the morning, after an exhaustive sitting, an obedient majority voted a reduction of 5s per head on the schools of the colony. Not a big sum, perhaps, some will think. No, but it effected A SAVING ON PRIMARY EDUCATION — the education of the CHILDREN OF THE WORKERS — of over .£20,000. Retrenchment was deemed necessary, and the school vote was, in the opinion of the Conservatives, the fittest servico to feel the pruning knife. And what the followers of Sir Harry Atkinson did in 1888, THE FOLLOWERS OF MR MASSEY WOULD DO TO-DAY. The educational policy of Mr Seddon and his Government presents a strong and A STRIKING CONTRAST. It has been Mr Seddon's aim to undo the baneful effects of the Atkinson policy, and he is now beginning to succeed. He began with the teachers. So long as they could be dismissed at the will of Committees and Boards, co long as they were underpaid, it was very iinlikely that the best boys would offer themselves as apprentice teachers. To remedy these defects the Premier, who is also Minister of Education, carried through the Legislature two Acts, one giving A RIGHT OF APPEAL AGAINST DISMISSAL, the other giving approximately EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK. There are two more measures before Parliament now, one READJUSTING SALARIES, especially those of women teachers, the other

PROVIDING RETIRING ALLOWANCES

FOR AGED TEACHERS. " With thrse inducements it may reasonably bo hoped that youths of tlie l;<_-st class will ho enticed into the teaching ranks. Then the scholars and their inteie&ts were tackled. There were

DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS in various parts of the colony at which fees might be charged for advanced touching, but till 1901 tho iidvantagc that was taken of them was comparatively small. In that year regulations were gazetted under which the Government undertook to pay the fees up to thirty shillings per quarter of all childivn in District Ilij^h Schools who have passed the Sixtli Standard, and to make a grant of per annum for apparatus in every school where the ex-Standard VI. pupi's number twelve or more. WHO CAN ESTIMATE TnE VALUE OF

A BOON LIKE THIS? It has called into existence numbers of District High Schools where boi'ore they had not been considered necessary; it has brought ADVANCED EDUCATION WITHIN THE

REACH OF THE POOREST CHILD in the colony; and it has brought training for the Civil Service and tho University down to the very level of the children of the workers.

But there* is more then even this to be said. What of the lads and girls who had l«ft school before these good things came in? They, too, are provided for. at least in the centres of pnp^ation. All who have passed Standard VI. before leaving school can obtain

FREE TUITION in such subjects as BOOK-KEEPING, SHORTHAND. ELECTRTCITY, WOODWORK, COOKERY, &c, on condition that with these they also take arithmetic and one language — English, French, or German.

WHERE IS THE WORKER — man or woman — who would vote the Liberals out and the political descendants of tho Tories of 1888 in? If there is- one, he will be entitled to. small gratitude from the rising generation, and small pity when he finds tho liberality of the Liberals give place to the TRADITIONAL STINGINESS OF THE

OPPOSITION in matters pertaining to the education of the people.