VICTORIAN EDUCATION BILL.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 84, 12 November 1872, Page 2

VICTORIAN EDUCATION BILL.

Thb preserft Attorney-general, • Ml- Stefihta, 1 introduced,** new Education Bill and after three weeks battle he has 1 just succeeded ia passing it through the second reading* by a majority of- two to ondj> vizi, 42 to 21. The division' would have been taken a'night or two earlier, but the nlayor's ball intervened,-sWit wStftpostponad till last Wed" nesday night. The bill appears at first gfanctef of a start-" ling character, the cardinal points being compulsory education. The other chief provisions ate a aocralar and free education. The compuisory clause-readsasfollo'wß " The parents of children of not less thkn six years, nor more than 15,shall oause such'children (unless there is some reasonable excuse) to attend cchool for a period of nine days in each month during ten months of the ; year." The standard in' which all children are- required jo' pass is• a practical acquaintance with reading, writing, and arithtaetic, and 1 no fee 3 will be required for instruction in these subjects. Payments to teac'.ers are by Jffgulttf. For other branchesof knowledge in addition to the abovej fees will be charged, but' rt; jfcion in them-wilt be optional tfith the parents.The teachers in the State schools will have the same advantiigeiiriii ifetiHn' allowances aal;hfe'of?ret-fti6ni-' bers of the Civil Sterfrice. Thfe new system is to be under the control of a 4 Minister of Education, and the presentboard will b : abolished'; their place being taken by a district " Board of Advice" nonlihated by tnfe'Groveinmfent. The- scheue is of a centralizing character, and local »uper--vision-is practically done away with; the ; evil complained of in- IMb particular being ignorance aflti pitly domineering orer the teachers by the local board. The bill is almost certai»to pass with little alteration. Asf-usual, however, the Upper House stands in- the way, 2nd it is rumoured that- it- will-be rejected thetfß. Ministers; hWwever, propose to introduce, without delay, a bill to reform the Council. The Assembly have been provoked to take'this step by the Council's summary rejection, within the'past few months, of several important bills/-amongst which was the" Permissive Bill, passed by the Assembly by overwheliring majorities; thejjabour Bill, a Land Act Amendment BUI, and- ( virtually) a Mining on* Private Property Bill. A. glance at the titles of these wiU show that they a popular and' in defence Of the Uppsr House it hasbeen- ingeniously pointed out that many of the leading, thinkers in the Assembly regard with pleasure the action ot the Council, for doing what the Lower House dared not do in the teeth of " public opinion." The Education Bill has the fierce opposition of the Church of England, Preiby-' and Eoman Catholic clergy who have beld meeting* and petitioned'against it without avail.