PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 91, 28 November 1872, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26. TATJPO BOAD BILL. Mr Mat drew the attention of the Council to the standing order, directing that upon bills for compulsory taking of land, notice of the appointment of the Select Committee must be given. Notice "was given accordirgly.

EDUCATION BILL, 1872. The Prov'ncial Secretary, in moving that the bill be read a second time said it was with considerable diflldenceherose to move the cccond reading of this bill. He should lay himself ope i io a good many charges, some of them with more or le:s fo:Te. The alterations proposed were so wide that some opposition waj only to be expected. It was natural it should be so. But the time had come when active steps must be taken taken to secure permanent education for the province. He spoke of the late measures with respect. But one of these acts had been found unworkable, first because the provisions were of a cumbrous nature, —the rating clause more particularly. This clause was open to evasion. Most people had come to the conclusion to make it apply. But the want of provision for education at this moment was calculated to arouse the fears of every friend to education and progress. So far as the Provincial Government and Auckland were concerned, it stood at the bottom of the list as compared with other provinces in this matter. The schools in Auckland did not educate more than two thousand of the young people of Auckland, while Canterbury and Otago educated three times as many. Even Wellington appeared to better advantage than Auckland in this respect. If members turned to the report of the Inspector of Schools, ■ they would perceivo that he took a very melancholy view of the future prospects of education if the present act were to remain in force. This was his deliberate opinion, that our system showed manifest sign 3 of decay. The present arrangements were merely supposed to be under the Act, but, as he said, the net was unworkable. The present proposal was to lay a foundation broad enough to build up a system of education sufficient for many years to come. For two years they had been looking to the Assembly for an Act but for two years they had been disappointed. There was no reason for supposing that they would obtain an act from that source for two, three, or even four years to come. The other provinces were well off in respect to education, and that was the reason why there appeared to be any indifference in the General Assembly 011 the subject. But, suppose the Assembly should pass an act, was there any reason to suppose the Assembly could provide for the wants of the province a more suitable bill than the Council, with its local knowledge, could enact t The bills in the other provinces were work'ng most satisfactorily. Schools were increasing : the scholars were increasing year by year, so that in those provinces the people would be educated. Was it in Auckland alone that they could not carry a satisfactory Education ? He thought it reasonable to ask the Council to make ; a' fair effort to provide some permanent education for the people. The bill proposed an education for common schools, and also for the higher branches. It was mainly intended to work out three principles; (1) free education in all matters secular (2) compulsory education wdcre none was provided; and (3) to provide the means for educational purposes-'. It was proposed that the rate should be so levied as to give to those who were in most need of the benefits conferred by the act the largest measures of advantage. Free education had now become acknowledged to be the right of every child in the province. Nothing but free education would suffice to the wants of struggling settlers, many of whom were extremely poor. At present, the people were not able to pay the fees or subscriptions. At first there was a fair prospect of a teacher obtaining his salary, but after a year or so this prospect ceased. Several schools had been shut up in the past year. Not one, but half-a-dozen were in arrears at the present moment. The Council must .know the state of the town and village populations. Were they not avowedly without the means of education? It had been well said that " Ignorance was the mother of crime" j and if that were so, would any person be unwilling to contribute something to avert the approach of such a calamity at a future time P He was not aware that there could be any objection to the principle. A child was as much entitled to be educated as to be fed, and were they not bound, not merely upon personal but upon public grounds, to make some provision. As to the tax, what would be the use of the bill if the means to maintain a system of education were omitted ? He urged it on the present occasion, because it was an absolute necessity. If they reject the tax, they would reject the bill. And what would be the consequence? During the past year the Board of Education had expended £5530, yet it had to reject a great many applications. That sum was wholly inadequate to prevent the decay of the present system. No one would say the supply for education should be omitted altogether. Then, if they would not adopt a special tax, then how was education to be provided for for the next year ? A great many alternatives had been proposed. The sum required would be about £7000. Where or how was this to be obtained without a special rate ? To take 5 per cent from the salaries of departments would be to make the Government servants pay for the education of the province. Even if they did so the sum saved would be most inadequate. The tax proposed would bear light upon the people at large. It was a household tax, to be borne by the class who would derive the greatest benefit. It was the same tax as existed in Nelson, and even in Wellington. But in this bill it was graduated. The man with a poor house paid not exceeding ten shillings a-year, while the man with a lrrge house paid in proportion. Now the poorer classes would receive the largest benefit. It was also proposed to levy a capitation taxation not exceeding five shillings. This modo of tax was in existence in the province of Wellington. The remaining provinces relaiing to the amalgamation of the Grammar School were of secondary importance. The bill provides that the instruction shall be secular, but lest it should be supposed that the;-e was any intention to disparage religion, it was permissible to provide religious instruction outside the ordinary school hours. No one was obliged to attend this religious instruction. Owing to the recent fire he was unable to lay calculations before the Council. He could only give results. There were 13,640 houses in the province of Auckland. Of this number 3,000 contained more than seven apartments, 5,000 contained less than seven and more than four apartments, while the remainder contained four and less than four apartments. This estimate was subject to some diminution, aB these houses were not permanent structures. The whole revenue derived from household tax would not be less than £8,000; when to this was added the capitation of about £2,000, it would give a whole equal to £10,000 or £12,000. It was proposed to fix the rate of teachers : £100 in the case of male teachers, and £80 for female teachers. They must look to give not the minimum on which an unhappy master can live. He did not invite discussion to the bill as a Government measure. It was a matter for the whole country. He might be supposed to favour this aet, but if this act could be improved he would consider it a great pleasure to be permitted even to co-operate in the work. Mr Brookfield, before going further with the bill, wished to know whether the Government had taken opinion as to whether-there was power to pass clauses 31, 32, 33. The Provincial Secretary said that competent opinion had i been taken. One or two words were used which were

altered, namely, such rate to be " enforced by distramt an imprisonment." After some personal explanations, , . Mr May believed that a uniform house rato would do simplest. He saw no provision for valuation. He aid no see why the revenue should be paid to the Board instea o into the Provincial Treasury. He thought the Board oo large. He thought if the proposal was to value it ought to be a property rate. He agreed with the general principle propounded by the lion, gentleman opposite. Mr Carleton thought the second reading of the bill should be allowed to pass, the Council would probably not opposo the principle of the (bill itself- Ho would reserve what lie had to say until the bill wont into committee. Mr Croighton said ho was not opposed to education, du* ho was opposed to direct taxation while other means wcro available to provide for education. The lion, gentleman opposite said the Common Schools Act was unworkable. But the lion, member had not told the whole truth. It on y required ti very small technical bill to innko it workable. The Executive which succeeded that of which lie (I» r Creigliton) was a member did all they could to break dot* 11 the Common Schools Act. It was provided in that act that rates were to bo recovered in the same way as rates wcio recovered under the Sural Act. The Attorney-General pointed out that only a small technical bill was necessary. The reason the means were not provided was that the Kural Act did not pass. But the Executive which succeded never brought down that technical bill. They were desirous to prevent the full application of tho secular system. ' Council was now asked to emulate the Canterbury province, which had a balance of £140,000 from land revenue after all expenses are paid. She had received to ISG9 £1,100,000. In this Auckland had an interest. Canterbury had received at the rato of £30,000. What had Auckland received to 18G9 ?—£301,804'; and yet Auckland had contributed more than a million to the general revenue of the colony. As to Nelson, she had received upwards of half a million. It was true that Nelson had not a land revenue, but she had made delightful roads, of which some hon members had experience. Well, ii they wcro to support the general measures —which it was the duty of tho colony to initiate —to support gaols, lunatic asylums, to carry out works which fell properly upon tho colony, probably they would be regarded as very good fellows indeed? but very great simpletons. Now, if they did this, they would be contributing to make the Crown lands of tho colony thoexclusive property of the Southern provinces, and depriving, themselves of all prospcct of a participation in the colonial estate. They would be playing into the hands of tho Southern gentelmen, destroying every prospcct by taxation, and nipping all hope of prosperity for tho Province of Auckland in the bud.

Mr Shanaghan said if they were to get a bill from tlio General A ssembly, they would still be compelled (o put their bands in their pockets and pay for it. If they talked about the other provinces, the answer would be that they taxed themselves to educate their children. If so, why should not Auckland do the same P Ho thought the members ought to support the second reading o' the bill if they were desiring education, and not reserve their power to invalidate t.io clauses in committee. He hoped hon. members would go into committeee with the solo desire to make the best bill that could be had in the present circumstances of (.lie province. Mr Swanson thought if the bill would give a full measuro of education to all the children of the province, it would bo the cheujjcst legislation they could have. Thoso who talked of direct taxation should remember that direct taxation wa» tli cheapest taxation. Under direct taxation, every man would see that value was given for the money. To educate poor and lick alike would be the best investment of money that could be made. He would advise tlio Council not to wait till they got a share of the laud revenue. No ; let tlioschools be underway. In the biennial report upon education, it was laid down that the whole property of the Statowas chargcablc for education. He would do all he could to make the bill law. The bill was lead a second [time without a division. The Council resolved itself into Committee on the bill. Mr Hamlin in tlio chair. Progress wans reported, and leave given to sit again yesterday. COMMITTEE OX? SI'ITLY. The Council resolved itself into committee on tlio estimates, Mr Hamlin the chair. On the motion of Mr Lusk, the items under the head "miscellaneous" were postponed.