GOVERNMENT GRANTS TO EDUCATION IN GREAT BRITAIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 113, 26 June 1875, Page 10

GOVERNMENT GRANTS TO EDUCATION IN GREAT BRITAIN.

— -t-* — It is not yet forty years, since the British Government seriously undertook the work of aiding popular education. The condition of the British masses at the time when a poor beginning was made, wab lamentable in the extreme — their ignorance was truly appalling. This may he seen from Parliamentary reports and other sources easily accessible to such as may be curious on the subject;. But since that time the English Parliament has labored zealously to make amends, as far as possible, for past apathy and neglect. The system of education then inaugurated, and which, whilst it helped to promote the harmony of all classes, has been attended with very considerable success, and which still prevails, was denominational. This is a fact which English colonists would do well to bear in mind. In the year 1840, when, it may be said, Government addressed itself for the first time to this important subject, the Parliamentary grants in aid of popular education.

amounted only to £30,000. In ten years the sum had increased six fold, and in 1850 the amount granted was £180,000. Ten years later, in 1860, it had increased to £700,000. For a few years after 1862, it was reduced, but in 1869 the grant was greater than in any previous year — viz, £840,000. Since then it has increased steadily year by year till it amounted in 1873-4 to £2,472,780 ; whilst this year, more than two millions and a ha1f— £2,577,389 — have been voted. ** This very large amount, be it remembered, goes in aid of education, and all denominations receive an equitable «hare of it. The English Government in its dealings with denominational schools in Great Britain has not yet adopted the principle so popular in the colonies, of taxing all for the exclusive benefit of the secular denomination. To a certain extent, no doubt, this principle has been adopted — for in 1870 an Act was passed to provide for public elementary education in England and Wales, by which it was provided that in every school district, in which sufficient provision had not been already made for the elementary education of all children, sufficient school accommodation, at the expense of the ratepayers if necessary, should be provided by school Boards to be elected by the ratepayers. But the existing denominational schools were to be maintained as usual, and aided by Government grants ; and the school Boards were not to be allowed to erect schools for the purpose of destroying them or competing with them. How different is all this to the conduct, for instance, of Victoria, which of set purpose devoted itself to the enlightened task of promoting the spread of education by destroying all existing schools in order to raise up a purely secular system on their ruins ! The British Parliament adopted a wiser and more just system. It recognised existing denominational schools, and continues to aid them generously, and only authorises the erection of other schools in cases where the former were unable to meet the requirements of all children. Denominationalism is then the characteristic of the English" *ystem, and is wisely favored by the legislature, and secular schools are the exception. Here, however, in the Australasian colonies, generally rampant majorities stamp out Denominational Schools, and compel all colonists to contribute to the support of schools which can be used only by one section of the tax payers, whilst the conscientious and religious minority is compelled to pay a double tax in order to nave their children reared up Christians. The world has never seen a viler tyrany than this, or one more utterly shameless, though indeed it may have witnessed, as it does at present in Germany, a more truculent one. It appears that our general Government intends to introduce an Education Bill during the next session of Parliament, and that provision is to be made for Denominational Schools. We shall await the publication of this Bill with curiosity. We have no faith in the honesty of the present Government on this question. We have not forgotten clause 101 of the last Bill, which Mr. Vogel carried through the House of Representatives. But we shall watch with more curiosity still, and no small anxiety, the progress of this new Bill through its various stages. It is impossible not to ask oneself the questions — does the -^Government really intend to legislate on the subject next session, or is the introduction of this new Bill merely a bid for support at the next general election ? We shall see. Denominationalists will have to watch Ministers very narrowly; it will be a dangerous thing to give them a majority on account of the introduction of a fair Education Bill on the eve of a general election, unless indeed such a Bill should have become law before the dissolution of Parliament. Who would trust many of the members of the present Cabinet on such a question, once they got a fouryear's renewed lease of power ? What could be expected from men who consider the present system of education in Otago almost perfect, or who have actively helped to the the establishment of the systems which exist in Canterbury and Auckland. Let electors take stock of candidates, and treasure in their memories the antecedents of these gentlemen. As they have dona.before, so it is most probable they will do again. •

We learn by telegram that the Rev. Father Chataignier, the respected pastor of Timaru, in which district he has labored long and zealously, has been transferred to Wellington. His parishioners have presented hJ m with a purse of fifty sovereigns, together with a •carriage and horse.