The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1914. THE NEW EDUCATION BILL

New Zealand Tablet, 23 July 1914, Page 33

The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1914. THE NEW EDUCATION BILL

HE full text of the lion. Mr. Allen’s new Education Bill has not yet reached us, but from the summarised version which has • appeared in the daily papers it is clear that the measure will, easily take rank as the most important legislative proposal of the session. Regarding the general provisions of the Bill we hope to have something to say when the disposal of the referendum question shall leave us time and space for the discussion of more congenial and possibly mors profitable topics. For the present we confine ourselves to the provisions of the Bill specially affecting Catholic schools and interests.- Under the heading ‘ Inspection of Private Schools,’ the Bill provides that where the teacher or manager of any private school shall apply to the Director of Education to have the school inspected the Director must arrange tor the inspection, and a copy of the inspector’s report is to bp sent to the teacher or manager of. the school. If the senior inspector reports that the school is efficient, the duty of the Director is to cause the school to be registered as a registered primary or secondary school, as the case may be, and its name will be gazetted accordingly. Efficient means in respect to any private schools that the premises, staff, and equipment are suitable and efficient, and that the instruction is as efficient as in a public or secondary school. * . In regard to scholarships, the existing law provides that the holder of any junior or senior national scholarships shall be required to pursue his studies diligently at a secondary school, ‘ or its equivalent approved by the Education Board and the Minister.’ In the new Bill the approval of the Minister only, without that of the Education Board, is necessary. The effect of these two sets of provisions is that private primary or secondary schools, certified by the State inspector as efficient, will be registered ; and scholarships and free places won by Catholic children in open competition with children from the State primary or secondary schools will bo tenable at registered Catholic secondary schools. This is bare justice—both to the Catholic children and to the whole community. For the object of the scholarships system is to develop, in the interests of the community, the best brains which the community produces and to the fund which is appropriated for this purpose Catholic taxpayers contribute their full quota. This simple act of justice to Catholics has been many times promised, and is long over-due. The Minister of Education is entitled to all credit for his courage in coming down with a definite, clear-cut proposal, as to the meaning and effects of which there can be no sort of doubt or ambiguity. Viewed as a whole, the new

Education Bill lias impressed the public as a statesmanlike effort to deal with a great and difficult question ; and its introduction will certainly bring more kudos to tho Ministry than anything 'that has happened since the Government took office.