PETITION ON EDUCATION BILL.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 548, 12 October 1871, Page 2

PETITION ON EDUCATION BILL.

The following petition bearing on tno Kdu cation Bill, now before the House of Kepre sentatives, is being taken round and signet both numerously and inuuentiully : — "To the Honorable the Speaker and th members of the House of Hepreteniutives no\ in session ut Wellington, New Zealand.—Th 1 humble petition of the undersigned, inhttbj tants of the city of Auckland, slioweth —Tl 5 your petitioners are deeply irapre^rd v 1 the deficiencies of tlie existing mean*;-| elementary education in New Zealand, hi I are convinced of the necessity of LegisFat; f action, in order to establish a national .syglt j of education. That they have learned, y; I much salistaetion, that a bill has been iit! j duced into your honorable llou^o for the p poso of providing the means of instruction', every child in the colony. That in V opinion of your petitioners, this purpose be secured only by the immediate forma;.* I of elected School Boards in every disti' j witli power to establish elementary and o( < schools "where necessary, maintained by k I rates, supplemented by Government gra and placed under local management, v Government inspection. That your g tioners, while earnestly maintaining tliat 1 gious instruction ami training are absolu essential to a complete education, cons Jfliftj '. -' -*»«~10 eacnoi'-sucu -oy* .Twiuia. Boards, and ia all schools receiving gn from local rates, instruction should be seci ypur petitioners believing that it would h-, vio'jatiOM of the principle ol religious, equu hitherto recognised in this land, and a (^ eies of coucurr-;r:t en.iownitut, to apply 1< rutes to the teaching of the U-nets p.-culiar any religious seci., :in.< believing aUo tliat*.* Scnool Boards are permitted to exerciaf discretionary power as to religious teachiud thoir scliooU, gff.it eatafusion and exejtyriHi win be caused throu^liout the country, by t election of sucli Boards being mule the oci sion of theological ci>nlllcb in bvery d trict, and that. such con diet will continued from year to rear, at e:ich hi s< ccssive election, linn iinpor'ing into su:, elections religious pr<-juflioei) hih! auimosit)4 encouraging a sjiiriL of s. cl. uiuu rivalry, ay causing the selection of membera <4' Solid Boards to turn upon theol igica] opini.ot| instead of upon • personal fitness. Tbttt yo| petitioners are further convitici d that notliiij short of a general syst«-m ol t-ampuboi attendance at school will satisfy the educ tional requirements of the country ; au'! the the School Boards should, therefore, bo enpowered and required by law to Bee that a children of school age, who are .'H-ituer f school nor at work, shall receive instruction Having regard to the compulsory attendant of children at school, and to the maintemir>< of schools by local rates, levied upjn all class of the population, your petitioner-' are furtht oonvinped that admission to schools esta? lished by School Boards should ba free. Yoi petitioners therefore pray that the bill do before your honorable House, for establisl menfc.of a system of national erluoiiiioti, *?>& ba so amended as to give effect to the views o; your petiticuers, as above staid, in »Uipi manner as to your honorable llouso maj appear .expedient. And your petitioners will ever pray, &c." ..More than 300 signatures atti alroady attuched, amongst which wo observe all the names of our most influential citiziois. Forms of the petition cm bo obtained from the Rev. Warlow Davies. ;