NATIONAL EDUCATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 547, 30 June 1909, Page 2

NATIONAL EDUCATION.

AND THE LOCAL RATES. . MINISTER'S PROPOSAL: (jRITICISED. ; \ (By Telcffrßpii.—Bpccial.porrcspondont.) - • ' ■ Chrlstclmrch, Juiio 28. ~ Th©'Press', expresses its complete lack : of faith in tho proposal of tlic Minister for Education, Mn/'Fowlds, to; put: part; of {j>hb!y[iy: cost of education, on -the local rates. , Tho "Press'.' says Vs. ■ v ;'V ■ "Tho prinoiplo : that; tho! Slate—the pooplo as a w.bolo—should provide tlio uecossaiy, funds for primary education ha-B boon iu foi'co for many years, and-nothing has arison to mako it desirable to change'; it suddenly/ :; y by, throwing part of iho responsibility. on to : tho . people individually.' i-'l'ho • example of :.. other, countries does not move us; bocauso' the'conditions of New '.Zealand' difler from ' : • . thoso of- other States; and because tho prin- . ciple which was adopted boro- as the result of much careful' thought. lias .in tho imam. worked well. . : "What are tho advantages that would fol- t low : tho adoption of Mr. Fowlds's. sugges* tion P. Ho claims'that it would, abolish; or .V •at least diminish, friction -between tho local, • . governing bodies and the; Department, but: that would follow tho adoption of a ' much • :rctiunciation ;by .'tho Gov« •" ' ernmcnt of their policy of gradually wlutt- . ling >way. the; powers of these, bodies and tho restoration tothem/of tho. authority that:-, ' • rightly .belongs'to them and that thoy >■' once enjoyed. • ; y-y':V'':;v/>V; : ':/ : :-;V 'V , ■ "Tho. erection of tho school conraii Woo into ■ 'oentrra "of •,; light. and 'learning' throughout tho land, howoven desirnblo, ..docs not, do- ~ pend upon part of tho cost of tho schools boJ ing thrown'' upon the local rates; it can bo aWut' under. Uio...existing ~ system ,- '' , ; whenever Hho..public - chooses .'to, elect such :■ oommitloos.as.will naturally'form tlio focussing: centres of tho'social and intellectual ■■.- ■ .. lifo of/the community.',-Tho imposition upon . , rat«s ,oftho s whole' cost iof/.education.::.: ■■ would not necessarily produce this result. • "The worst featuro of- tho proposal is that . by shifting 1 some of tho present rcsponsihilltios of tho. State.oil to tlio public, or a portion of the public, tlio Government-would-- , bo able to claim a roduotion of oxpomlitnro . thai lilad not really been brought' about. Wo -... " do not know >what proportion'of tho-cost of, . - . , education,Mr,".Fowlds'th-inks should.bo'.horna'., by local bodies, but if ho put half tho, pro- va • . sent' iyinual s cost on to the individual pub- < •;/' lie tlio State-would' show a nominal saving. , of something like,half a million., Tho, pooplo, however,, would' ,ript; benefit I ,' by ,0116 -penny; . ;;,,:. their burden ivould:not, be lightened ny-bc-v? . ing: divided, into: two Thrives." Indeed,, iti'jii-v-:.; ■): ■;/v mori> than, ,lil:ely relieved .of . tho; necos- ' ,sity; for'spending ;half,'a million on educa-•*. • ' tion, , tbo\ would', pro'mpUy,,: : findi;.,.vi . i ',v means .for-'spending it m other directions, and,',the : last.'state.'.of .'.tb.O' taxpayer'..would:i: , .. : , . tliU6 bo w'pi>s6;.th!Ui,':tlio'.fii'sti'' ;^ -A': ,• '.There, is cryingf'nccessit'y'i.n'.'Nen' Zea- /;/ land just now for, a.sober,;wol)-dcvi6cd,. and-well-executed,, schcmti' of;, :retrenchment 'y in ; public expenditure, but, it will never i bs: > • , reached by, the/ species ' of;, financial; jugglerj.... •' , - winch 1 -, Mr." Fowlds tentatively submitted; to, , tho public on Saturday.',' : '. ; „ y C ■