LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 858, 2 July 1910, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

TELEGRAPH MESSENGERS. Sir,—Thcro wore two points I desired to make in regard to tlio advertisement of 1 tho Telegraph Department, calling for applications for messengers. In- tho first place the advertisement said it wanted "Fifth Standard boys," which, on the face of it, may bo taken to mean boys who are in the Fifth Standard, and have not passed it. Secondly, if the Department asked for boys who had passed the Fifth Standard and were in the Sixth, and were thus exempt,' from compulsory attendance at school, it was setting a very bad example. In view of the fact that tho Inspectors' Conference, which met recently ill Wellington, strongly .recommendecj that the exemption be extended to the Sixth Standard, and that every person'having tho true interest of the rising generation at heart, desires to see every hoy and girl not only pass tlio Sixth Standard, but avail him and herself of the opportunities offered of obtaining secondary education, it seems extraordinary, to say the least, that a Government Department should offer inducement to boys to leave school b&foro they have attained anything like a sufficient education. In tho interests of the schools, the boys themselves and tho general community, I maintain that it is wrong to encourage Fifth Standard boys to,leave school. —I am, etc., ARTHUR H. VILE.