REPLY TO "TAXPAYER."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 884, 2 August 1910, Page 6

REPLY TO "TAXPAYER."

Sir,—ln reading "Taxpayer's" letter on our education system ho trys to compare .New Zealand with England which is thickly populated. I think I can ,show "Taxpayer" that' thoro is not much extravnganco in our educational system, if ho would take a'trip in the baekblocks and see tho children —the mainstays of the country—going to school, some travelling over five miles daily through mud and' slush, two and three of them on the one horse. Aow, sir, I think you will agree with me whore settlers go away out of civil-, lsatfon to pioneer the country -that their families must receive education, and who is going to give it them'unless the Government? Their parents arc too tired after their day's work to begin teaching their children. They, get a teacher to go away from civilisation and surely "Taypayor" ■ is not going to ask those teachers to leave tho towns and exist (which I can hardly j i i' Wli> ! loll t some - compensation ? And how are they going to get it? Unly by increasing their salaries. Now,, sir, bank clerks, etc., are in a heaven to what some of tho teachers are that 1 have seen in bush settlements . Again, sir, J will give "Taxpayer" an example which he can compare with some remote place in England. Take Reikorangi with just on 50 children attending the school. Well, we have two teachers. Why? Because we taxpayers want our children educated as well as the townspeople,' and demanded from the Education Board the extra teacher as wo know one teacher could not- do justice either to himself or tho tor the district, as some children are living L-oo far to come to sohool and the parents want State aid > I don't think any broad-minded person will blame teachers for their children not making headway, as a lot depends, on parents sending their children ,t 0 school regularly. As regards inspectors I-admit they examine each school every six months. How largo are their districts and'what has the inspector to do with age-limits in their examination? I have known children -rv iJ 3 i vea f s °l d and ral .v 'n the Jhird Standard. In conclusion Mr liditor, I; as a taxpayer, am thankful te tho Government {or what they are dome towards the education of our children, and I don't agree with "Taxpayer" ouo iota.—l am, etc., • ■ . J. T. KENT. Eeikorangi, July 27,. 1910..