OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 895, 15 August 1910, Page 9

OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

Sir,—Mr. J. T. Kent's lotter is certainly begging tho quostion.. Admitting for argument that ins statements aro not exaggerated regarding backblocks: as they are termed, tnat docs not answer tne question wiiy it takes 210 more teachers to impart instruction in tho State schools in.Now Zealand to 151,755 scholars, than what it does in England to 7:20,1215 scholars. His statement that teachers only exist in the baok-blocks is certainly stretching the point. The Education Boards advertise for teachers for these localities, genoral females, and .we find that women, in many instances young girls, willingly, accept their appointments. With regard to his statement that bank clorks aro in a heaven in comparison to teachers in the back-blocks, it shows clearly that he does not know the salaries -they .receive or the hours they havo to work. I know of clerks who havo been in hanks for 12 to 15-years, and yet are not receiving a salary of £200 a year, upon which they are allowed to marry.... For years after they have entered upon their duties in a bank they do not receive the salary of an A.B.C. girl under our education system. These young men havelto keep up appearance,'and pay houso rent or board at some fashionable establishment. Teachers aro found in house rent free. Clerks have to work overtime, ;very pften to 9 and. 10 o'clock at night'for?. l which they recoivo no overtime! payment. >■ . . i .' I will give these typical cases, which, t0... use a vulgarism, show that Mr. Kent has "put: the boot on the wrong "foot." The headmaster of the kindergarten'.school in 'Napier receives £270 to £330 per year. A;'solo teacher (fe-in-a'small district within two miles of .'a railway is. receiving £245, a-young man 22''years of age in the Hastings district is received £250 a year, and- yet Mr. Kent exclaims about teachers being poorly paid. According to Mr. Fowlds, £75,000 has been "added-'to the taxpayers' burden for the purpose of increasing teachers' salaries, and this amount is yearly increasing. Our teachers (like our military officers): receive yearly superior instruction to enable them, to gain far more .rapid promotion, costing the, country between 20 and 22 thousand pounds yearly. Victoria and Neuj South Wales each with some hundreds of. thousands, more population than we possess, havo not so large an army of "teachers as we possess. Taking ratio of population it would cost England, not including Ireland or Scotland, between 37 and 38 millions a year for education alone, if conducted on tho samo scale, as: Now •Zealand.

■Mr. Kent endeavours to throw the blame of the children's backwardness in education on the shoulders of the parents. Taking'tlio school generally the average attendance is high, in. fact very creditable. The. great proportion, of children attending our State schools aro in. the leading centres and inland towns -where the .attendance is compulsory- under the rigour of the law, and it, is in these localities that comment and. comolaint .are continua]ly heard of'the, deficiency of ..children: in educational attainment." ,-C In ' Dannevirke, not to mention other-localities, numbers of Protestant children, -have, been taken from the' State school!?where education is freoj' and' sent 'tb' T 'Roman Catholic convent schools, :where .it:is not_ free; Tin's, sir, speaks' volumes against our .education system and re-, quires no comment. I am'an advocate for education, but; F object to the extravan;anco and ' overstuffing; of our school'; that is practised ', by the Government, but.' r""re esDecfallv the Education Boards. The great railway companies in America .have.found. r that bne'male .will dp' as much' work'as two or three women and have dischnr/r----e.d the.groat oroooftion of their,-ln.dv clerks. ' No. doubt. '. the . same result would occur here if more encouragement was given,. to malo .teachers.—l am, etc., " , TAXPAYER. .-".