FREE PLACES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1710, 29 March 1913, Page 6

FREE PLACES.

AND THE DEFENCE ACT. It will bo remembered that some lime ago the liispcclor-Gencral of Schools forwarded a communication to the Educa- | tion Board, asking for its approval on tho suggestion that free-place holders l>e required to comply with tho requirements of the Defence Act. At. yesterday's meeting of the board, tho committee reported that they had considered tho circular of the Inspect orGeneral of Schools, and recommend tho board to heartily approve of tho proposed new condition for tho granting of free places. Mr. J. G. W. Aitken moved, and Mr. Allan seconded, that tho report be adopted. Mr. Hogg said that lie had entered his protest against tho regulation nt tho last meeting of the board, and he was still emphatic on tho point that compulsory training should not interfere with the secondary education of the youth. It was only recently that the boys' freedom had been taken from them. The speaker said tl«t he had been informed by several officers that ' -the compulsory military training was not needed. It was too expensive for tho country. He instanced a case where a settler had-come to x NewZealand, and becatise his sons had been prosecuted and sent tb gaol for failing to comply with tho defence regulations lie had left the country ngain. He could not see why the board should compel those young men who had passed through, the primary system from continuing their higher education because they failed to comply with the Defence regulations. These young men are out for education,. and tliey should not be barred. In conclusion, the speaker said that ho thought that his views weTO in harmony with a good number of resiI dents in the Wellington Education District. Mr. Hogg then moved the followin" as an amendment to tho motion:— 'That the board regrets that the Minister for. Education should consider it desirable that' the existing system of free secondary, as well ,as primary, education, which has been so successfully established, and is producing excellent results, should be menaced or interfered with by the enforcement of regulations under tho Defence Act for compulsory military training."

Mr. Moss seconded the motion pro forma, and said that since the last meetipg of the board he had interested himself in, the-parades of cadets, and ho had gained the impression that it wa 1 s the best thing that had ever happened- to the New Zealand youth. (Hoar, hear.) The boys should be encouraged to go in for the training, and he was pleased to say that from wliat he had seen of the country boys they had entered into training wholeheartedly. Anyone that was not prepared to defend ( tho country should not be allowed the advantage of free education. / The chairman expressed tho opinion that compulsory military training and physical drill was a grand thing for the New Zealand youth. Mr. Kebbell also expressed his views in favour of/the compulsory tra/ining, and the committee's recommendation. , .-'

Mr. Hogg said in reply that he "wanted it to "be understood that he was not posed to military training, and lie was entirely in. favour of rifle clubs, and that every facility ought to be given to these rifle men. He was not against the compulsory training of'cadets, so that they would be able, if nccessary, to defend the country. He deplored the fact that youths who-',were following the occupa-tion-of farmers were obliged to leave their work to come into drill. "This system is going to cost the country one million a year, and I think New Zealand is not alio to stand that/' said Mr. Hogg,, in conclusion. The chairman then put Mr.' Hogg's amendment to the meeting, the mover being the only one voting affirmatively. The amendment was lost. 1 The original motion -was then put. . and'was carried, Mr. Hogg voting in the negative.