SERVICES RECOGNISED

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3094, 26 May 1917, Page 8

SERVICES RECOGNISED

PRESENTATION TO SIR WALTER BUCHANAN

THE CAUSE OF EDUGATION

By Telegraph—Special Reporter

Greytown, May 25. 'A public meeting was held in tho Greytown Town Hall to-night at which tho, peoplo of South Wairarapa made eomo acknowledgment of the services rendered to education in tlio district by Sir Walter Buchanan. It is 35 years since Sir Walter Buchanan first sat aa a member of the Wellington Education Board, but at tho last elections he did not .again offer himself as a candidate. A movement was set afoot by the school committees of tho district, and by other residents, with- tho o.bject of taking notice in some fitting manner of the termination of such a long period of service by Sir Walter Buchanan as a representative of the district on the board. Mr. D. P. Loasby, Mayor of the town, presided at tho meeting. The Mayor said that tho object of tlio meeting was to do honour to a worthy old resident; of the Wairarapa, one of the most respected men in tho distinct.

Mr. J. G. Aloore, chairman of the committee which has had the arrangements in hand, said tbat the reason why Sir Walter Buchanan had retired from the Education Board was becauso of the latest amendment to the Education Act by which the powers and. functions of boards were curtailed. Ho had on this account decided, to retire from service on 'the board. In giving some account of the work of the committee he said that the first idea had been to establish a scholarship in honour of Sir .Walter's services, but it was considered that the various war efforts hud so affected the money power of the community that it would for this Teason not be wiso to attempt to raise so much money. All the committees, however, from large schools and small, had been unanimous in very high appreciation of tho work Sir Walter Buchanan had done for the district. Late Chief Inspector's Tribute, Mr. Robert Lee, sometime Chief Inspector of Schools for Wellington, and later chairman of the board, said that he had known Sir Walter Buchanan for the whole 34 years lie had been a member of the board. Sir Walter was one of the men in the Wellington district who bad come here and spent their' vigorous, years in subduing the wilderness, and who .had also given most generously of their time to the cause of education. The results of the efforts of these men and others were to be seen all around. He referred to some of the greatest education reforms that bad had their origin in this district, among them the introduction of standards, the teaching of elementary science in the schools," the systematic teaching of drawing, the use of kindergartens, and the development of the cadet system. In all these things Sir Walter had taken his part, and he had in addition done tireless work in attending to details in his own district, travelling from school to school, and never charging the. State with his expenses. He was glad to be allowed to testify to the'value of Sir Walter's services. "An Indefatigable Worker."

Mr. A. W. Hogg spoke in humorous 6train of tho time when he and Sir Walter Buchanan had been boys. together, on tho Education Board, and in Parliament. They had then sat in the House,, fighting liko niggers all, tho-afternoon, and shaking hands in tho lobby afterwards. But on tho board they had been as twin brothers, working together in the interests; of Wairarapa. He was sorry that Sir Walter Buchanan had Jeft the board, and his services would not have been lost to education .had not Parliament, "in an idiotic frame, of mind," amended tho law. A more'energetic, determined, and indefatigable worker the ■ Education Board had never had than Sir Walter Buchanan.

Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby, M.P., said that it was significant, that two of ,the'' most strenuous opponents of .Sir-Walter. Buchanan politically, Mr. Hogg and himself, were present to do honour to Sir Walter. Education, was tho greatest concern of democracy, and Sir Walter Buchanan had done invaluablo service to education in this district. He hoped that Sir Walter would long retain his wonderful vitality, his elearness of vision, and his amazing industry. (Applause.) Mr. G. B.'Sykes, M.P., said he knew hut little of Sir .'Walter Buchanan as a member of the Education Board, but, judging by what he had seen of Sir Walters energy and activity in other capacities, he was sure that no district could have a hettor representative. A great achievement to tho credit of Sir Walter was the pioneering of the frozen meat industry. In this war he had shown most admirable practical patriotism, having opened his purse very wide. Mr. Gordon Hnghan, Mayor of Carterton, ioined with others in offering good wishes to Sir Walter Buchanan.

Tho Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, chairman of the Education Board, was invited by the chairman to make a presentation. He said that he was glad and proud for' n variety of reasons to be present at the function. He had known Sir Walter Buchanan in a number of different ways, and had seen his character exhibited in different circumstances, and he was sure that no more straightforward, clear-eon-scienced, upright man could be found. Even his opponents in politics never challenged his honesty. Always he worked tirelessly for an object to which he had definitely committed himself. "On the board he saw to the interests of his district, as affecting tho schools, the children, and the teachers.- For all these long years he had given of his -very best in service to tho district, a service the value of which to tho district could never be assessed. On behalf of the board Mr. Aitken thanked. Sir Walter Buchanan for all that ho had dono for education. He asked Sir' Walter to accept from the committees of South Wairarapa an illuminated address, expressing acknowledgments of the great work tho recipient had done for the district. He also informed Sir Walter that a large framed photograph would be handed to the Education Board, another to Sir Walter himself, and one smaller one to every one of the 31' schools in the district. ' Sir~Walter Buchanan in Reply, Sir Walter Buchanan was loudly applauded when ho tosb to receive the address and to return' his thanks. He found difficulty, he said, in expressing hiS feelings, regaruing tho kindness and the thouglitfulness which had prompted Cue presentation, and the too great kindness of the . speakers. who had referred to his small services. Much had been made of what he, in his moderate way, had been privileged to do. but he yyished to say that tho greatest gratitude was due to Mr. Robert Lee, who, in the early days, had done much arduous work. He 6poko of his own school days in the primitive building in which he learned tho three E's. But Scottish people valued education, and as a truo Scotsman he felt it has duty, as soon as his, business affairs permitted him to do so, to help along tho education of tho children in the distijct. He was proud to have been able to take part in the development of education facilities and in l helping to fit for the battle' of life the hundreds of children' coins through tho schools. Eeforence had been made to tho cause of Mb retirement. As year after year went by they had found the Government of tho day, at the instance of tho head office of tho Education Department, encroaching upon the 'powers of boarde, and successive encroachmonts were made, until at last, in the session of 1914, the control of inspectors was taken away, and Parliament took from boards tho right of spending their annual grants according to their discretion, and compelled Ixiards to co to tho Department for small sums for additions to eehools and new schools. He decided that he could not become, a mere automaton) to pay over moneys for the Government, and ho decided/to retire. Ho was sure that members of the Education Board felt much as he did about these limitations of the boards' powers, and he sympathised with them, especially with the chairman, who had always most, faithful? done his duty. As to the future, Sir Walter had a \ litllo to say. Tho war had demonstrated,

ho said, tho importance of education to a nation. But for tho education of her people Prussia would never have occupied the position sho hold at tho beginning of tho war. Education in Germany was thoroughly co-ordinated with industry. Tho lesson to us must be that when we conquered Germany, as conquer her we woiild-(npplaiiso)-Jphn Bull must wnko up. Wo must set to work Jo educate our people, for unless the workmen of the Empire realised the necessity for hard work and ceased strikes that paralysed industry, then in a very few years Germany would, rise asain. If for 20 years longer Germany had continued her policy of peaceful penetration she would have ruled tho world in commerce and finance. The greatest misfoitunc that had come upon Germany was her own declaration of war. Our lesson now must be to place.a higher value on education. In conclusion Sir Walter Buchanan expressed his deep gratitude for tho kindness shown to lum. The audience gave three cheers arid sang "For He's a .Tolly Good Fellow. Tho meetinz ended with complimentary votes to the visiting .members of the board, and to the chairman.