The Evening Star THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 1873

Evening Star, Issue 3283, 28 August 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 1873

The fifth division of the Education Bill provides for the payment of school fees to be determined on by School Committees, subject to the sanction of Education Boards \ and also gives powei to refuse admission to schools, children not cleanly in their persons or suffering from disease, or morally unfit for association with others. The sixth part of the Bill contains the most objectionable clauses. It defines’ the purposes on which the spending of money may be authorised by Education Boards. They are —l. Payment of salaries and necessary expenses. 2. Sites for or xents of school sites, playgrounds, buildings, or their furnishing. 3. Payment of teachers. 4. Maintenance and education of pupil-teachers. 5. The establishment and support of a model school or schools, 6. Maintenance of free schools, and payment of school fees for poor scholars. 7. The establishment of scholarships. 8. Subsidising school libraries. 9. Aiding public schools. 10. Payment generally of necessary expenses. The 52nd and two following clauses are those by which denominational schools may be assisted by the Province. They are as follows ;

52. It shall be lawful for the Board of any Province to grant any sum or sums of money m aid of the efforts made by private individuals or associations for the promotion of education in localities within such Province in which, from the smallness, or scattered position, or the unsettled nature of the population, or from other causes, no school district shall have been proclaimed ; Provided that in the case of a school so aided, it be a public school within the meaning of this Act, and provided also that where aid is so granted a teacher may be engaged and retpiired to teach from house to house, or in two or more localities during the year. 53. It shall be lawful for the Board of any Province to grant any sum or sums in aid of the efforts of private individuals or associations for the maintenance of schools within school districts within such Province, and such schools are hereinafter referred to as “Aided Schools:” Provided every school so aided be a public school within the meaning of this Act, and be under the management of not fewer than five school managers,, to be approved by the Board. , „ _ 54. If the Superintendent of any Province shall at any time be satisfied that the Board of such Province in any case shall, without reasonable cause, have refused aid to any such school as by the two preceding sections the Board is empowered to aid, and the managers of which shall have complied, or be ready to comply, with the provisions of this Act, it shall be lawful for the Superintendent, out of any money appropriated by the Provincial Council of such province, and which lie may bo.by such Council authorised to apply to such purposes, to »ivn such pecuniary aid as he may think fit to such school, and the amount so given from time to time shall be charged by the Provincial Treasurer against the capitation money pf the said Province as hereafter provided, ill the CUSC of insufficient school accommodation.

The seventh part defines the term “ public school ” to mean a school conducted in accordance with certain regulations, of which the following is a summary :1. Neither attendance at a Sunday School or a place of worship, nor evidence of any religious instruction whatever shall be required to entitle a child to admission to the school. 2. No child shall be compelled to be present during religious observances or instruction in the school. 3. The school shall be kept open four hours on school clays, or such time as is prescribed by the Board. 4. The classbooks to be approved by the Board. 5. The school to be open at all times to Government inspection. Clauses 54 and 56 appear to have led to the warmest opposition, as it will be observed that the first-named empowers the Superintendent and Council to assist a public school in opposition to the decision of an Education Board ; and one of the sub-sections of the latter provides that “the Holy Scriptures shall be read daily, subject to the conditions prescribed by the 2nd regulation in section 55, ” but “no religious catechism or religious formulary which is distinctive of any particular denomination or sect shall be taught in the school.” The third subsection permits school buildings to be uscdasSunday schools or for catechumen classes on week days by all denominations, at alternate times, on payment of expenses by each sect. The o7th clause provides for provision being made for physical training and military drill. The remaining clauses in the seventh part relate to efficient inspection. The eighth part of the Bill comprises regulations for “Compulsory Education.” First, the Board of a Province is empowered to bring the compulsory clauses into effect on requisition of a majority of the ratepayers within a school district. This step having been taken, all children from seven to twelve years of age, living within two miles of a public school, must attend at least six months in the year, except 1, the child is receiving efficient instruction otherwise ; 2, it is unable to attend through sickness; 3, the road is impassable; and 4, that the Inspector of Schools has certified the child has already attained the standard education prescribed by the Act. Should none of these causes of exemption exist, should the parents or guardians of a child refuse or neglect to send it to school, two Justices of the Peace may order it to be sent, and determine whether it shall be educated free of charge, or at a specified rate. The neglect of such an order subjects the delinquent to forty shillings fine, recoverable by distress, but not imprisonment, and the proceedings may be repeated week after week. The ninth part requires statistical returns to be made. The tenth relates to modes of raising a revenue for educational purposes, and gives power to Education Boards to levy “ Provincial education rates,” subject to the recommendation of the Superintendent and Provincial Council. The rates may either be “annual,” “capital,” or “uniform,” or “ varying householders’ rate.” These terms are explained to be rates levied on annual rental, or upon valuation of rateable property, or an uniform rate not exceeding twenty shillings on each house, or a variable assessment according to the situation of the tenement. If within the limits of a town the net annual value be twenty pounds, or without the limits, ten pounds, and in either case not exceeding fifty pounds, an uniform rate not exceeding ten shillings annually; from fifty to seventy (sic), fifteen shillings; from seventy-five to one hundred, twenty shillings; one hundred to one hundred and fifty, forty shillings ; and above one hundred and

fifty, sixty shillings. In the definition of “capital rate,” several exceptions arc made, including charitable institutions, schools, and places of worship, but we do not see libraries, which being equally public educational institutes, we think ought to be included. The limit of the rate on rental is one shilling in the pound, and if capital rate, one penny in the pound annually. Pastoral lessees are to be assessed at one-third of their net annual or capital value. The remainder of the clauses provide machinery for enforcing payment of rates, and for appeals. Clause 94 introduces a new feature, providing for free elementary education of all classes within a Province ; and empowers the Education Board to levy on parents and guardians ,an annual capitation tax of five shillings for each child between five and fourteen years old, up to the number of four. The exemptions are when children live more than three miles from a public school, or are taught at schools not under the Board, and have attended such schools three months prior to the capitation fee becoming due. The eleventh part relates to school reserves and other matters about which there will be no cavil, should the other portions of the Act pass. We have given the chief points of interest in the new Bill, which, notwithstanding what was said of it, differs in many respects from its predecessors. It is quite likely it will pass, and equally likely that it will prove a dead letter ; since any Province is at liberty to accept or reject it, or, we should imagine, to form an independent scheme of its own.