Education Capitation

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 45, 27 September 1884, Page 2

Education Capitation

Sir Julius Yogel, stated in the House that in view of the strong objections made during the late debate, the Government had resolved not to reduce the capitation allowance under the Education Act. Although this concession has been made admittedly under compulsion, yet the intelligence will be a relief to all connected with educational matters, in the country districts especially. The working of the Act has hitherto been very successful considering the means at the disposal of Education Boards, which, although m the aggregate large, have been really, in many parts of the Colony, almost too small to attain the objects aimed at. The rapidly increasing population in our own immediate neighborhood will necessitate, within the next year or two, the building of new schoolhouees in places where settlement is steadily advancing, while the enlargement of buildings already

erected will be needed to accommodate | the increased number of scholars in the older settlements. The education | expenditure of the Government is be- ' coming recognised as the most desirable part of the taxation borne by the Colony ; and, if such a thing were possible, we believe it might ultimately become popular. Any reduction made in the taxation at the expense of the education grant would have been a gross error, which would have led to a number of most unpleasant compli- I cations and the possible bankruptcy of half the Education Boards in the Colony,