The Filding Star. Saturday,Dec. 18, 1886. Economy

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 72, 18 December 1886, Page 2

The Filding Star. Saturday, Dec. 18, 1886. Economy

The disciples, as well as apostles, of a policy of economy are largely increasing in numbors all over the colony. There is not a single journal which does not cry out for retrenchment ia Departmental Government, and in Public Works — especially where the latter are at a distance from the spot where the journal is published. The enormous proportion of the Education vote to that of any other department has naturally attracted most attention. Apart from the mere question of money, there is another strong reason why the men of intelligence and education, who are now questioning the wisdom or desirableness of expending so largely on the education of what are popularly called the masses, should be dissatisfied. The people who were intended to btmfit by the Education Act, do nst take full advantage of it. They have, in a manner, to be forced to send their children to school to receive that culture which the parents in too many instances seem to despise. Instead of being grateful to a paternal government for conferring a boon and a blessing on their children, they appear to look on it as a tyrannical taskmaster who desires to rob them of the few pence or shillings which might be earned out of doors in the hours otherwise wasted in school. As a natural consequence, no excuse is deemed too frivolous to justify their children being kept at home. On the other hand, parents who are already themselves well or moderately educated, and whose circumstances in life are comfortable, or such as would enable them to pay for the education of their families at private schools, eagerly avail themselves of the system which they freely recognise as a welcome means of affecting an enormous saving in their annual expenses. Thus, the people who should profit by the Education Act are those who look on it as a piece of tyranny, while those who have no need for it, avail themselves of it as a most desirable advantage to themselves and families. The country as a whole, therefore, does mot get " good value for its money," and as a natural consequence is dissatisfied with paying too much for the article. If the average of attendance at the schools was greater, there would not be such an apparent justice in the demand for a reduction of the vote. Under these circumstances then, we consider the Government will be perfectly justified in applying the pruning knife to the Education Department.