ROLLESTON ON EDUCATION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 8 March 1901, Page 4

ROLLESTON ON EDUCATION.

[per PRESS ASSOCIATION. |

Auckland, March 7,

Interviewed by a “ Herald ” reporter, tbe Hon. Mr Rolleston said:—“ You ask me about educational matters in the colony, lam so anxious on the question that I should bo sorry to do or say anything which might seem to introduce a political clement, but this much I will say: the tendency seems to be at the present time, to centralise all the power in respect to this department, whereas my opinion is in the direction of localising it. I am not, however, in possession of information to enable me to judge concerning the controversy going on with regard to the distribution of public funds in excess to those provided by the original Education Act. One principal feature of the original Act was to secure an assured finance to the local bodies, and our Parliament seems to mo to be getting in this, as in some other matters, into the way of overruling the principles of statuory legislation enacted by both houses by the votes on the estimates of one House of Parliament, thus throwing enormous power into the hands of the Executive. It is to my mind, of the highest importance to secure the finances to the administration of the local bodies, and to bring technical education into proper co-relation with the existing national system. When I was last in Parliament I strongly held this view.”