EDUCATION IN WESTLAND.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 201, 30 January 1875, Page 4

EDUCATION IN WESTLAND.

The present position of the Education Board, in relation to the purpose of its appointment, is thus briefly reviewed by the Ross Guardian :—

“ It now seems possible that the Westland Educational Ordinance will soon be put in operation. True, there will not be £IO,OOO to devote to the purpose, but a commencement will be made with £6OOO, a sum which the Provincial Government have determined to place at the disposal of the Board of Education, Certainly half a loaf is better than no bread, and for the sake of the outlying districts it is well that this new determination has been come to. It js all very well to trump forth the cry that existing arrangements should not be disturbed until a better system can be introduced ; but what about those districts where there are no ‘ existing arrangements.’ Hokitika and .Greymouth may be, and, we believe are, well provided with schools ; bat such is not the case in the out districts. In many of them there are no schools whatever, and the children are growing up in a state of total ignorance of the English language. It is, therefore, only fair that schools should be established in those places ; and if the ‘ existing arrangements’ in Hokitika and Greymouth are so good, then do not disturb them. The Government are evidently doing their utmost to subsidise the Board, and although not able to make bricks without straw —or coin mom-y—the offer of £6OOO must be considered liberal under the circumstances. The education rate will not raise as much money by nearly £I7OO as was reckoned upon. Five thousand was expected from this source ; but when the rate roll was gone carefully over, it was found that £3362 were all that can be expected, and from this sum has to be deducted the expenses of collection. The Government in pledging themselves to place £6OOO at the disposal of the Education Board, must thus give a grant of £2931. All the money voted by the Provincial Council for education was £IOOO, and the great addition made shows how anxious the Government are that the Ordinance should be put in working order. The idea of erecting new school houses must for the present be abandoned, and such buildings used as can be obtained at a moderate rental. In Boss and Donoghue’s such buildings can be rented without any difficulty, but we question if every other district is in a similar position We hope a start will be made without delay, and that within three months htate Schools will be established in the country districts, where it is patent they are most necessary.