The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1927. DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1927. DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION

At the meeting of the Canterbury Education Board last week, Mr 11. Wild, the district representative, was constrained to level serious charges of mismanagement against the Education Department. The Board discussed the matter at some length, in the course of which other members backed up Mr Wild’s assertions, and joined generally in quoting instances of all-round neglect by the Department. After many cases had been quoted of lack of cooperation by the Department with the Board, of the lack of sympathy with the needs of schools, and the lack of sound general management, tho Board instructed a special committee to go into th Educational regulations to find out how much of the Board’s authority had been filched l>y the De-

partment. Evidently a great deal has and it is the intention to take steps to seek for the recovery of the lost authority. Recently the air has been filled with reports of the probable abolition of the Boards and the centralisation of all authority from Wellington, where the Department is centred. The mere report of the matter has raised great concern. Mr Wild’s r.tUion will have some effect in changing the battleground, in that the Department is going to be placed substantially on the defensive. Speaking feelingly on this matter, Westland has certainly occasion to oppose the abolition of the ' Boards. The district, and certainly the children have suffered hv the wiping out of the Westland Board. Tho needs of the district in educational matters .were better eared for under the local Board. The buildings were kept ill hotter order, staffs were more stable, and the smooth running and all round results were of greater advantage in regard to real educational progress. If all the Boards were abolished, we take it the position would he so many degrees worse off still, and our remoteness from the Wellington centre would tend to the further overlooking of local affairs. Mr Wild was able to give chapter and verse of the neglect by the Board cum Department of local needs, the Board failing to influence the Department in the direction desired. The cases quoted were all country schools, and we make bald to sav that it is those schools in

j'iuucuiar which snouia nave special consideration. The town scliools by reason of being more directly under the public eve, and because of the influence of numbers, does not receive that degree of. neglect which falls to the lot of country schools lacking the numerical or situation influence. It is desirable to keep the population in the country rather than in the towns, yet -there are far too many instances in Westland of families leaving country districts because parents rightly want to give their children better facilities for education than are tllowed to exist locally. The Board and Department should unite on a definite me of policy to foster the betterment >f country schools. One of the frills of 'ducation is hostel building before the ■ountrv districts are served at all ode[uately with schools and residences for -he pupils and staffs. Mr Wild quoted i shocking example in the Wellington ase where £50.000 was spent to board © boys, but the Department refused 3150 for a school for seven children n South Westland 1 We do not agree rith Mr Wild that his grievance is lot against the Minister of Eduen-

tion. The Minister is the responsible officer to the jieople through Parliament, and lie should control tile policy of the Department, and be an fait with what the Department is doing, particularly in such a material aspect as the fostering of education in the country. where far too long primary instruction lias suffered through the special aid given for secondary, university and technical instruction.