THE COST OF EDUCATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 106, 31 August 1880, Page 2

THE COST OF EDUCATION.

♦■ _ The more the cost of our Colonial educational system is looked into, the more ex* pensive does it appear. According to the ordinary printed estimates, the cost under Class Vill. for the year will be £297,730. In addition to this there is the rote for buildings under the Public Works estimates, which the previous year amounted to £18 1,00(1. But besides these two enormous sums there are others. A few days ago Mr Murray asked the Minister of Education, in the House of Representatives, to state the total cost for primary, secondary, and University education out of rents of n serves and other publio funds, in addi tion to the votes under Class VII I. of the ordinary Kstiraates and Clnss IX. of the Public Works Estimates P The Hon. Mr Rolleaton replied as follows : — Primary education, £21 ,330 7s Id ; secondary. £9963 0s Id ; University of Otago and Canterbury, £13,626 15s. Total* £44,920 2s 6d. We have not received a copy of the Public Works Estimates for this year, so we cannot state the amount down for sohool buildings during 18H0. We may fairly estimate the amount at £100,000, being £81,000 less than last year; then there is the £46,000 referred to in the figures we have quoted, and lastly there is the £297,730 on the ordinary Estimates, from which we will deduct the ten per cent leaving a balance of £267,957. The total cost of education would therefore be £412,957! Truly an enormous sum. And upon what is it spent ? Largely in doing for the children of well-to-do parents what the latter should do, and what in most oases they would be only too willing to do. The education of hia children is a duty that dovolves upon the parent, and though as a matter of expediency the State takes up the work, it is monstrous that grinding taxes should be levied upon the whole community to pay for the free education of children whose parents can well afford to do their duty in this matter. The education system at present in vogue is rotten to the core, and the only hope of remedy lies in the fact that it is being forced on to such a degree that in the end it will care Itself. The final result will certainly be, either the burst up of the whole system, or the adoption of school fees which will return sufficient to the revenue to relieve th> finances of the country of the presentenormous pressure caused by our glorious system oifree education !