Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 1889 A NEW EDUCATION BILL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume VII, Issue 260, 16 April 1889, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 1889 A NEW EDUCATION BILL.

The difficulties that we have so often pointed out, in obtaining an improvement in our Education system, has received a furthei proof. The Hon-. Mr Fisher was Minister of Education, and is credited with having taken a large amount of interest in the Department under his charge. The latest report asserts that he has drafted " The Public Schools Bill" for introduction next session, having for its object the amendment of the present act relating to State schools, and on the lines which we have so continually urged. We have shown how the best authorities on teaching have urged that the inspection, if nothing more, should be placed under the control of the De artment, as at present it is carried out expensively and inefficiently, as the value of the standards are unequal over the colony. By the proposed Bill Mr Fisher intended to have carried out this proposal. Another very excellent suggestion of the Minister's was to abolish the fifth wheel of the Education coach, the Education Boards. This has also been a cherished desire of ours, for the Board with which we have had the most to do. has been one of the most unsatisfactory bodies to deal with in New Zealand, in the past, though we are pleased to admit a marked improvement in it since the change in the occupancy of the chair has taken place. As we have not the bill before us we are unable to set forth the system that is proposed to form School Boards, wh eh are to take the p ace of the Education Boards and School Com mittees ; but we feel sure that the abolishing of the local -committees will not tend to the progress of the schools. We merely wish here to repeat the opinion we have before expressed, that however poor in material the school committee may be, yet to keep the local interest, so much needed in local schools, you must have a body invested with some power over it, in the district. We have als ■ shown that in this district, at all events, and probably in others, the Education Board has alwaj'S acted antagonistic t » the * ommittees, and they went so far as to ignore the Act, by usurping f,he functions wholly belonging to the committees. The committees having thus nothing to do, naturally lost all heart, until at last it was difficult to get a committee elected. If the Board's are swept away, and the duties and powers of the committees recognised, we have no fear of not obtaining as good men on these bodies as fili the duties in other local bodies that are endowed with power In fact the experience of the past, previous to the passing of the present Act, has made it plain that a body of men elected 'ocally were quite capable of attending to the school in which they are all interes'ed. without the worry and impertinences received from officials appointed by a Board. As we started showing, there appears, to be a fatality about obtaining redress in these matters. On the very eve of the session, with the Minister of Education so far worked up to the necessities of the case, as to have prepared an amended bill, our hopes are suddenly shattered. Not because the bill does not suit the Government, but owing to some disagreement upon a minor point amongst its members, and now Mr Fisher has resigned. We may confidently predict that there will be do attempt to run the proposed bill, as the Government will not take it up, and should Mr Fisher try to put it through, the Government would oppose it, on account of the differences with Mr risher on other matters. We are a long suffering and unfortunate people.