The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, December 4, 1913. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1180, 4 December 1913, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, December 4, 191 3. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dealing with the subject of scholarships, the Wanganui Education Board in its annual report to the Department, submitted to Parliament, of which we have just received a copy, says : “For the scholarships examinations, fiftysix candidates presented themselves for the Junior Examination. Of these, thirty-seven passed. The following were awarded scholarships: Board’s Junior — Five from Palmerston North High, one from Taihape District High School, two from Queen’s Park, one from Wanganui East, one from College Street (Palmerston North), and one from Wanganui District High School. It is a question whether competitions for Junior Scholarships should not be confined to the pupils of primary schools pure and simple, and not include pupils of colleges and high schools.” It is the last paragraph which commends itself to serious consideration, and we hope the Board will carry out the suggestion, and in future restrict its scholarships in the junior division to primary school pupils We are of opinion that it is a distinct breach ot the Act to allow pupils who have qualified and have been in attendance at secondary schools to sit for Junior National Scholarships and to enter into competition with primary schools VI. Standard pupils who have not even had an opportunity to present themselves for a proficiency examination. True, the junior National Scholarship test is based on Standard VI. work, but it follows that the advanced students have had added opportunities during the year of elaborating such work, to the distinct disadvantage of the primary school candidates, for whom the scholarships are intended. It will be seen from the Board’s report quoted above, that a policy of greasing the fat sow has obtained, and the secondary school pupils have been awarded nearly all the plums. Out of eleven Board scholarships awarded last year, seven went to secondary school pupils, and only four to primary. We know all about the age limit, but if a precocious youngster can quality lor a proficiency certificate at 12 years or under, he should also take his chance in the National Scholarship examination before passing on to the secondary depaitment or be held back for a further term in Standard VI. Secondary school pupils should be debarred from the Board’s scholarships.

While on the subject of education, we hope the local school committee will, iu its wisdom, knock the attendance prizes on the head. Attendance at school is compulsory, and children are only allowed to absent themselves through sickness, or for other good and sufficient reasons. It is, therefore, no credit to pupils blessed with good health to obtain the maximum while the unfortunates, through weak constitutions and ill health, are penalised. The money wasted on such prizes should be diverted to a better use. More discretion should be exercised by teachers and school committees in awarding prizes. A brilliant boy or girl will always shine and top the class —their mentality should, of course, be suitably recognised, but are such children entitled to greater recognition thau those plodders uol equally blessed with brains or environment, but who make progress as a result of more strenuous effort? Not a bit of it! Let the teachers give evidence of a study of human nature in selecting candidates for rewards and give the “under dog” a chance.

There has been a good deal of uncertainty among a number of members of the local Waterside Workers’ Union in respect to the attitude they should adopt at the local wharf during the present crisis. We have previously referred to the fact that a motion was carried wherein the workers refused to handle shipping until the strike was declared off. They also refused an offer made by Messrs Devin and Co. to work under the old conditions but subject to registration under the A. and C. Act. The men as a whole are good fellows, and desirous of doing the right thing, but unfortunately they have been influenced and compromised by the extreme utterances of a certain blatant individual whose insolent demeanour has apparently over-awed them. He has never lost an opportunity to pour forth, in characteristic language, to any desirous of listening the re-

volutiotiary doctrines of the Federation of Labour. However, the arrival of the Awahou on Monday, and the determination of shipping firms to keep the port open, has bad the effect of arous ing-the spirit ot the men, and six, including the Union’s president, have asserted their manhood and accepted employment offered by Messrs Levin and Co. on terms even more favourable than what pteviously obtained under the waterside agreement. These men are to be commended for their action, which will effectively remove any obstacle in the way of keeping the port open. Public opinion is with the men, and the law will protect them against any acts of intimidation, while they can rely upon their employers to play the game.