The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, September 24, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1302, 24 September 1914, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, September 24, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The Education Act promises to improve our system of education economically, and to raise the standard of efficiency of scholars and teachers alike. The standard of administration on the part of some Boards is anything but high —in some cases Board administration is farcical, and the expense incurred in calling so-called “experts" together once a month to listen to inspectors’ reports and discuss committees’ requests constitutes a scandalous waste of money diverted from its proper channel. Despite parochial protests, the Government should insist upon centralisation of administration, peripetetic inspectors for the whole dominion, with such an inspection of the working of each school that the professional “unfit” may find more fitting, if less congenial, avenues of employment. The thorough inspection of schools cannot be expected from Board inspectors whose individual standards and methods don’t harmonise. There should be a national standard fixed by educational experts with inspectors working under one system. The present method leaves much to be desired in school efficiency. Under such a scheme inferior teaching would soon disappear. The proficiency examinations as the passport to secondary education should be wiped out entirely. The test for free secondary education should be based alone on the junior and senior State free place examinations. By this means thousands of pounds would be saved to the State which is now spent on capitation for pupils who are wasting time vVhich could be better employed in learning a trade. The Act should pave the way for a further improvement in our much-vaunted system of education.

Stead’s Review of Reviews for September-October contains a most lucid and informing account of the Franco-German war, and concludes: —“The Germans certainly won all their first battles by bringing masses of men against a single point, and hammering away until they broke through the opposing forces. Later, they relied greatly upon their artillery, and sought to outflank the French, usually with conspicuous success. The Quarterly Review, comment-, ing upou the war, stated that the causes of the early ruin of the French army were :—t, the enormous superiority of the Germans in regard to numbers ; 2, the absolute unity or their command and concert of operation ; 3, their superior mechanism in equipment and supplies ; 4, the superior intelligence, steadiness and discipline of the soldiers ; 5, the superior education of the officers, and the dash and intelligence of the cavalry.”

The First Lord of the Admiralty, Right Hod. Winston Churchill, at a meeting of 15,000 at Liverpool, appealed for a million men to join Sir John French's gallant army. They had no need to be anxious about the result. God had blessed our arms with unexpected good fortune. The British Empire could, unless her resolution failed, finally settle the matter as she chose. “The navy," Mr Churchill continued, “is unable to fight while the enemy remains in port, but we are enjoying without battle all the advantages of the command of the sea, although I hope the navy will have the chance of settling the question with the German fleet. Unless our enemies come out and fight, they will be dug out like rats from a bole!” he declared. Mr Churchill said he had an opportunity of learning the extent of German espionage in Britain whereby bribery and subornations were employed to obtain information about the navy- Every dirty little German lieutenant on leave in England thought to curry favour with his superiors by supplying the details he discovered. Well, if they liked to come they knew the way! “We have not sought the subjugation of Germany or Austria,” said Mr Churchill. “However complete our victory, the worst that can happen to them after peace is that they will be set free to live and let live tairly and justly. Peace might be arranged in good time, but not with Prussian militarism. There is no peace short of the grave with that violent tyranny.”