A Revolution in Education.

Maoriland Worker, Volume I, Issue 1, 15 September 1910, Page 7

A Revolution in Education.

Statement by Mr. T. E. Taylor, M.P.

Last Wednesday a representative of " The Maoriland Worker " had an interview with Mr. T. B. Taylor on the subject of the Hon. Mr. Fowld's proposals to throw the burden of the cost of education on the local rates. " There is one suggestion," said Mr. Taylor, " which has been made under the heading of Local Government Reform in this year's Budget which raises an issue so important that if the average man or woman were as alert with regard to political problems as they should be in their own and their children's interests, the whole country would be busy expressing its disapproval of the proposed changes. It is stated that the Government proposes to make revolutionary changes with regard to the cost of education. They declare that they will make the local authority, viz., the County Council or the Municipal authority, take charge of the administrative work connected with the educational system, which is now carried out by the Boards of Education throughout New Zealand. They also declare that when this change of adminstrative control is effected, the money necessary for carrying on the educational system of the Dominion must be very largely derived from local rates. The Government say that they are prepared, from the Consolidated Revenue, to find the cost of necessary buildings, but that the bulk of the cost of maintenance, which includes salaries, and all incidentals, will have to be raised by the local authority by means of a tax on property values. I feel that this change should be strongly resisted. I am not at all sure that we shall be able to select from the members of the average county council or municipal body a committee as well qualified to look after educational matters as are the men who now comprise the various Education Boards. But whether this is so or not, I am certain that whatever proportion of the cost of education is raised by means of a local rate, will represent an additional burden for the people of this country. If the raising of the cost of education by local taxation was to be accompanied by a reduction in the general taxation of the country—say, a reduction in Customs dues—the proposed change might not be so objectionable. But it is certain that while £400,000 or £500,000 a year, at least, will fall in the form of an added burden upon the local taxation of the country, the general taxation raised by the Government through Customs and other sources will not be decreased by one penny. We want more control of educational affairs to be vested in the Education Boards, but the proposed changes, if carefully examined, seem to mc to have had very little thought bestowed upon them by their authors. I should like to see an educational authoritycreated in each province, or suitable area being less than a province, to control all forms of education from the primary school to the university. Such an Education Council would take the place of the present Boards of Governors of the Universities and Technical Schools, and the Board of Education for primary and secondary schools; and thus everything—university, technical school, secondary and primary school—would then be correlated as far as the administration was concerned. I have stated my intention of resisting the proposed change by every means the forms of Parliament permit of being used, and I feel satisfied that when the people realise the greatly increased burden of taxation which the Government's proposals would involve, the attempted revolution of which notice has been given in the "Budget," will be abandoned." WORKERS.—Don't you think this is cubject you should investigate? i our education system having evolved from the stage of local and provincial support to the stage of national endowment, do you now wish to step backward?