THE EDUCATION ACT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 210, 5 September 1871, Page 2

THE EDUCATION ACT.

To The Editor of thk Nelson Evening Mail. Sir,— l am indebted to the courtesy of his Honor Mr. Curtis for a copy of the proposed Education Act. I hare carefully perused its provisions and so far as I can judge ie appears to fme.to fall "short of advantages at present afforded by the Nelson plan. In the first place, instead of separated schools being entitled by Law to a pro rata grant from the general fund, it is proposed to leave the granting of funds, &c, for " aided schools," to the caprice of the Local Boards, who may grant as little or as much as they please, or nothing at all; there is, it is true, an appeal from the decision of the Local Board to the Minister of Education, but both Board and Minister being political functionaries, it cannot be doubted, that the Minister would sustain the decision ot apolitical Board, whose views on general political matters agreed with his own . I also entirely object to sub-section 2 of clause 56., , In the Country District* only one school is possible, and it is also impossible without such arrangements as cannot be introduced without great- inconvenience and . expense to withdraw pupils at all sorts of hours. The reading of the Bible by a layman, who may be frequently called upon by his hearers for an explanation of various passages, I regard as most dangerous; the layman will invariably give his own peculiar interpretation, without regard to the enquirer's faith. The proposal therefore to introduce the reading of the Holy Scriptures compulsorily into all schools, will never meet my approval, indeed to compel children by law to attend schools under such circumstances is the grossest tyranny, and will be resisted in a way which will perhaps surprise and confound any Legislature rash enough to attempt such a measure. This new Act, too, makes no provision for the efficient supervision by the Committees of the books used in the schools so as to give parents the right to make complaints if books in their opinion hostile to morality and religion are introduced. Having so far taken exception to the Act, I may add that, if , provisions be made, requiring all Boards without any discretion in the matter, to give grants to separated schools, striking out the obnoxious clause as .to Bible reading, and making it obligatory on the. .Committees to "supervise the books and prizes, then I should support it, because it would then more closely assimilate our Nelson Act, which if far from perfect, has still worked with a degree of fairness to the different denominations which no other province has reached, and which most men admit is one of those just and comprehensive compromises so necessary in a new country sparsely populated by persons of a hundred different creeds. I fear the cumbersome provisions for collecting fees &c, and the consequent uncertainty of funds at the disposal of the Boards will make this proposed Act almost un"workable. Whilst advocating, as I have always done, the Denominational Bystem and religious instruction where and when practicable, as may be the case in Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, I consider that in small localities as . in Nelson and its surrounding districts, it would be impracticable for the present, and I therefore prefer the Nelson system, as one less objectionable, than that proposed by the new Act. I am, &c, A. M. Garix, Catholic Priest. „ : Nelson, Sept. 5, 18"1.