THE NEW EDUCATION BILL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 212, 7 September 1871, Page 4

THE NEW EDUCATION BILL.

Public Schools. The following clauses define what schools are. to be deemed public^ schools for the purposes of tbe Act : — Any school shall be a public school within the meaning of this Act which shall be conducted in accordance with the following regulations (a copy of which regulations shall be conspicuously put op in every such school), namely : — (1.) It shall not be required as a condition of any child. being admitted into or continuing in the school, that he shall attend or abstain from attending any Sunday school, or any place of religious worship, or that he shall attend any religious observance or any instruction in religious subjects in the school or elsewhere from which observance or instruction he may be withdrawn by his parent or guardian, or that he shall, if withdrawn by his parent or guardian, attend the school on any day exclusively set apart for religious observance by tbe religious body to which his parent or guardian belongs. (2.) The time or times during which any religious observance is practised, or instruction in religious subjects is given, at any meeting of the school, shall be either at the end or at the beginning, or at the end and beginning of such meeting, and shall be inserted in a time table to be approved by the Minister, and to be kept permanently and conspicuously affixed in every schoolroom; and any scholar may be withdrawn by his parent or guardian from such observance or instruction without forfeiting any of the other benefits of the school. (3.) The school shall be kept open on each school day for at least four hours, two of which in the forenoon and two in the afternoon shall be consecutive and devoted to secular instruction alone, but the Minister may, under special circumstances, authorise a shorter period than four hours daily, ; during which a school shall be open for secular instruction alone. (4.) The school shall be open at all times to the inspection of a Government Inspector of Schools, so however that it shall be no paTt of the duties of such inspector to inquire into any instruction in religious subjects given at such school, or to examine any scholar therein iv religious knowledge, or in any religious subject or book. Every school established and maintained by, or subject to the control of a Board or School committee, shall be a Provincial School within the meaning of this Act, and shall be conducted in accordance with the following regulations, namely : — (1.) The school shall be conducted as, and be a public school, within the meaning of this Act. (2.) The Holy Scriptures shall be read dailysubject to the conditions prescribed by regulation two, in section fifty-five of this Act; but no religious catechism or religious formulary, which is distinctive of any particular denomination or sect, 'shall be taught in the school. (S.) The Board and the School Committee shall permit the school building to be used for the religious instruction of children on Sundays, and on week days outside of the hours set apart for the usual school instruction, at such times or alternate times as shall afford to the scholars of different denominations - ; equal opportunities for receiving such instruction, upon the person or person so obtaining the use of the school building, giving to the committee a sufficient guarantee that due care shall be taken of the school building and furniture, and for the payment of any expenses rendered necessary by such use. (4.) The parent or guardian of any child attending the school, or any ratepayer, subscriber, or donor, shall be entitled tojvisit the school, at any time on obtaining an order from a member of the Board or the school committee. In such of the schools whether Provincial or aided, subject to the provisions of this Act as the Minister shall from time to time direct, provisions shall be made for physical training and instruction in military drill : The training and drill shall be such aud be conducted and taught in such a manner as shall from time to time be prescribed in regulations to be made by the Governor in Council. The costs and expenses of such physical training and drill shall as to each school be defrayed out of such moneys as shall from time ' to -. time be appropriated for this purpose by the Provincial Council of the Province in which the school is. Compulsory Education. The following clauses relate to the above : — Subject to the provisions of this Act, the parent or guardian of every child not less than seven nor more than twelve years of age shall, in case such child lives within the distance of two miles, measured according to the nearest road from a provincial, aided, or other public school within a school district, send such child ito school. The parent or guardian of any child may apply for and receive a certificate from the school committee in the district in which such child resides if it resides within a school district, if not, from the committee of the adjoining district lin which is the provincial, aided, or other public school nearest to the residence |of «uch ; ohild, exempting such child from •attendance- in whole or -in*-, part at school, upon satisfying .the school committee aforesaid lor a Justice of the Peace of t|io ( existence of any one of the following ragr ? nnas,;iiamely ;~ 'iy "•*• (^Vf; ! - (1.) That the child is under efficient instruction

(2 ) That the child is prevented from attending school by sickness or other.:-»unavoidable cause. (3.) That the road between the child's residence, and tbe school is not sufficiently passable for such child. (4.) That one of the Government Inspectors of Schools, or the master of any public school, has by writing under his hand certified that such child has reached a standard of education prescribed by anj* regulations under this Act. : .. And every such certificate of exemption shall state the ground for exemption, and shall be in force for a period of one year, or for a shorter period, as may bo named in such certificate, and during the period named in such certificate, the holder thereof shall be freed from the operation of the provisions of this Act in respect of the child named therein. In case any school committee ascertains that any child between the ages of seven and twelve years, and resident within the distance of two miles from a provincial, aided, or other public school within its district does not attend school, any member of such committee may give: the parent of such child Dotice in writing, in the form or to the effect in the second schedule hereto, calling upon Buch parent to send such child to school. If the parent of any child between tbe ages of seven aud twelve, resident within two miles from a provincial, aided, or other public school, not holding a certificate. of exemption as aforesaid in respect of such child, refuses or neglects to send such child to a public school, after haviDg been called upon in manner aforesaid to doso, then,;and in every such case the parent or guardian of such child may be summoned before any two Justices of the Peace, who may order such parent to send such child .to a public school, and may determine whether such child shall be admitted free of charge, or what sum per week, month, or quarter,, not exceeding the rate usually charged in such school, shall be paid by such parent or guardian to the school committee, managers, or master of such school, for the education of such child. In case any parent or guardian, after having been ordered as aforesaid by any two Justices of the Peace to send any child to a public school, neglects : to obey such order, or having obeyed the same, for a time without sufficient cause ceases to do so, such parent or guardian shall, on summary conviction before any two or more Justices; of the Peace, be liable to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings, to be enforced by distress only, and not by imprisonment, and the same proceedings may be taken week by week in the case of failure by such parent to comply with the order aforesaid. No child shall be refused admission to any provincial or aided school when ordered by any two Justices as aforesaid on account of the neglect or refusal of the parent or guardian of such child to pay. the fees dae to the school committee; managers, or teacher of such, school for the education of such child; bat ..all fees so due may be recovered in a summary way before any Justice of the: Peace in the name of " the echool committee of the district," or "the managers of the school," as the case may be, upon the complaint of the teacher of the school, or any person authorised by him in that behalf. All proceedings for orders to send children, tp school and for recovery of. school jfees or penalties under this Act may be had and taken in the manner, prescribed by " The Justice of the Peace Act, 1866;" and in any information or complaint under this' Act whether for recovery, of penalties or for orders to send children to school the allegation that a child is between -the ages of seven and twelve years ;.shall be deemed sufficient prima facie evidence of the fact until the contrary is proved, and in every case the father and mother or guardian of the : child may be witnesses.