THE NELSON EDUCATION ACT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 159, 1 July 1875, Page 2

THE NELSON EDUCATION ACT.

Regarding the recent attempt made in the Council to tamper with oar Education Act, the Grey River Argus writes aa follows :—" The provincial form of government has not done much for the province of Nelaon either in past or in later days, but of one thing Nelson has reason to be proud, and that is its admirable education system, begotten at a time when the province had the advantage of men who, like the Hon, Mr Stafford, could take broad and statesmanlike views. When we take ioto consideration the many conflicting opinions which the subject of State education invariably evokes, and the peculiar etand taken upon it by at least ooe section of religionists, the compromise provided by the Nelaon Education Ordinance has been remarkably aoccesaful. Although not meeting the extreme views of aoy party, it has so far accommodated itaelf to the require ments and sentiments of the community as to eoeure its hearty acceptance. It was therefore with something more than surprise that we noticed the aUeropfc made by Mr Ivese, who cvi/ Gently fired the pellets made by tbk , Provincial Secretary, to disturb the machinery tbat has worked so well for ao many years, and to substitute for the Central Board of Education some member of the Provincial Executive. The only argument worth anything thafc we could discover was employed in favor of this change was that ased by Mr O'Conor, who induiged in a good deal of his usual claptrap about «• responsibility to the Council." His proposition was that as the Council voted money for educational purposes there Bhould be direct responsibility to the Council on the part of the body or person who | dispensed the funds so supplied. For- . tunately Mr Ivess'a attempt to spoil a ! good system was not successful, but there wes evidently some danger of its being carried, for nothing but the welldeserved reverence with which the Nelaon people regard their Education Act, saved ifc from the extraordinary influence which Mr oss.or haa contrived to secure ovejythe Provincial Council. We cannot conceive of anything more^ likely- to jeopardise the satisfactory working of the Nelson educational system, than transferring the chief management from a specially constituted Board to the Provincial 1 Executive, the character of which is liable to sudden and frequent changes, brought about by questions with which education has nothing whatever to do/ B would be quite as reasonable for Mr O'Cooor to insist that alt grants nominally in aid of Road Boards, Fire Brigades, or other bodies, should be expended by a responsible member <£ the Executive." &