The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 15, 1876.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 122, 15 May 1876, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 15, 1876.

In* his last letter to Mr Macandrew Sir . Julius Yogel takes the opportunity of sketching out in a somewhat hazy and indefinite manner the proposals of the Government with regard to the measures they are about to bring, forward as a sequitur to the Abolition Bill. Some of the subjects on which be touches -are dealt with so very tenderly that it is impossible to say for certain what is meant, but upon others the Premier has laid his hand heavily enough to show that with regard to them at least the Government have , made up their minds as to the action they propose to -take. Amongst these is the ' educational question, the one which of all others requires the most delicate; handling. For some reason or another February next bas been fixed upon as the date on which the. functions of the present Local Boards are to cease," but how the proposed system is to work after that date we are not told in very explicit terms, but we are led to believe that the " entire control of primary education " is to be vested : in Boards locally elected, in the main, but haying, a slight - dash of the - nominee element. Then comes the all important question of funds. : Educational rates and fees are to be done away with altogether, thus, of course, necessitating a very large draft upon the consolidated revenue — the Canterbury Press puts it at £150,000, but we should be inclined to name fa 7 far higher figure. Now is this plan likely . to work satisfactorily? In discussing the matter it is as well that each particular locality should bring its own experience to bear, as it is by numerous little rills that the current of public opinion is formed. A_ny one who has carefully watched the proceedings of the Nelson Provincial Council during the last three years of its existence must have observed that there has been a growing dislike to voting a large lump sum for educational purposes, which, sb soon as the Appropriation Act becomes law, passes altogether beyond the control of any really responsible body. It is true that our local system has hitherto worked so smoothly that those wbo objected to the customary vote were unable to adduce from actual experience any reasonable ground for so doing, but it is impossible to overlook tlie fact that such an objection did exist, or it has been gaining strength year by year, until, at last, it was not without considerable difficulty that the Government were able co induce the Council to agree to that particular item on the Estimates. Briefly put, the argument amounted to' this : — " "We are responsible to our constituents fpr tbe appropriation of the revenue. How can we tell tbem that we bave conscientiously performed our duty with the fact staring them and us in the face that we have handed over a very considerable portion of it to certain, bodies who are in no way whatever responsible to us for its proper expenditure?" Now, will not this line of reasoning be adopted to a greater extent by the larger body of men which constitutes the House of Kepresentatives when it is called upon to deal with so large a sum as £150,000? Will

they not object tof allowing.,,- such an amount to slip through their fingers with the knowledge that, once having passed from them, their control over ifc. is completely lost?.: In commenting, on this subject. the Canterbury Press cbh>cludes an article in words which we are quite prepared to adopt, as expressing our own opinion. They are as follows:— " A certain amount of local management is t of cbuf sebighly desirable; and at tbe outsety until: the system works itself into shape, it may be expedient to give the local bodies more power than they are strictly entitled to. But there must be a centre of responsibility. If " the cost of education is defrayed from colonial funds, the control must rest with the Colonial Parliament ; and for tha,t purpose there must be some one . whom Parliament can hold personally riccountablef to it for their administration.' In snort, the first essential for any thoroughly efficient colonial system is the appointment . pf a Minister for Education.','