Rangitikei Advocate. MONDAY, MARCH 11, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8760, 11 March 1907, Page 2

Rangitikei Advocate. MONDAY, MARCH 11, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

THE Auckland Education Board at its last meeting received a report on u scheme for the establishment of| an agricultural technical school in the W aikato. Under the existing regulations a pupil who has passed through the primary school, and has been successful in obtaining a Standard VI. certificate of proficiency, has the choice of free secondary education at a district high school, a high school, a grammar school, or a teclmical school. In this manner adequate training is provided for those who intend to enter the professions, business life, or one of the skilled handicrafts, and the great number 01 pupils attending the day classes or the technical schools in the large centres shows that a demand exists for this kind of instruction. The whole tendency, however, of the present system is to attract young people into the towns and no provision is made for fitting them for agricultural pursuits. The proposal of the Auckland Board - is that scholars entitled to free places m secondary schools should have the option of attending an agricultural school, which it is proposed shall be erected at Hamilton, near tire Government Experimental Station. A site and building would be required, but once the school were established the Government grant of £ls per annum for each pupil would suffice for current expenses. ;Hamilton Borough Council will be requested to give a site and the Government subsidy on the value of laud would go some way towards providing a building. The additional funds might well be supplied by Government as the school would be a very interesting experiment and would prove ' whether thoro was any deI for •he kind of education provided. No doubt other districts will put in a claim for similar establish - meuts, hut we think that, as the Auckland Board has been first in the field, it would r be fair to erect the first school iu the Waiqato and wise to await results before further expenditure.