EDUCATION AND DEFENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 48, 26 February 1913, Page 8

EDUCATION AND DEFENCE.

TRENCHANT CRITICISM. (Per Press Association.) Wellington, February 25. The memorandum issued by the Education Department, imposing fresh conditions in regard to tho freephico tenure and making this conform to the Defence Regulations, was considered by the Wellington Education Board to-day. The memorandum, which was signed by tho Assistant In-spector-General of Schools (Dr. Anderson) read: “As among tho large number of boys who obtain free places and scholarships granted from the funds of the State there are probably some to be found who decline or fail to carry out the obligations imposed upon them under the Defence Act, I nave, by direction of the Minister oi Education, to intimate that, in the opinion of the Department, tho conduct of a free pupil should not be held to be satisfactory if tho requirements of the Defence Regulations arc not observed; and to request, accordingly, that in future, in periodical reoorts upon tho holders of free places and scholarships, this matter will receive necessary consideration among tho conditions of tenure to bo fulfilled.” Mr A. W. Hogg, said ho desired to enter a protest against coercion o. tl.is description. Tho authorities aad been imposing punishment aftei punishment upon the young people cf this country who appeared to have violated tho Defence Regulations. H< know that throughout the district where lie came from ilioro was a growing feeling that those Defence Regulations were going to bo a most infernal nuisance. Settlers to whom lie had talked lately had complained bitterly. Two years ago tho Defenc vote was £205,000. This year it had grown to £480,000, and in addition there was £200,000 duo for tlu Dreadnought and £102,000 for the naval subsidy, or £690,000 altogether. 7’his year we had only 200,000 wage-earners in New Zealand anc it meant a tax of £3 or £4 on cvers adult man. Money had been thrown away in a most extravagant manner. There was also a schorl of seventeen New Zealand officer# receiving instruction in the Old Country, cost ing £BOOO a year, each officer getting from £3OO to £750 per annum. He looked upon the whole question as being very serious/ They had arrived at a period when they would have not merely 'Compulsory military training, but conscription—a tiling to which the people were entirely oppos od. He , noticed no fewer than 80 men had been summoned at Oamaru for not carrying out defence duties, whilst there was a sort of strike am ongst tho young njinors of Greymouth against the Defence Regula tions. Now they ‘found that the young men wore not only being finer and imprisoned, with tho loss of the franchise, but their education systen was being interfered with. It simply meant that those who wanted superior education were to be debarred unless they believed in the Defence Regulations. In a short tim New Zealand would be rendered too hot to live in.

Tho Department’s letter was received and referred to the Finance Committee to report to next meet ing.