Stratford's Protest.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 80, 25 July 1914, Page 5

Stratford's Protest.

AGAINST EDUCATION BILL.

OUR SCHOLARSHIPS. There was an enthusiastic and representative meeting at the Borough Council Chambers last night for tlie purpose of protesting against the proposed merging of the Taraiiaki education district in the Wanganui district. The Mayor (Mr W. P. Kirkwood) presided. Apologies for absence were received from Mr H. Trimble (chairman of the Taranaki Education Board) and Mr F. Mackay. Messrs R. Masters and E. Marfell (members of the Education Board) were present. EXTINCTION OF THE BOARD. The Mayor said it was only right that Stratford should, with other Taranaki centres, protest against the proposal to eliminate the Taranaki Education Board. The present number of Education Boards in the country was thirteen and the new Bill proposed to reduce the number to nine—five for the North Island and four for the South Island. While it might be desirable to reduce the number to nine, it was not desirable that the Taranaki Board should be cut out. On the basis of results in competitive examinations, education in Taranaki took a high place. Perhaps it could be said' that in no other district did education stand on a higher plane. The meeting should protest against the Board being cut out and should also demand that in the Education Bill the Taranaki Scholarships should be dealt with. In the past only one pupil from each school was entitled to hold these scholarships, but in future any number of children from any school could have them awarded to them. The Opaku educational reserve was the birthright of Taranaki children, and as the number of scholarships awardable had been in-; creased the revenue from the reserve would not be too great. In the past Stratford had not agitated for a High School because having one would be to the detriment of the prrmary • school, but under the new Bill this disadvantage would be removed and they could count on soon having a High School in the town. It was thought that there were certain provisions of the new Bill which would be acceptable to the whole of the Dominion, while certain provisions would, no doubt, be altered; but on the whole he thought the Government were to be commended for bringing down the Bill. He would move as follows:

That this meeting, whilst approving the. Education Bill as a whole and welcoming many of its provisions, is strongly against the extinction, of. the Taranaki Education Board and the absorption of its territory in a new district with Wanganui for its centre. Such a step would he in the opinion of this meeting retrograde alike from a national, provincial and a local point of view. It would tend to undue centralisation, with neglect of local interests: it would kill the pride of localities in their educational institutions. It would abolish a Board under which the standard of education, as judged by the results of competitive examinations, has risen to a pomt that is as high or" higher than obtains in larger districts. Instead of. abolishing the Board, this meeting is of opinion that its district should be enlarged to include the whole of the provincial district and the south-western portion of the Auckland district. This meeting urges that a district with these or similar boundaries should be provided for in the Bill. Mr P. Skoglund, chairman of the School Committee, seconded. He said one could hardly understand the intention of the Government in seeking to cut out the Taranaki Board. The people of Taranaki were proud of the name of the province and the suggested new name, Egmont, was not satisfactory at all. Taranaki people desired the retention of the name Taranaki, and the retention of cne Board. The retention of the Board was desirable for convenience of administration of education in such an important district. It had to be remembered that population was making great strides in the east of the province, and further north the population was also increasing, and the country had more community of interest with Taranaki than with Auckland. !

Mr C. D. Sole said that one of the chief reasons why an .extension of the education district was necessary was because there were only two large schools—Stratford and New Plymouth—to which teachers could look for promotion to positions carrying good salaries. At the present time some of the best teachers in the country would not apply for positions in the Taranaki district because they knew there was a limited chance of promotion to big schools. As to the Opaku reserve he was sure that there were those who were seeking to secure its revenue as an endowment for Victoria College. The reserve had been set aside for the benefit of Taranaki children for all time, and every effort should be made to keep it for them. Mr R. Masters said the Minister should be congratulated on bringing down the Bill, though there were clauses which seemed to be the work of faddists. It would be a violation of the rights of Taranaki if the Government insisted on the wiping out of the Education Board, If the

Boards in the North Island were to be reduced to four it would be understandable which it was not when it was proposed to wipe out an existing Board and create a new one. He felt sure that the education interests of Taranaki would suffer by the change. There could be no possible community between Taranaki towns and so far south as Feilding, Palmerston and Foxton. The proposed Wanganui district was altogether too large! Under the Bill, Taranaki would have only two members of the Board, and to adequately deal with the requirements of the district those two men would need to devote the whole of their time to educational business. In the near future Stratford would have a High School whether it wanted it or not, as at present there was no High School between New Plymouth and Palmerston with the exception of the Wanganui Collegiate School. He had received advice that the Taranaki Scholarships were to be dealt with in an amending University Bill. Mr Trimble and he had been appointed to give evidence before the Education Committee of the House, and while in Wellington they would, no doubt, interview the Minister regarding the Otaku reserve. It would be an injustice to Taranaki if the Board was abolished. Taranaki was one of the most closely -settled portions of the country and would yet be more closely settled.

Mr N. J. King said the educational results in Taranaki had been second to none in the country. He thought good would have been done if the ,Bill had been circulated ta the ( Education Boards before being brought before the House.

Mr 0. Jackson said he thought iit would be difficult to work the Kawhia district from- New Plymouth, but he doubted if the district could be worked any easier from Auckland. The motion was carried.

THE TARANAKI SCHOLARSHIPS.

Mr Kirkwood then moved:—

"That this meeting urges that clauses 78 to 85 of the Education Act, 1908, dealing with Taranaki Scholarships, should be re-enacted in the, present Act." Mr Kirkwood said that if any attempt was made to divert the Opaku reserve," Taranaki would send its biggest deputation to Wellington.

Mr Sole seconded. He emphasised the necessity for the matter of the reserve being closely watched.

Mr Skoglund said that Mr Tyrer had informed him that in previous years several pupils of the Stratford school had been fully qualified for Taranaki scholarships. He thought it would x be better if the standard of qualification were lower. Mr Masters said the Opaku reserve was inland from Patea. It was very valuable land, and the leases last year brought in £IOBO. The motion was carried. GENERAL APPROBATION. Mr Kirkwood next mov r ed:— "That this meeting compliments the Minister on the Education Bill as a whole, recognising that if it became law the cause of education will be in many respects materially advanced."

Mr Skoglund seconded. Mr Sole said that salaries should have been increased more than was proposed.

Mr Masters said his opinion / was that the Bill was an honest attempt to improve the education system. The motion was carried. MAKING IT KNOWN.

It was decided, on the motion of Mr Sole, that copies of the resolutions be sent to the Minister, and to Taranaki members of Parliament. A vote of thanks to the Mayor for presiding closed the meeting.