The Daily News. FRIDAY, MAY 18, 1900. THE OPAKU RESERVE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 98, 18 May 1900, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, MAY 18, 1900. THE OPAKU RESERVE.

Apabt from the few actually concerned in ths administration of educational matters there are not many who are aware of the existence of a valuable reserve at Patea, consisting of 10,000 acres, set apart tor the promotion of higher education in the provincial district of Xaranaki. Even to the various Boards concerned, the exact position of matters seems to bo slightly hazy, consequently it has b«en necessary to take some trouble in obtaining reliable information. As fur a-, can be ascertained, the land in question was first scheduled as a uuivo.-nity rcsarve in the University Endowment Act of 1868, and subsequently in the New Zealand University Act of 1874. By Section 30 cf the latter it is provided that the Governor-in-Council may make regulations for placing to a separate account .the proceeds of all lands (except in Otago) reserved under the Act of 1868 or any other Act for the purposes of a Colonial University, such proceeds, after payment of management expenses, to be dealt with for promoting higher educition in the respective provinces in which such reserves are situate, in such manner as the General Assembly may from time to time determine. The 10,000 acres mentioned in the Act of 1868 were duly gazetted in April, 1879, and defined as 10,000 acres situate in the Oarljle and Opaku Survey District. This seems to be the last stage of recorded proceedings in relation to the reserves, beyond the leasing of the sections by the Land Board, and the transmission of the revenue to the Treasury. All the reserve is let but one saction, the present income being £298, while the total received amounts to £2765.

More than one unsuccessful attempt has been made to divert this reserve from the purpose specified in the Act of 1874, Wellington was anxious a tew years back to secure trie endowment for Victoria College, aod a feeble effort was made later on to make it serve as a prop for a Dairying College at Stratford. Bjth by the terms of the Ac-, of 1873 and of a r. so'u ion passed by the House, on the motion of Mr. (now the Hon.) Thos. Kvlly, in the ••'■me year tho w-venue froiu tho reserve is definitely a) coated f( r the furtherance of higher education in the provincial district of Taranaki, and therefore, looking to the future, it is necessary to guard and preserve the good iift ihat is to hand, that it may procure for this district the benefits for which it was intended. At present the income is small, but in twenty-five years' time there should be something approaching .£2OOO a year (possibly more) available Jit making s'oppir.g •stones to positions of honour for the children of the residents of T.iraei.L*i, and there is little doubt that by means 'i t!valuable ondoivmoiit lusl.ro wi'i >o gh :.'d on tho disti iofc. It may almost 'i' said, but, of course, with bated ■;i "AtJi, that the'icii,i mny c >m<> when a CJijivnrsity r/ir.y be fouud grac'n,-} tli--town cf New Plymouth, and attracting ;biMier tha ulumrii of :his and ot'io. ie'S favoured districts. There must, however, be a starting point. As matters stand at. p •»>-} |.-cnt there is no power delegated to i a i y ise with regard : o uiili-iug the I '•fi/enuo from the rwme, wbicb js to! '■£ dealt with in such manner as the! 'j neral Assemt'y n-ay from time to; determine, it way tifeiy be'

r assumed that the passing of a special -Act will become necessary, and it is therefore the preliminaries antecedent to and in preparation for legislation that are the chief consideration for the time being. Already the Education Boards of Taranaki and Wanganui have moved in the matter, and a conference has taken place between the respective representatives, the outcome of which is a motion set down for consideration at the next meeting of the Taranaki Board, having for its object the appointment of a committee consisting of representatives of the two Boards mentioned, the High School Governors and Victoria College. The reason for including the Wanganui Board is that a portion of their edacational district is in the Taranaki Province, and therefore they are naturally entitled to a voice in the matter. The High School Governors are still more largely interested in the question. But why the authorities of Victoria College are proposed to be imported into the conference is not so easy to account for. Not only is there no need for such a course to be taken, but there are grave objections. Such a step is likely to be a false one at the start, and may lead to unforseen results. The endowment is for Taranaki only, and if those who are now administering the educational requirements of the province do not feel capable of framing a satisfactory scheme, the sooner they retire in favour of more efficient representatives the better it will be for the cause of education. Victoria College has no locus standi in the question to be considered, beyond receiving and educating those who may be awarded scholarships at that institution. To invite representatives of that College to take part in framing a scheme for utilising the Opaku endowment has all the appearance of admitting their right to participate in the revenue, and as this has already bsen denied them, and rightly so, the greatest care should be exercised in keeping the door closed for the future. Assuming that the matter is left in the hands of those who are alone concerned with it, there is yet another difficulty which looms ahead, and that is what share of the endowment rightly and fairly belongs to Wanganui, Already an ominous claim comes from that quarter for a practical monopoly for the time being of the benefit of the revenue arising from the endowment—based on the plea that the Wanganui High School has a boarding-house and New Flymouth has not. To-day this is so, but the time is very near at band when such a statement cannot with truth be made. It is a sine qua non that for a High School to be successful it must possess the adjunct of a boarding-house, so .that the benefits of higher education may be within reach of all the fit i' scholars in the district. With a grant either from the Government, or out of the accumulated fund arising from the reserve, a suitable boarding-house could be built and equipped; but there are many other points to be considered before this comes under discussion, and it is only here referred to in relation to the action taken by the Wanganui Board.

The constitution of the governing body for administering the Opaku reserve funds opens up the whole question as to the manner in which the simple business relating to educational matters is at present transacted. Tbe multiplication of public Boards is an evil that has long demanded the wholesome remedy of the pruning knife wielded by a strong and masterly hand. The Land Board has control of the Opaku, Roserve remitting the retinue to the Treasury; the School Commissioners administer and distribute the greater portion of the Education Reserves, the Education Board deal with vacant school sites, etc., then there are the High School Governors, and, under ordinary circumstances, the logical sequence of the scheme would be the creation of another Board. There would then ba no less than five Boards engaged in business, which would be infinitely better, and far more economically) conducted by two. Were the whole of the territorial business handed over to the Land Board and the whole of the educational business to a prop9rly constituted Education Board, the gain would be enormous, and an appreciable sum now frittered away in management expenses could be utilised for scholarships and other educational purposes, thereby con* ferriug increased benefits on the community. The Premier some time back intimated his intention of instituting a reform in the direction of consolidation of public boards, and it may therefore be considered that the Government can be relied on to further any well-directed effort in that direction. All that t(/e Education Board requires to fit it for enlarged and higher functions is a little levelling up, and this is a process easily accomplished. With regard to Wanganui, it would be well to consider whether the most advisable couisa would not be to ascertain the proportion of the fund which, according to ! area of their jurisdiction in the province, would be fair, and arrange for the same to be transmitted for higher education there. By so doing there would be no need for representation, ' and probably friction would be saved, j The responsibility of taking a right s?ep at the initiative is one that eanuol - ba too strongly urged, and it is h'ipad that those concerned will rise to the • occasion and pave the way for an Act J which will confer great and lasting benefits on Taranaki.