THE OPAKU RESERVE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 196, 22 September 1900, Page 2

THE OPAKU RESERVE.

MEETING OF DELEGATES. A meeting of the delegates from the Taranaki Education Board and tbe ' Board of Governors of the New Plymouth High School was held yesterdiy at the Education Offices, and the letter of the 14th September, addressed by the members of Parliament for Taranaki to the Minister of Education, advocating the establishment of a D i try School, was fuUy discussed. Mr. McAllum was in the chair, and the follow- ' ing resolutions were unanimously adopted:— Whilst recognising the advisability of establishing a dairy school in Taranaki, but holding that the expense of such an institu- . tion should be borne by the State, the Taranaki delegates of the Opaku Reserve Conference strongly protest against the proposed diversion of ths revenues from the Opaku Reserve as indicated in a letter addressed to the Hon. the Minister of Education, dated 14th September, 1900, by the Parliamentary Representatives of Taranaki, for the follow- . ine: reasons:— ' 1. That the teaching of science subjects, chemistry and biology, moreimmediately bearing on the dairy industry, is already provided for at the New Zealand University Colleges, and the Government has > been and is now making provision, as far as practicable, for lectures and de- ' monstrations on the .practioal part of dairying. 2. That technical education does not come » under the definition of higher education, for the latter of which the Opaku Reserve b was specially set apart by the University r Act of 1874. 3. That by the same Act the Opaku Reserve i is further earmarked for the benefit of 1 the Taranaki district, and to divert the i revenues ®f that resarvo to any other) E purpose whatsoever will be tantamount to an Act of spoliation without precedent. 4. That already the Mokoia Reserve, near Hiwera, in the Taranaki district, has, i wi th i ts accrued rents, been appropriated , for the establishment of a dairy school ! in the North Island without special reference to Taranaki. . 6. That the Government is pledged to a ' scheme of technical education for tho g colonv as a whole, and that consequently g it would he exceedingly unjust to divert „ the revenues of the Opaku Reserve to that purpose. . G. That, taking into consideration tho cir-cunif-.tan. es of the vast majority of the settlers in Taranaki, the only avenue through which they can hope to derive any benefit from Victoria University r College is that which it is proposed to provide for them by establishing scholarships from the revenues arising from the Opaku Reserve. ' 1. That among the large number ot children attending the schools in the closelysettled district of Taranaki there is a 3 fair proportion of children of more than j average ability; and that to deprive j these children of any prospect of availing themselves of any benefit from university education would be unjust both to them and the colony at large, 8. That the representatives of the respective Boards who attended the recant Conference, recognising the claim of the Victoria College on the Central District of New Zealand, were unanimous in agreeing that the university scholarships to be established from the funds of the Opaku Reserve shall be tenable only at that institution. That copies of the foregoing resolutions be forwarded to the Hon. the Minister of Education, the Right Hon. the Premier, the '• Parliamentary Representatives of Taranaki, 1 the Chairman of the Wanganui Education • Board, and the Chairman of the Victoria 1 College Council. ' Delegates— Taranaki Education Board. D. McAllum, Chairman, j J. Mackay. E. G. Aixswoimr. s New Plymouth High School Board of ; . Governors. N. K. MacDiarmid, Chairman. • J. B. R®r. The question of holding public meetings was also discussed, but it was 1 decided to leave this to the public to take action in, if thought necessary. r FORT HER DEVELOPMENTS, f A CURIOUS MISUNDERSTANDING. A TIMELY WITHDRAWAL. I lu' connection with tho above, the > following reached us by last evening's mail: — [COPY.] ; Parliamentary Buildings, i Wellington, Sept. 20th, 1900. • Hon. W. C. Walker, Minister of Education. I Opaku Reserve. ; Sir,—With respect to our interview of • yesterday evening re Opaku University Re- - we h-tve now the honour to inform ycu that the joint letter written to you on the , 14th inst. on this subject was signed by us . under a misunderstanding. We regret that we were not aware at the , time we signed the letter that the subject. . matter was opposed to the proposals of the deputation that waited on you some time i ago, representing the educational bodies in the Taranaki and Wanganui educational listricts, but from an interview with Mr. ' Jeorge Bridge, chairman Wanganui Education Board, we find such to be tiis case. ' The proposals submitted to you by that ' ' leputation, which we have just become i ward of, have ot r hearty sympathy, and wc ire desirous to have their proposals given effect 10, because we believe they are in the rue interest of higher education, and will ' ' fulfil the object of "the trusi as nearly as is possible with the funds at. t heir disposal. We have to thank you .sincerely for your , assurance that no interference from outside vill be permitted with the reserve in quesion. We had a similar assurance from the ' flononrable John McKenzie, late Minister of ! Lands. Awaiting your reply, we haveihe honour , to be, v '! Your obedient 1 (Signed; 15. M. Mirat I Walt cii syvjsi n