THE EDUCATION DISTRICT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 75, 24 April 1909, Page 2

THE EDUCATION DISTRICT.

On Monday night., on the occasion of the annual meeting of householders at Eltham, the question of Education Hoard boundaries is likely to be considered. This is a matter which we have discussed on several occasions. For obvious reasons, however, a proposal to extend the boundaries of the present circumscribed Taranaki education district could not in the best of taste emanate from the local Education Board. When, however, a district «uch as Kit Imm moves in that direction, the matter is placed o:i an altogether different footing. We know not for what reason practically half the provincial area of Taranaki i.i administered from Wanganui, but it certainly is not in the beat interests of Taranaki that .the system should much longer obtain, Taranaki most unjustly and unwarrantably suffers severely by statistical comparison with other provinces of New Zealand, mainly, us we have pointed out, localise large schools such as HaI'wera, Mana'ut. Patea, Kaponga and El- | tham are not included under its juris* ■ diction,, while practically 80 per cent, of the genuine baokbloeks schools of the province arc. <So far a«s w<? are aware, Taranaki and that portion of Wellington ptoviace administered by the Wanganui Board are the. o.tly districts in the Dominion that are r»ot treated provinciallv. With the splendid equipment and , administrative stalling possessed by both-Wellington a.id Taranaki, we quite fail to see wln.'re the. necessity exists for n Board at Wanganui at all.* Auckland, Canterbury und Otago, lo cite only three cases, administer districts probably greate r than Wellington province, and j

far greater than tlie whole of the TaraI naki province. AYliy, therefore, have j two gincrning bodies on this coast, entailing unnecessary expense! Hut irrespective of the necessity or otherwise of the Wanganui Hoard," it is ridiculous that the lOltluim and dlsd,act. schools, distant only :)li miles from lieadipiarters of the Taranaki Education Hoard.should b(> administered by a Hoard in "Wanganui. distant 7:i miles. There is absoliftcly nothing in common between WniprnDili and Mawera or Kltlnini, AH community of interests with these towns Is centred in Xeiv Plymouth, the centre of tlie rariuiiikj education district. \\> entirely approve of tlie suggested alteration of boundaries, n matter, in view or t'lie Covernmeiifs determined efforts to economise, that f liould not he difficult of attainment.