MAORIS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 83, 28 September 1911, Page 3

MAORIS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

A SNUB FROM WELLINGTON. ] The fallowing letter wa* received a' \ Wednesday's- meeting of the Education' Board from Sir E. 0. Gibbes, secretary for Education: "In reply to your Icttei of the 24th ultimo, I am directed to inform you that in view of the policy of the Government to encourage in every way the attendance of Maori children at the public schools it does not appear that the Department should take any action bo promote the establishment of a native school at Parihaka. With regard to the grounds on which objection is taken to the attendance of Maori children at the Pungarehu school the following consideration should, I suggest, be 'brought under the committee's notice:—

1. Typhoid is" not a communicable disease to the extent suggested. It would at the most be allowable to exclude from the school any child at whose home the disease is known to exist.

2. The second objection is one that is not confined to Maori children; there are of course many .public schools in which some of the Europeans tire open to the same reproach. Such children' are not excluded, however, there are other ways of dealing with them. The Department'* experience with Native schools enables it to say that by the exercise of proper, cart and supervision on the part of the teacher, Maori children need be accused ol uncleanl'mess no more than others; the teachers understand that any want of cleanliness will be held to reflect upon them. If there is a Maori on the Pungarehu committee it would bo well to get him to be responsible, for the cleanliness of the Maori children. 3. The Education Act allows no distinction of race. Maoris have the same rights under it as Europeans. There are some 500 public schools that have Maori children attending them, and it would be out of the question to make a precedent for a general demand for separate schools.

•'With regard to the particular school in question I should like to point out that the Maoris have not only the right but the obligation to attend it, and that the Department would be (.'ratified if the committee would reconsider the matter and rather than discourage the Maoris do what. it. can to promote, their fitness to become ordinary members of the community." The. secretary to the board stated that he had sent a copy of this letter to the Pungarehu school committee.