TARANAKI SCHOLARSHIPS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 258, 1 May 1912, Page 3

TARANAKI SCHOLARSHIPS

NEW PLYMOUTH CRITICISED. States the Haw'era Star:—The term "Taranaki is, unfortunate-' ly, likely to become notorious throughout New Zealand, This is especially to be regretted, because ;the notoriety must necessarily give the widest publi-' city to Taranaki's educational shortcom■ngs, and discredit her in the eyes of the rest of the Dominion on account l of jier illiteracy. ■ All this may tempt some cynical persons to term her the Boeotia of New Zealand. It is true that hard words break no bones, and Taranaki will probably survive the wounds inflicted by such "paper pellets of the brain." Still, it is none the less regrettable that so fine a district should be brought into disrepute in consequence of the secondary education within its borders being such that, so far, it has qualified only three pupils for its own specially endowed scholarships, of which there might now he about twenty a year; and the standard for entrance is merely that of a Junior University Scholarship. Howover, all this may yet be turned to good account, in the interest of both the district and the Dominion, for the notoriety may lead to the exposure of causes or conditions capable of being dealt with to the advantage of secondary education in the district, ai<d throughout the country. Then there may he other gains.. It has already been suggested that a portion of the funds-should be used in connection with the establishment of an agricultural school or .college at Moumahaki State Farm. This, however, is regarded with extreme disfavor by the Board of' Governors of the NcW Plymouth High School. But- Messrs Dixon and O'Dea, as members of the Wanganui Education Board, and as residents of Ila-' Wera, have already seen the Premier on the'.subject, which has thus been brought! ■prominently, into view-—in its - way, a good thing. Then'the antagonism of the New Plymouth people has, in another way, given emphasis to the position, in.j so far as it has led to the Wanganui Board taking a hand in the matter. Thtsv it. would probably do in any case, for the reserves lie within the Wanganui educational district, and Messrs Dixon and i O'Dea belong to its membership. But the acuteness of the New Plymouth opposition -has undoubtedly given an impetus to the Wanganui Board's resolution. It must, however, be hoped that I no conflict is to take place, becauso the, position is such that local divisions are ; .extremely likely to be used by outsiders t.o the .prejudice of local interests, and plans connected with the scholarship endowments. As a matter of fact, attempts have already been made in Parliament to divert the funds or re-vest the endowments, and if strife ensures between the local prospective beneficiaries the attempts are, certain to be renewed.. and may Siiccee'd. Indeed; Parliament' would be justified, in the general public interest, in lending itself to a change; for, in the. last resort, the endowments belong to the nation, and if the district in the interests of which - they were originally made cannot make a right use of them, it becomes obligatory .on Parliament. to see that they are used in some other way in kce'ping with- the publie interest. This contingency was, in fact, referred to at last Wednesday's meeting of the Wanganui Education Board, for Mr. O'Dea expressly stated that unless something were done very soon the reserves would be lost, as' Parliament would not allow them to remain as at present. It is necessary to re-i member this, and wo hope that the remembrance of it may cause all Taranaki to unite in an effort to keep the endowments and their revenues intact for that higher education—literary or agricultural, or both —which is indispensable to the welfare of the province.