The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1915. THE TARANAKI EDUCATION DISTRICT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 292, 19 May 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1915. THE TARANAKI EDUCATION DISTRICT.

At the sitting of the commission appointed to take evidence as to tli«! proposed alteration in tlie education districts of the Dominion, held at New Plymouth yesterday, the, case for tlie retention of the Tsiranaki district was nut with much force and fairness by the various witnesses. In the first place, it was clearly shown that if the rearrangement of the education districts in the Dominion were carried out on f* population basis, then the number of districts in the South Island would be four, as against live in the Xorth Island, and these nine districts would enable a more equitable adjustment, as far as promotion to larger schools was concerned, than was at present possible. It was pointed out that in the last live years the number of children of school age in the Xorth Island had increased by i:i,7-(-2, against GO 10 in the south, so that if the same ratio of increase continued the Xorth Island, would sl oii he entitled to six districts. Due weight Was given in the evidence to the close settlement in Taranaki, the accessibility of the various parts of the district by good roads and railways, the importance J of the harbor, tramways, freezing works .and other factors lending to increase the population. Above all, the attention of the commission was drawn to the community of interest existing throughout the province which could not be the ease if the district were attached to Wnnganui. It was also pointed out that the transfer to Wanganui would practically be a bar to those conferences between teachers and inspectors that are so essential to the best interests of education, and would also prevent deputations from this end from interviewing the board, while tlie trawlling expenses of the members of the board would mount up to a high figure each year, y„d even then the"country districts would be practically unrepresented. .Mr. Wilkinson, M.]'., „ u ,de it unite clear that Elthuni. was willing to come, into the Taranaki district, "and. stressed the fact that as a dairying centre special teaching was required hi Taranaki that was not called for outside, and be strongly advocated (us ' did all the other witnesses) the reteu- ' tion of the Taranaki education district. ;

.Mr. .Masters alily backed up .Mr. Wilkinson by showing that the Taranaki Hoard was taking a, very active inti-n-st. in iigricnltnral work, while Mr. Tyror emphasised the fad. that in scholarship examinations, open to the whole. Dominion, Taranaki held a higher percciila»e than any other heard, while (lie technical and secondary Work was also of a creditable standard. Mr. lund's contention (hat it would l,e a calamity to take from the descendants of those who had fou-lit and died for their country the distinction of belonjriny to a 'J'aranaki institution is one that has more than sentiment in its favor. A important point was made by Mi\ J. 11. Hino, M.P., when he stated that at a conference; of members of

Parliament it had,, b0n0,., agreed 'tlipit Waimate Wus-k and Eltham Comities sliould be adited. to. thi: -Taranaki district, and Unit this would have been added to tlit- Act had Uie.v been the same unaniny'ty in other- districts, and his contention that, if there were to be only five' districts in the .North Island, there wn.+ no reason why a new district should'be formvd in Waikaio at the expense of Taranaki, certainly re-echoed the., feeling that is general throughout' the Taranaki district. It was clearly proved by Mr. Whetter, one of the Taranaki Hoard's inspectors, that the standard of education in the district, as tested by the .'Junior Scholarship examinations, showed ■ that if any district was to bo- sacrificed it should not be Taranaki. Apparently, the. only reas,;n for attaching Taranaki to Wangamii was the b.dter scope the larger district oll'ered for teachers' promotion, but, as was pointed out, a Dominion classification would meet that. The

various witnesses are to be congratnlilted on the able manner in which they i upheld Taranaki's claims. It is, pcr'haps, ' somewhat unfortunate that the .progressiva policy of the Tarankai Board has not received that persistent advertising which is so noticeable in the ease of the Wanganui Hoard, whose doings are always in the limelight, hut Taranaki should not be made to Riifl'er for its modesty. The suggested extension of the Taranaki district to includethe whole of the, province, possibly omitting Patea, and to embrace the lower portion of the. Auckland district, is- one that will be to the best advantage of the cause of education. The commission has plenty of reliable data to go upon, and its report wilt be awaited with keen interest, ami m>t a little anxictv.