THE EDUCATION ACT.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1915, Page 5

THE EDUCATION ACT.

SOME CANDID CRITCISM. By Telegraph,—Press Association. Wanganui, L»9t Night. Speaking at a meeting of the Wanganui Education Board to-night, Mr. IX tl. Guthrie, M.P., expressed the opinion that the Education Aet of 1914 did not stand for the best educational interests of the dominion. He considered that those responsible for the framing of the Act started wrong by building from the top instead of starting from the bottom, and erecting an educational edifice to the credit of New Zealand. The fact had apparently been lost sight of that without primary training it was impossible to succeeded, and he considered that ta throw open the doors of a university t:> every child in New Zealand was nonsensical. The aim of the Act was apparently to open the university door right, from the primary schools. He did not deprecate the wishes of those who wanted to give children a university education, but he did not consider that tlm door at present was open wide enough. He regretted that when the Bill was before the House the good work of men identified with education was insufficiently recognised. Some of the proposals were little short of insults to members of Education Boards. The time was now fitting to express an opinion on the matter, as it was within the bounds of possibility that the question would come before the House again, and members of Parliament would have some idea of the feeling of the country on an all-import-ant question.