BACKBLOCKS EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 April 1917, Page 3

BACKBLOCKS EDUCATION.

CAPITATION SUGGESTED.

Tue dualities -under which settle.™ labor m regard to educational facilities ill the hackblocks were brought before tiie notice of the Minister of Education L\v the Education Hoard yesterday. The chairman "pointed out that the capitation allowance for schools under an average of eight wan very low. namely only £6 per year, wiierens tor schools of an average of nine the Depart ment,! provided a teacher with an average salary of £llO, and a house allowance of £2O, to £l4 capitation. Mr. Wilkinson referred to the difficulties that, settlers of Omona had 'in obtaining school facilities with the result that they became so di-oouracjed that they left their sections. Xo'v (here only three or four children in tho district. Lack of action on the nart of the Education D'mrtment had driven out settlement, where it should have been encouraged.

Dr. Anderson pointed out that the Department could not provide schools for every district whero there were one or two children. They had been more liberal over education than any other country in the world and had provided ■schools for a prospective average of as low thov must look to the settlers to provide the echool.

Mr. Wilkinson said that the Government had encouraged settlement and provided areas of TO acres for a school site. The vemng people who settled there thought a school iwould be established, vet they found a school could not be established until nine children were avnilnWe. He certainly expected better ■things from the Hon. ,1. A. Hanon. Mr. Dixon said that settlors in the hackblocks should he given more liberal educational facilitioo, even more than \\ere o'tvou at the centres. He looked to the Minister to eFect some reform. The fhairmau stated that they did not ask that schools should be establish-, ed. lint that the capitation allowance should bo raised to £l4 up to eight children, no matter what number. Mr. Trimble thouslit that it ivas unfair to ask the settlers to make up tha salary.

Dr. Anderson: The people have the advantage of cheap land.

iion. J A. Hanon said that since the | National Government was established, : more schools had been established inj the hackblocks than for many years previous. In New 'South Wales travelling) teachers had been triei. °i

Mr. AVilkinson: They would not be aj success here.

Hon. J. A. Hanan said iliat before 'a school could be Hiuilt there must be some guarantee of stability. It waSi suggested that the capitation should boj raised to £l4. He was anxious to help l settlers in the hackblocks to obtain educational facilities for their children, hut l he could not give an answer as to increasing the capitation until he know what amount of money it would cost. He had also to consider the question oi the increasing sums of money required for educational purposes otherwise. He would go into the question and see what would be involved by making some increase.