The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1879.

Temuka Leader, Issue 188, 21 October 1879, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1879.

Major Atkinson's Financial Statemmt, delivered last week in the General Assembly, making allowance for every exageration and jumbling of figures, in the vain hope of being able to make a case against a former Government, must, nevertheless, be taken as proof positive that we are living beyond our means. The only remedy lie suggests is taxation. He tells the Assembly very plainly that taxation must bo resorted to. Looking carefully over the itoms of our annual expenditure, our attention is drawn to one item in particular, that for education. It appears the vote for education of three years back was £200,000, now it has increased till last year, when it reached the sum of £400,000. This may not, by some, be considered a largo amount when placed side by side with the vote of three millions and a half passed by the British Government for the same purpose ; but when • - b >ek in thought to tno time (onlv a ! 'I he whole revenue of ~ , f .< 1 '

ture, for the purpose of education alone. | No doubt it is a proud boast to be able to ! sa.C, tho rising generation amongst us promises fairlv to be in the matter of education, a generation which will compare with any of the most favored nations in the civilised world. But it is a matter for grave co' federation whether we are no going too far. £400,000 is a large sum for such' a young country ; and yet, to carry out the present system, the vote must go on increasing year by year. It has often raised the question with us whether free education can be successfully carried out iu such a young colony. Another question arises, is this sum judiciously administered. It is a fine thing, no doubt, to have schools planted at every few miles distance and to have seminaries for learning in every centre of population ; but it is not only possible but probable that our educational department, are carrying their ideas of education too far. When we hear of new schools being sanctioned for this or that little group of settlers, who are able to gather a twenty children together, it always leads us to ask ourselves the question where is all the money to come from, to keep up all these little establishments. We hinted a little time ago to those who objected to a small tax on l.nd, tnat their objections might turn nut short sighted. This is very likely soon to be proved a fact. A Land Tax was proposed to apply chiefly to large land owners and, these, it must be admitted, are most able to b'-ar taxation. But an Educational Tax may be imposed in such a form as to chit-fly affect the small land owners, or occupiers. Although the sum named as last be considered largo, yet it is found inadequate to me :t the demands made upon Educational Boards,and an application from these Boards in both inlands must and will be made for a large increase in the next vote, as an absolute necessity for the working of the system. Can a larger sum be granted, it is very doubtful, and yet our Boards keep building wooden schoolrooms and houses, a 3 if the supply were inexhaustibl, and as if these wooden buildings were to last for ever; like our wooden bridges ; the annual amount required for their repairs is yearly increasing, and like them also, reconstruction will eoon be a question which must be faced. Is it not then time for our Educational Departments to put some check upon tins indiscriminate buildings of wood all over the country. While we thus write we know we are likely to incur the ire of some few settlers here and there, who think, because their children have a three or four miles to walk to school they are entitled to a school being built at their own. door, such opposition, will not drive us from what we feel to be our duty to sound a warning.note before it is too late. In the old countries of Europe it is nothing unusual for children to have to walk five or six miles to school. Surely iu this warmer and drier climate it is not a very great hardship to have to do the same. As railways increase, the need for this even will decrease. It is a question whether it would not be cheaper for the State to grant free passes on the railway than to continue building and patching up wooden school-houses. In the case of the South C anterbury Board of Rducation, which is fast fulfilling all that we predicted of it, as to expenditure and unnecessary waote of public money, it is to be feared, are giving way to popular clamor for schools in sparsely-populated distri"ts. 1 orgetting the fact that demands will soon be made by the more thickly popu'ated districts for buildings more in keeping with the times. Revolving the whole question in our mind, we can eomo to no other conclusion than that certain portions, at least, of the colony will very soon be thrown upon their own resources. Some time ago, the clamour was great for local self-government. The wishes of such are very likely soon to be realised, but in a way which will compel us to put our hands into our pockets deeper than we have yet done, in order to secure a continuance of these institutions amongst us in a healthy state. Taking Temuka for an example, some LISOO to L2OOO has been expended upon wooden buildings which are now barely decent. Very soon they will have to be swept away altogether, and buddings of more durable and expensive materials put in their place. Looking at this as a necessity very soon, we ask ourselves whore is the money to come from ? As with Temuka, so with Gcraldine, Winchester, Pleasant Point, and other centres of population. It must be confessed the prospect is not very pleasing. A poll-tax and a house tax are not improbable as being a part of the budget of any Government who may hare to grapple with the present financial deficiency. . The onlv regret we can express at the present Ministry having to leave office, is that it will deprive us of the services of the Hon. Mr Rolleston as Minister for Education. Some considerable time ago Mr Rolleston unfolded to us a scheme for National Schools of durable materials, upon a plan that could be acted upon in a way to meet increasing demands for accommodation to growing districts, or townships. Until something of this sort is ail opted there will be nothing put patching up and adding to the most unseemly structures. Mr Rolleston we have ever been of opinion, is the most suitable person that could* not be as the head os the Education Department, and it is a pity that things could be for arranged to let us have the benefit of his experience. Guided by more staid heads, he might be kept from meddling with those things which li6 has given evidence that he is not fit for dealing with. If any single department requires the undivided attention it is that of Education. On this hangs to a great extent the success and prosperity of the colony. The Education Department will never be in a healthy state until the undivided attention of a Minister is specially given to this subject. With Mr Rolleston as Minister for Education only, and Mr E. G. Wgriht on their side as Minister of Public Works, the Macandrew Government could defy any Opposition that could bo framed, and they country would be safe.