The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 1891. EDUCATION BOARDS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2189, 16 April 1891, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 1891. EDUCATION BOARDS.

Boards or Education are great institutions, and members of them are great men. No other men can act “ the little man dressed in brief authority ” to greater perfection. Last year the Trades and Labor Council met at Wellington, and a deputation from it waited on Sir Harry Atkinson, and, amongst other matters, represented to him that the want of a uniform set of school books was a great drawback to our education system, and the cause of unnecessary expense to the people. They represented that a uniform set of bookE should be adopted for the whole colony, so that when scholars removed from one school to another they would not be placed at the disadvantage oi having to begin books with which they were unacquainted, and theii parents would not be put to the expense of purchasing for them a new outfit. The proposal was so reasonable that it met with general approval bat shortly afterwards the trouble with Messrs Whitecombe and Tombs intruded itself, and this was followed by a general strike. Unionism was beaten, and ever since a certain class of people think that the proper thing to do is to snub anything which savors of unionism. This question of uniformity in school books has entangled itself deeply in unionism. The proposal first originated with unionists—it was, we believe, Mr J. A. Millai who brought it under Sir Harrj Atkinson’s notice—and Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs’ books are, we believe, great impediments to uniformity. Still, fmther, the presenl Minister of Education was elected or the unionist ticket, and since then urgent requests have been made tc him by unionists to forward theii interests in the direction of uniformity Iu addition to this Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs appear to be very much objected to by the unionists, while they are favored by Boards of Education, The Minister of Education has forwarded the representations of the unionists to the boards, and in most instances the boards haye been more or less discourteous to the Minister. They recognise that the unions are at the bottom of it all, say it is an attempt to boycot Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs, and show a disposition to resent it: Now we have stated the matter as fairly and as truthfully as our knowledge of the subject has enabled us, aud the conclusion we have come to is that the Education Boards are acting unwisely. The demand for uniformity is not only a reasonable but a proper demand, and one which ought to receive immediate attention. So long as the unionists present their demands under this guise Boards of Education have □o right to go behind the scenes to seek motives. They may feel satisfied with regard to motives, but they must treat the question from the point of view in which it is presented to them To do otherwise is to do what is unmanly and undignified. Boards of Education have not acted on this principle. They have done exactly the reverse, and thus, in our opinion, made a great mistake. Down in Otago Mr Jago animadverted on the actions of the unions, and what was the result P Mr Jago is no longer a member of the board. Now this is the point which we de ire to draw attention to. The result of violent resistance of this kind wdl be that men who are not fit to administer educational matters will be elected, and education will suffer- This is the idea we have been trying to inculcate all along. Instead of being met with sternness unionists ought to be met in a peaceable disposition, and such of their demands as are reasonable ought to receive attention- Their demand for uniformity is reasonable, and ought to be attended to without delay, and no consideration ought to stand iu the way of it. Democratic as we are we have no desire to see the management of public affairs pass into uneducated, incompetent hands, and this is just what will happen if we are to continue party warfare and party strife as we have been doing for the past 12 months. Members of Boards of Education are for the most part men of fair education, and we might reasonably expect from them to at least set a good example to those who have not enjoyed equal anvantages, Instead of that they hare allowed their passions and prejudices to influence their actions, and we are afraid the ultimate result will be detrimental to education,