The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 1865.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5001, 22 January 1885, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 1865.

The expense of providing education for the people has proved a very severe tax on the legislature of New Zealand, and the colonial revenue has had to provide large sums for the carrying out of this object. The schemes promulgated have worked well as far as results go, but the expense gone to to produce those results has been enormous. There can be no doubt that were colonial finances in a highly flourishing state there might be riomerjnstificatioW for~~a~rarge expenditure under the bead we refer to, but considering the demands made upon the Treasury, every care should be taken in regulating the outlay. It is a matter beyond question that primary education is a care of the state which will not admit of neglect, and too much attention towards efficiently carrying it out cannot be paid. Secondary education has been tacked on to the system, and is likely to very seriously act as a drag on it. It is very desirable that nothing should be placed in the way of any obstruction to the march of progress, but we are inclined to think that not until the primary system is firmly and permanently established, should the secondary portion of the scheme be introduced. The Colony in its present con- i dition cannot conveniently bear the many calls it has upon its resources, and we are inclined to the belief, that the sums paid by the people through the Government in aiding secondary schools would be more advantageously expended in extending primary education. As a rule the classes of people desiring the higher education of j their children are able, and in the i majority of instances willing, to pay for what they get, without calling upon the State to provide anything towards the maintenance of the schools they make use of. The enormous expense attached to carrying out the education system on its present lines will, if not curtailed, tend to strangle it, and as far as at present appears, something to lessen the outlay on it, is immediately required to be seen to. One of the first steps in such a direction is, one would naturally think, not likely to be directed towards any decrease of knowledge under the primary portion of the system ; we say rather let it be a saving of expenditure in the secondary part of the scheme. Let not the rudimentary be interfered with, but place a tax on, or lessen the expense to the State of providing higher education. All should be instructed in the necessary rudiments of an ordinary education, but the higher branches should not, with the state of our finances staring us in the face, and a threatened ref.rm-of the system —for economical purposes—before us, be made a drag upon the people's revenue. Secondary education will doubtless re« ceive some attention during the coming session, when it will more than probably be found that very great reductions will hare to be made in votes, and.doubtless the wisdom of not interfering with the primary portion of it, as far as outlay goes, will bo seen.