The Tuapeka Times THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1871. "Measures, not Men."

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 188, 14 September 1871, Page 4

The Tuapeka Times THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1871. "Measures, not Men."

Some forty years ago, the attention of the British public and Legislature was strongly directed to the subject of popular education. The ignorance of tho mass of the populace, and the inadequacy of the educational institutions of the kingdom to cope with it, were forcibly urged. Lord Brougham, and other leading politicians and philosophers, raised the flag of national universal education ; and session after session the subject was discussed in Parliament. Apathy, ignorance, prejudice, and, above all, the conflicting claims of the various religious sects, were powerful obstacles ; and it was not till the last session of Parliament that a measure on a broad unsectarian principle was enacted, and a comprehensive system of national education inaugurated. It says much for the practical sagacity of the founders of this province, that that they anticipated, in their education scheme, the leading principles of the measure which, after nearly half a century of discussion, and the ; failure of numerous systems on a denominational basis, the British Parliament has at length enacted.

The Bill now under discussion in the Assembly is indebted for its most valuable features to the Ordinances of Otago. The only valuable principle it contains which is not to be found in the Otago Ordinance is compulsory education. In other respects, we consider the present sj'stem preferable to that which is proposed to be instituted. The machinery by which the Bill is to be worked is complicated and unnecessarily expensive, while some of the powers it vests in the Minister of Education would appear as if conferred with the express intention of bringing the Government into conflict with the Provincial Boards, and the Boards into collision with the local Committees. But these are venial errors — questions of detail — which may cause indeed temporaiy inconvenience, but, if amended, will leave no permanent derangement of our educational institutions. If these were the sole defects of the Bill, although it confers no advantage on Otago, it would deserve, for the sake of the less fortunate provinces, the hearty support of all. The clause referring to the establishment of Aided Schools is, however, in our opinion, an error of a different sort. Let the colony once in the smallest degree acknowledge its duty ♦to impart sectarian* instruction, and an interminable vista of blunders and disappointments is opened up. The mistaken step will soon be regretted; but it wiU be difficult to retrace it. Schools which are unworthy of the name will have sprung up in all directions ; teachers will have been appointed ; and in any attempt to return to a rational system, the cry of individual rights and vested interests will swell tho clerical clamour, to which we have already become somewhat accustomed. But it is not to a slight extent, or in exceptional circumstances, that the Bill allows of denominational schools. The clauses which authorise and regulate them are so artfully constructed as in a great measure at first sight i<"> disarm suspicion ; but when examined narrowly, the Bill will be found to be essential^ one for the encouragement of schools where religious dogmas are taught. The Provincial Boards are empowered to assist in the erection and maintenance of such schools. If the Boards for any reason refuse to avail themselves of this permission, the Minister, in the face of this refusal, can give the required assistance out of the revenue of the province in which the school is situated. Religious instruction may be given at the opening or close of any school meeting, in ordinary ca.-ses, four times a day. A minimum time is alloted for secular instruction — two hours in the forenoon and two in the afternoon ; but lest this modicum of non-religious education should prove irksome, the Minister has discretionary power to reduce it to an infinitesimal quantity. The schools are open to the government Inspector, and to him

alone. It is provided that %^Pr«oviucial Schools shall be open to iift visits of a ratepayer, or thfe parent of any child in attendance. In the case of Aided Schools, though the ratepayer has to support, and though^ under the compulsory clause he may be compelled, under a penalty of forty shillings a weak, to send his children, to them, b.e can claim no such privilege. His children during school hours are entirely secluded from, and he has no direct means of satisfying himself as to the character of the instruction they receive. Schoolbooks of any class may be used. The most glaring perversion of facts — the most lying legends may be imparted as history. The teacher is entirely under the control of the managers. The power of appointment or dismissal is vested in them without restriction. No. certificate of fitness is required in his case, as in that of teachers of Provincial Schools. There is little doubt that he will in many cases be elected less for his capacity as an educator than for services which he has rendered, or may render, to the religious coterie to which he is attached, and his continuance in office more on his success as a proselytiser than as a teacher. Dr. Mo ran has argued that as all religious sects save his are satisfied with the present system, were denominationalism introduced, his body alone would claim the grant, and erect separate schools. But this is simply saying that as they are satisfied with the present, they will be equally satisfied with another system quite different. If one religion is subsidised by the State, ! other sects will, were it only in selfdefence, hasten to claim their share of the public money. A school will ;be an adjunct to every church, chapel, or meeting-house ; the expense to the State will be immensely increased; while the efficiency of the schools will be impaired in the same proportion.

Surely our legislators may see that if England, with its immense revenues, found a denominational system too costly, it will never suit our beggared finances; if in the hands of the wealthiest . and most powerful ecclesiastical societies in the world, it proved inadequate for the education of the mass of the people, it will prove much more so in the hands of the scattered and struggling churches of this colony, if, where the circumstances were eminently favourable, the experi- v ment confessedly failed, what but tlisfippomfciueiifc can result from " repeating it under conditions altogether adverse ?