Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 1874. "MEASURES, NOT MEN."

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 391, 16 September 1874, Page 2

Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 1874. "MEASURES, NOT MEN."

At the last meeting of the Education .Board, an application fro>n Adams Flat was put in for a teacher. To this the Board demurred, on the ground that the

actual attendance at the School did not exceed twelve children, and the Board did not feel itself warranted to supply h teacher for such a small handful of pupils. It, moreover, came out that the Board had done a little towards making that clause in the Ordinance operative, which empowers the establishment of halftime sohools, and . intimated that Adams Flat might, if conveniently situated, be a half-time school. As the salary of a teacher ; and> allowance- for rent would amount t» at least £75, for the number in actual attendance at Adams Flat School the application meant that the Govern-

ment should educate these children at the rate of £6 or £7 a-head, perhaps more, when the Government share of current expenses should be added to the salary of the teacher. Now, however important education may be, we do not think any man should come upon the Government with suchademand. Supposing, as is sometimes the case, that three or four in a family attend school, at this rate, about £30 a-year of public money are voted towards doing for one family what the heads of it ought to feel it a duty to do themselves. The initiation of half-time schools, we hold to be necessary among a scattered population, such as ours. We have made some enquiries on this subject, and find that it is very easy to get up a memorial to Government containing a long list of children within a certain radius fit to attend school ; but when the school comes to be established, it will be found that not more than a third will be in actual attendance ; and, moreover, those who were zealous in getting up a public school, will not be quite so zealous in keeping their children in attendance, We Knew a case where a school was established as an adventure school, and where the attendance was small ; and with a view to obtain Government support, the children were, for a few \veek3, mustered in numbers, but when the point was gained the attendance again subsided. During the winter months, the attendance at these schools is small — smaller than it ought to be. Now, we have no hesitation in saying, when it is so, it is not keeping faith with the Government, which, considering its resources, supports education with no niggardly hand, and it is not just to the teacher. It discourages his efforts ; and he comes in for a full share of dissatisfaction from the parents that their children do not come on with a rapidity sufficient to please them, when the teacher has not had a chance to do his full duty in the matter. We are prepared to find that this provision in the Ordinance will excite dissatisfaction wherever it is applied. It is an easy thing to grumble : indeed, it is one of the patented privileges of the British nation. But we must be reasonable, and look the matter in the face. The Government cannot afford to pay £6 or £7 per head, aa in the case of Adams Flat School, for the actual work done by a teacher. It ought not even to be called, unx>n to give £3 or £4 a-head ; and the man who thinks that an injury is done him unless the Govern.vernment return him so much out of the public treasury for doing what he ought to regard as a sacred privilege to do for himself, is neither reasonable nor just towards the State. As education has become a Government institution, we should allow, within reasonable limits, every district to have its fair share of educational advantages, and this, we hold, can only be done in certain cases by the establishment of half-time schools. We also believe, the arrangement will be the best for these districts themselves. Several of the ap. pointm en ts to the temporarily aided schools have not been much of an addition to those districts where they have been settled. There are noble exceptions ; but better remuneration, which the Government would be able to yive by widening ! the scope of a teacher's labor, would ensure a better class of men. Moreover, other professional men have to combine places to, as nearly as possible, supply the wants of all ; and why should not schoolmasters do the same 'I If the public meeting lately held re Tuapeka Hundred has Hot accomplished all that was wished and asked for, we are glad to say it has not been barren of results, as the following communication will show :—: — " Provincial Secretary's Office, " Dunedin. 11th Sept., 1874. "Matthew Hay, Esq., Mayor, Chairman public meeting, Lawrence. "Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 3rd instant, enclosing resolutions passed at a public meeting at Lawrence on the 31st ultimo, respecting the manner in which the lands in the Tuapeka Hundred should be opened for occupation. ".After careful consideration of the resolutions adopted by the meeting, and the various reasons so ably urged by you in the letter enclosing the resolutions, the Crovernnient are fully convinced that it would be desirable to open a suitable area of the hundred under the Agricultural Lease Begulahons. As soon therefore as the survey of the hundred has been made, due care will be taken to cause a sufficient area to be opened under the -Agricultural Lease Regulations to meet the requirements and views of the petitioners. — I have the honor to be, &c, "D. Eeid, " Provincial Secretary." " Better half a loaf than no bread " is a very sensible sentiment, and while we admit we see no reason why the whole of the land comprised in the hundred cannot be thrown open under the leasing system, we shall be content to accept what the Government consider " a sufficient area to meet the requirements and views of the petitioners. "