THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2058, 3 August 1885, Page 2

THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

The Tablet in a recent issue ha^very r trenchant article- on the above subject characterising the Minister of Education's i recent speech as dissappointing in the extreme, judging from the report of it. i We publish the following extract, Which will be read with interest by a largVpor- ' tion of the communitylt has neither eloquence or argument, nothing to stimulate the intellect, nothing to fire the ■■ fancy, not a spark of wit or humour. It is humdrum, commonplace in matter, ridiculous in its assumptions, slovenly in its diction,, altogether unworthy of a thirdrdass schoolmaster, and that of a pedagogue who undertakes to enlighten a class of urchins not far advanced in . the three Rs. Its omissions, too, aro very strange, Nothing is said about the enormous and unnecessary oxpense setupiy his favorite system; how it has effica®. ously shut up all private" and denominational schools, with the exception of such as' are. Roman Catholic, and 1 rendered healthy competition impossible/ Nothing is said about the unnecessary and enormous expense, except, indeed, to recommend an increase of it, Nothing is said about the £IOO,OOO wasted annually in providing a' resting-place, a system of nurseries for infants between five and seven years of age; firing, about the monopoly, by one of although all the people are compelled to pay for them. The Minister's political vision must be very limited. He cannot even conceive a national system of' education that would be religious and in accordance with the law of God. He has no idea that any but a godless system can bo possible. He cannot even imagine that all denominations might be compelled, and assisted on equitable principles, to maintain schools for their own children. He cannot even imagine that possible which, nevertheless, exists, in Canada, Englafiji, Prussia, Austria, etc. So it is, an<[»i view of this state of his mind, it surprising his speech is so dull, spiritless, and utterly commonplace. It is not, however, without drift, aud that is, that more money, even in these depressed times, should be spent in providing more godlessness, because ho thinks it should be so, May Heaven help the country that has such a Minister of Education,'