Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878] SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19,1892.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4279, 19 November 1892, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878]

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19,1892.

betno the extenoed title op the Waibaiiapa Daily, with which it is identical

The Masterton School Committee is not tbe only one which finds its annual expenditure exoeeding its annual income, and. which questions whether it can find a small coin to purchase the ha'p'orth of tar required for keeping the ship afloat, Masterton, indeed, with its endowment from the Town Lands Trust, is almost wealthy as contrasted with some less fortunate Committees. Our free education system, no doubt, goes all the way in theory; but, in practice', it stops short at such things.as books and school stationery. Tho Education Fund of the Colony has to be supplemented by contributions from parents and guardians, and by the proceeds of social and literary entertainments. -It is trne the Education Boards gives all Committees grants whiob enable them to buy an occasional broom, and to purchase in cold weather a cord or so of wood; but the dole is so small that nineteon Committees out of twenty find it insufficient for the purposes whioh it is supposed to cover. One Committee, that of Napier, is reported to be Bimply bankrupt, We do not know if it proposes to file its schedule; probably not, m it is hardly in a position to pay the fee required by the official assignee foradeclaration of insolvency, Nevertheless this Committee is in a bad way. Once npon a time it used to raJße the odd pocket money whioh all Committees must get together, by oharging eaoh ;-pupil sixpence per quarter for stationery; This little fee realised £lO per annum and enabled the Committee to keep its head above water. But a cry was raised that a sixpenny quarterly fee was not free education 'and the impost was abandoned. On the same basis payment I for lesson .books jb hot free education and if the principle he abandoned in one direction:it : may just as.well be u)lqwed a little, latitude in another. Tho Idueatiopal.Pepartment should provide ;a|lVnepessjjrjeß;|n accordance jith the spepiaHntention of the Act. If it fujls'tqlo so Committees should certainly be allowed some discretion fa

raising ways and meanß to mnkeJjoth , ends meet Sooner or later tho Edu»; , cation Act will requite some revision. Its administration one way and an« j other is unduly expensive, and the , Colony does not get in many respeols on adequate return lor the' vast expenditure ryhioh is incurred. Local Committees.are mopciphers, audit would be a distinct advantage if one central board for the whole of the Colony were established and the present buffer local boards swept away. There would then be plenty of money to spare for the legitimate needs of local Committees and the status of these useful bat unimportant bodies would be improved,