THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 857, 5 September 1871, Page 3

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

THE NfiW EDUCATION BILL. On Tuesday last, Mr Fox moved the second reading of the Education Bill in.'a temperate, liberal, and excellent speech. He said the Bill was introduced at the wish of the House last session, and the Government had done its best to prepare measures to suit the circumstances of the various communities. The Government did not make it a Ministerial measure. The House could deal with it as it thought fit, so long as the main features were preserved. The existing provisions for education in the different Provinces were not sufficient, and it Was necessary that some general scheme should be applied. The Government had answered as closely as possible to the resolutions passed last session, and they had not found it necessary to do much more than to consolidate the various existing Ordinances on the subject, further than to provide for a thorough system of inspection, and the encouragement of secondary and higher class schools. Government would not supersede existing machinery that wa? in active operation, but it assumed power to revise and initiate schools, should Provincial Boards fail to do their duty. Government would place itself at the head of education under responsible Ministers, a permanent Secretary, and a body of qualified Inspectors. Details would be left to Boards of districts. Existing Boards would remain tintil ! they could act in full co-opera-tion, and the new Boards would be composed of one person appointed by the Superintendent, and five others elected by the Provincial Councils. The Westland Board to consist of the County Council. Possibly some other form of constituting boards might be found desfirable, but that could be settled in committee. There might be a permissive clause enabling each Province to const-ifeute its own board as it thought best. The Government had no objection to amendments of the details, but the main principles of the bill would be preserved. The bill provided school committees for each local district, and the benefits of the measure were extended to Grammar, High, and possibly to Ragged and Night Schools. The Government laid great stress on the provision for a higher class of education. In every other country but England a graduatiou of schools was provided, by means of which the peasant boy could raise himself to the highest degree of learning. He instanced Scotland as a grand example, and quoted Lyon Playfair's speech on this subject in England. The Government considered inspection a great essential feature of the measure, for without good and constant inspection the qualification of teachers was lowered, and the character of schools deteriorated. The absence of efficient inspection obtained even in Otago and Canterbury. The scale of education was "perilously low" in most parts of the colony. As to religious teaching, he hoped the House would deal with the question in a broad catholic spirit. Mr Foster had said that there was no difficulty about this matter, and perhaps parents would not make a difficulty ; but it must not be forgotten that there were difficulties to be met, and the Government have endeavored to do so.

Possibly the hard logical way of meeting it was by adopting a purely secular system, but abstract logical conclusions were oftea totally unworkable when applied to actual business of society. "We had to fit a machine to suit the various circumstances of the community. He believed that the general feeling of parents was .in favour of non-sectarian, but religious teaching. Others were in favour of strictly secular education, and others of denominational. The Bill met all parties, although it provided for the reading of the Bible, and for religious teaching at stated periods;, the conscience clause enabled children to be withheld without affording advantage to schools ; the Bible was to be read either at the commencement or end of school hours, but at least two consecutive hours must be devoted to secular teaching—morning and evening. Provisions was also made for aiding schools in outlying districts, which would enable those who had conscientious scruples to secure the secular and religious training of their children. In schools managed by their co-religionists the compulsory clause was absolutely necessary. Even in OtagOj where only one half of the children went to schools; and in other Provinces not a fourth. He made an urgent and eloquent appeal to the House to deal with the question in an earnest and liberal spirit, and Concluded amidst loud cheers.

The general opinion is tfrat the Bill will pass with a modification of details, especially on the Constitution of Boroughs.