EDUCATION.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1211, 15 September 1874, Page 2

EDUCATION.

Judge Richmond in his charge to the Grand Jury at Ilokitika on Thursday last said " he was glad to see that tho Council had in its first session passed an Education Ordinance. As tending to the prevention of crime, the institution of some system qf National Education appeared to him of a vast importance. The view to bo taken of tho matter in a Criminal Court was, however, only one aspect of a vast subject. In its largest senso Education meant the harmonious developemcnt of the whole of tho human faculties, fitting the individual to become and be all that God and Nature intended. So defined, education appeared to include, or transcend, all other concerns and interest!:,— political, economical, aye! even religious, and to be the very business of life itself. Only a small part of this vast interest could, in existing circumstances, or perhaps in any circumstances, be directly taken charge of by the State. Even that small part could only be dealt with in a spirit of mutual concession and forbearance—of wise and charitable compromise. Let it be considered what were the questions involved. Religion —what is it? even, whether there bo such a thing? whether it can bo taught ? how it can be taught? what are the functions of the state? whether it is, or is not. tho Sovereign form of human society ? whether |ho Church (as uncjerstpqd by ibjs or thai; denomination) is the fiction of priests, or a divine reality ? Barely to namo these points shows the nature of tliQ tremendous differences which exist between men upon this subject. Wo weie treading upon treacherous ashes, beneath which lurked the fires of controversy, in every discussion upon tho question of National Education. The subject, then, was one on which every one would bo prepared to concede something if we were to liavo any common action. Viewing this common action ya of j;ho utmost importance to our wcll-being"a3 it community, he rejoiced to see 'that some measure of agreement had been attained. Let it not however, from anything said, bo supposed that ho

regarded such instructions as common schools woul 1 give as a panacea lor the diseases of that body politic, or as doing moro than tending towards the diminution of crime. There wcrcnielancholy examples within the knowledge of every man, in which the highest culture of intellect and taste had proved impotent to save the possessor from becoming the slave of the grossest propensities of our nature, And vice—private vice—" self-regard-ing" vice, as it is sometimes falsely termed, was ever apt to lead to crime. But on the other hand, the most rigid advocate of a purely religious culture would allow that even his ends were unattainable without some measure of what is called " secular knowledge." Dogmatic and religious teaching must be ineffectual—nay, impossible—without some instruction in the elements of common knowledge. Ts T o one would say he was putting the value of such knowledge too high in saying this much. And so in this age of the world, some degree of education appealed to be practically an indispensable condition of virtuous conduct. The grossly ignorant were, to say the least of ir, at a fearful disadvantage in these daj's-j exposed to all the trials and temptations of a high civilization, and unable to use, or feel, its best counteracting influences. The vacant intellect was a terrible danger. The common enemy was ever ready to sow with tares these mental fallow-fields. Evil Spirits thronged to take possession of every such vacant tenement. Again, therefore, gentleman (said His Honor) I congratulate you on what has clearly beeii accomplished in the promotion of this great interest of education. I congratulate you on the spirit of accommodation visible on the face of the provisions of the new law. It is to be hoped that the same spirit will animate all parties in the practical working of the measure, that the ground which has been gained will be kept; or, better still, that the present measure may lead in due time to something more complete and satisfactory.

The following paragraphs are extracted from the Colonise of the stli instant : To the Chairman of the Central Board. Sir, —Your Committee, after considering tlia very difficult question of augmentations, that has so often engaged the attention of the Board, have come to the following conclusions. 1, That the argumentation of teachers' salaries, with some reference to the number of children taught, is in itself fide and expedient, and affords an incentive to, and reward .'or, the energetic performance, of their duties on the part of the teachers. 2. That the principle just laid down, and heretofore applied to only 1o the head teachers in each school should be extended to the assistant teachers, and the augumentation in all cases of new appointments of head teachers be divided between the head teachers and the assistant in the following ratios : Where one assistant is employed, two-thirds to go to the head teacher, and one-third to the assistant. Where two assistants are employed, three-fifths to go to the head teacher, six-tenths of the remaining two-fifths to the second, and fpur-tonths to the third teacher. 4- The above alterations of salary to date from October Ist, 1874. (Signed) L. Broad, Chairman.