EDUCATION FOR ALL.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 989, 24 October 1878, Page 2

EDUCATION FOR ALL.

,Sik,- T ie subject of a more liberaHmd eonipcf;- sysfcin of education for t'ie uulivjj ebildrou, Trho arc* groAriug- up, i 8

one which is occupying o* considerable amount of attention, and a few remarks from ono who has been connected in business with that abused race, for the past twenty years, may not be out ot place. In commencing, I cannot do better tlum refer to that part of *ftfr Sheehan s policy, in whioh he proposes to establish Sative dwelling houses, in connection with schools, for as he wisely and tahngly »- marks, all progress that jthe children make at school, is immediately .lost, -npon theureturn to the usual wretched huts, and theuvwhole course of schooling is often under existing oircumHtances taore a source of evil than good: The Position of Whatawhata being the centre of a number of native settlements, genders it very suitable for the establishment of one of those dwelling houses.. The natives in the district are perfectly aware of , and appreciate Mr Sheehan' s policy m this respect, and woukl be willing to assist, either in money, or in manual labour, m erecting such a house. , There are a number of native reserves in the. tOAvnsliip, so that there would.be no difficulty as to a site. At Karakariki,; a few miles down the Waipa, there ai o ; tho romams of what has been informer times a large and flourishing. native sohool; and, although | reduced to eight or ten scholars, it still has its Government teacher, an educated and good man, Avho Avould be glad to find in Whatawhata a larger sphere of usef illness, bringing his pupils with him. It the late Andrew Barton had lived to this summer, ho intended building upon lus allotment in Whatawhata, so that his children might attend the public school liere, and be removed as far as possible from the ordinary native life. As it is, *ve have now, at our school^ native boys from the Piako, others from Waitetuiia, and some from other districts, and so far; there has never been any cause for com plaint, either in the cleanliness or the manners of the half-caste ur native scholars. We shall, no doubt, shortly have a certificated male teacher, and a well organised school. It is to be hoped that Mr Sheehan will cany out this part of hia JN ative Policy, as he will find many ready and willing to assist, for it should be our pleasure, as it is unquestionably our duty, to do our utmost to educate and improve this race, which is disappearing so fast.— lasroHAMUS.