The Governor on Education. WELLINGTON, Yesterday.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1225, 6 May 1880, Page 3

The Governor on Education. WELLINGTON, Yesterday.

In his speech at the opening of the Normal school^ Governor Robinson said: Ho had carefully observed the working of the educational scheme here, and in other countries. He thought the New Zealand scheme admirable in its genrral design, but defec ive in two details. It ■was, he believed, the most comprehensive and ambitious scheme of free public instructions yet adopted by any country in the world; but he expressed a doubt, whether the programme of primary instruction was not too varied, and likely to prove too costly, and whether, considering the very early agre at which the majority of children are removed from s hool, the cramming of them with instruction on such a variety of subjects will not tend to lower the standard of efficiency in reading, writing, and arithmetic, objects of primary importance, and thus substitute a smattering of many subjects for thoroughness in few, and whether to attempt to provide machinery for supplying the whole youthful population of the colony with free education of a varied and advanced character embraced in six standards will not entail upon the country an expenditure more heavy than can be home. He expressed gieat regret that all local sources of revenue, such as school rates and fees, were done away with. He thought attendance should be compulsory, and also a small fee be charged. He also thought that the extent to which moral training is ignored in the national plan of education is to be regretted. The compromise regarding Bible - reading, adopted at home and in New South Wales, he thought advise one/ He .spoke strongly on this point, quoting a number of authorities as to religion being the best foundation of morality. He concluded by . saying: "I have thus stated to yoii frankly what appears to me to be the weak points in your educational plan, namely, that it will entail expenditure that the general revenue cannot well defray without assistance from local sources, and that the course of instruction prescribed fails to inculcate sufficiently the observance of those moral obligations which are essential to- the welfare of society. (Loud applause.) With these exceptions, I think that your scheme of national education is one of which any country might well feel proud, and that it is being administered with an earnestness and an ability which are deserving of all praise. "

The "Wonder of Her Sex.— A shipping disaster notice in a Glasgow newspaper ends as follows :~" The captain swam ashore, so did the stewardess ; hhe was insured for £5,000, and loaded with irqn."

His Idea and Hers. — Customer : "Mother wants a nice plump chicken, please." Shopman: "Trussed, miss?" Customer : " Oh, dear, no ! >~l an* going topfryforit," * : . • r