THE EDUCATION STATEMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2176, 19 June 1886, Page 2

THE EDUCATION STATEMENT.

IBY TKI.KGKU'H.— I'ItKsS ASSOCIATION.] Welmnt.tdn, Friday Night. In the H'Mi^, this mening, tho Premier made his Kducition Statement. It occupiod an hour in delivery. He said tho department w.is more economically conducted than before, but the increase in scholars hy 5100 had necessitated an increase in the general vote. There were now 102,407 childien on the rolls with tMI t Ml average attendance of about 80,000. New standards and assistance in diawing m a compnlnoiy subject had Wen well received. The main part (if the Kt.itoencnt wa« devoted to expounding the ref-inus which he believed were necessity. The main fault of the Unhersity with that it regarded examinations an all-iinp>rtant, and nogltcted teaching. It was a trust with affiliated colleges, nnd no provision exiatrd for making it the home of research. His own id«» ww that there should bo a college in each of the four largo towns, each with a speciality. Auckland was well euited for mwitimo teaching, astronomy, marine engineerincr; Wellington for jurisprudence, polittcnl economy, and history ; Chri«tchnrch for agriculture and geoloary ; and Dunedin for medicine. The secondary schools required loi)king after, and a statute would be devised toitiakethommoreuniformin character. Th« primary Hchools weroimpro\ing, bntwerenot perfect. Secondary schools and university colleges must be carefully nurtured. Tho need of tonchincal education was becoming slowly, but surely recognised. If each cinntv council were empowerod to start ft small model farm the State mgiht assint by [i lying Dart of the salary of the teacher. He hoped to see reading books prepared in the colony for the use of the children. After reviewing «ome coloni.il schools* ho said that whilst asking tho House to vote tho sum on tho Estimates, tho (Governments proposed to take power in an Appropriation Bill to reduce the vote by £4000 if the Committee of Supply leported that tho civil service «alaries are to be reduced. He was sorry to make such a proposition, but the Government must keep faith with the House regarding the promise of retrenchment.