The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, MAY 14, 1889.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2627, 14 May 1889, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, MAY 14, 1889.

Equal and exact justice to all men. Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

Although not in possession of the full text of the Education Bill drafted by Mr George Fisher, late Minister of Education, which was intended by him to have been introduced as a Ministerial measure at the next session of Parliament, we have seen the synopsis of it published in our Wellington contemporaries. The original destiny of the Bill, of course, met with an untimely fate by the rupture in the, Cabinet, and the withdrawal of its author from the Government. It is dillicult to say if Mr Fisher will persevere in his first intentions l»y bringing the measure forward in his capacity as a private member ; or, whether the Government propose to include in their proaramine of legislation any Bill dealing with the existing system of education in which will be embodied views analogous to those promulgated by their late colleague. Be that as it may, there arc one or two important features in Mr Fisher's proposals that deserve careful attention and consideration. One of these is the proposal for raising the compulsory school age in the primary schools from 5 years to G years; and the other is one which provides for a change in the administration of the national system by the abolition of the present Boards and local committees, erecting in their places new District Boards. Much lias been said and written on the first point, and it has been clearly shown in its

favour that by fixing the school age at from 6 years to 13 or 14 years and limiting primary education to the fourth standard, the State would not only be performing as much for the people as can reasonably be expected of it, but, also, that the present excessive expenditure would be largely reduced to proportions more within the means of the colony. This argument has also received additional strength from the meditated changes in the national system in Germany, where a Bill has been brought before the E-eichstag to make the compulsory school age G years. There is no doubt this matter will occupy the attention of our legislators in the coming session as being one of the most practical methods of curtailing the cost of the cumbrous machinery this colony has been committed to. Mr Fisher's proposed modification in the. executive constitution of the education system touches upon a principle of reform we have frequently urged in <hese columns. To ensure a more tttijeient and economical administration of -public instruction it should be regarded as absolutely necessary to simplify the existing system, and this could be made part of a general schema for more responsible local government. There are many valid objee- I tions to both the present Education

Hoards and school committees, The Hoards are expcnsiye : t.liey arc also only too frequently made sub servient to tlio whimsicalities and fads of members who desire to ait their own imaginary erudition and toposo as authorities on educational matters, whilst parents have to bear the expense, children suffer the consequences, and teachers to submit to their vagaries. The Hoards, being composed of city members, cannot be so id to be in sympathy with the country. We recently pointed out an instance of this in respect to the junior scholarship, for which it seems hopeless for country pupils to compete. '1 ho functions of the Hoards embrace areas too wide either for their ellicient performance or sufficiently within the limits of the grants from the gencnil Government, and may be pointed to as an example of centralism on a small scale wherein (lie disadvantages are on the side of the country. Local school committees were intended to supply a medium of sympathetic relationship between the Boards and the country, but for all practical use in the cause of education they are as a fifth wheel to a coach. They have no responsibility beyond the expenditure of a paltry annual pittance from the I Hoards, which could be as safely entrusted to the teachers. The part they take in the appointment of

teachers is very shadowy and merely one of courtesy ; the Boards decide those matters I)'forehand on the recommendations of scholastic experts in their own service. Elected l>y that iniquitous cumulative form of roting, school committees, as a general rule, .seem to he specially designed to torture the schoolmasters, should they lie spirited enough to resent the interference of a set of men intellectually their inferiors, or to make tools of them if weak-minded enough to submit to the dictation of chairman or committeemen. With a central Department of Education in Wellington Ihe official woik contains much useless repetition between it and the Boards, which is a natural corrollary of the duplication of labour so painfully conspicuous in almost every branch of our public service. Mr Fisher's plan is evidently intended to bring the system into more concrete shape, by merging together the Boards and committees, and thus create two bodies in place of three who shall be entrusted with the work of national education, at the same time preserving the direct popular interest in their duties and election. The Department in Wellington would remain responsible,, through its Minister, to Parliament for the policy of Education and the expenditure of the annual votes, the District Boards being intended to carry on all the actual work in connection with educational affairs within each of their respective boundaries. With this principle, we have always agreed. Without knowing in what manner the late Minister of Education proposes to create his District Boards, we still cling to the belief that the present Education Boards and School Committees should be abolished, and the County Councils take the place of both in one. In the scheme of wider powers for County Councils which we have before advocated, we maintain that the control, amongst other duties, of the work of education within their respective districts should be given to them. They would comprise all the requirements of the proposed new Boards without the necessity for introducing fresh constructive machinery, they are elected by popular vote ; and, with enlarged responsibilities, would be as representative of the wisdom and intelligence of the community as any elective body need be. The inspection of schools, as Mr Fisher proposes, would be carried out by inspectors appointed by the Government, with whom there should bono interference from the local authorities ; and the grants to each County Council for educational purposes might be based, per cnpil'i, on the population of each county.