210

have been or may hereafter be set apart for educa-
tional purposes.

These Acts were passed respectively in the years
1855, 1857, and 1862, and are entitled:—

1st. "An Act to Promote the Establishment of
Common Schools in the province of Wellington."

2nd. "An Act to amend an Act of the second session of the Provincial Council," intituled "An Act
to Promote the Establishment of Common Schools in
the province of Wellington."

3rd. "An Act to Provide for the Management of
Educational Reserves."

The first of these Acts prescribes the system on
which the schools supported by public funds are to
be conducted.

The province is, by proclamation of the Superin-
tendent, to be divided into convenient districts, the
boundaries of which may from time to time be altered
as circumstances may require.

The initiation of all proceedings relating to schools
is left to the direction of the registered voters in
each district, any six of whom may call a meeting
of such voters to make provision for the establish-
ment and maintenance of common schools within
the district.

Further proceedings are then handed over to
general meetings of householders, though it does not
clearly appear how these meetings are originated, or
in what way the preliminary meeting of the voters
affects subsequent proceedings.

It is, however, to the householders, who are the
ratepayers of the district, that the substantial power
is given.

School Committees.

A general meeting of rate-payers must be held
every year for the transaction of business generally,
and more particularly for the election of a school
committee for the management of the schools in the
district.

The general meeting may assess a rate not
exceeding one pound on every house in the district,
to be expended for the purposes of the Act.

The Superintendent may supplement the rates
or voluntary contributions, out of monies appro-
priated by the Provincial Council.

Religious Instruction.

This Act expressly prohibits religious instruction
being given in any school maintained wholly or in
part by moneys raised under the powers here given;
and also prohibits ministers of religion from teaching
or otherwise interfering in the conduct or manage-
ment of any such school, unless in his capacity as a
member of the school committee. It appears, how-
ever, to have become necessary to relax the stringency
of this rule, and with this object, the second act
above-mentioned was passed, allowing instruction to
be given in the Bible, but without notes, comments,
or doctrinal or sectarian teaching, either before or
after the hours appointed for secular instruction, and
this only by the special authority of the school com-
mittee, to be given in writing, and a notice to that
effect must be posted at the door of the school, in
order that any child whose parents desire it may be
withdrawn.

The third Act vests certain educational reserves in
the Superintendent and his Executive Council, who
are empowered to grant leases for any term not ex-
ceeding 21 years. The proceeds, after deducting
expenses, to be applied towards educational purposes
within the province, as may be directed by the Pro-
vincial Council.

III.—Nelson.

Legislative Enactments.

There are four Acts of the Nelson Province relating
to education.

1st. An ordinance passed in February, 1855,
authorising the Superintendent to appoint a Commis-
sion to enquire into and consider what system of
education should be adopted for the province.

2nd. The original Education Act, passed in March,
1856, based upon the report of the Commissioners
appointed under the first Act, and prescribing rules
for the management of the schools.

3rd. The Education Amendment Act, altering the
Education Act in certain particulars, and passed in
the year 1858.

4th. A second Amendment Act, passed in July,
1862, making further provisions for the appointment
of Local Boards.

In pursuance of the authority given to the Super-
intendent by the first of these Acts, it appears that a
Commission was appointed, who, after careful con-
sideration, presented a very able report upon all the
circumstances affecting the education of the province,
embodying in the form of resolutions their recom-
mendations, and adding an explanatory memorandum
of the considerations which had weighed with them
in arriving at these conclusions.

The original Education Act, passed in the follow-
ing year, adopted the suggestions made by the
Commission, and their nature will be perceived
in the following summary of the provisions of the
Act.

School Districts.

The Superintendent may constitute school dis-
tricts within the province.

Rates.

The Act prescribes the levying of a rate of one
pound on every householder in the province, and a
further sum of five shillings for every child between
the ages of five and fourteen years, if there are not
more than four children in the house, no rate being
levied on account of any children beyond that
number.

Thus the maximum amount receivable from each
householder is two pounds, the minimum one pound.

The collection of the rate is effected by making
it obligatory on every householder to pay his assess-
ment at a time and place fixed by the Board, and
of which at least twenty-one days’ notice must be
given in some newspaper of the province. In case
of default, the amount may be recovered in a
summary way before any Justice of the Peace.