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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 40

The "Otago Daily Times" in a Leading Article on 2nd July, 1880, Says :

The "Otago Daily Times" in a Leading Article on 2nd July, 1880, Says :

"There are mutterings that threaten the whole fabric of State education on the score of expense, and it is within the range of possibility that those who take this view of our present system may hereafter be willing to coalesce with those who are dissatisfied because they regard the State system not merely as secular, but as absolutely irreligious and immoral, in bringing about such a modified system of 'payments by results" as we have several times sketched in these columns—a system which would leave greater freedom to all who are anxious to combine religious with secular instruction by making the State the equal distributor of all public grants for secular instruction only, and would allow each separate educational organization to give what religious instruction it pleased. This would be an absolutely impartial system; but, after all, the State schools would be necessary to supplement the imperfect efforts of private enterprise and religious zeal. There is just a possibility that the expense to the State might be lessened by such a course, but the unsettled point is, would not a large number of children be left without education? We do not know how that is to be answered, except by actual experience. The only advice we have to tender to those who believe our present State system is compatible with a reasonable amount of moral and religious instruction being imparted to the children is, to carefully follow the working of the new regulations in New South Wales. If our neighbours succeed, contrary to our expectations, in solving the difficult problem, it will be worth while to consider the propriety of following in their footsteps. If they fail, as we fear they will, it will be useless for us to imitate their example. In that case there will be, so far as we can see, no practicable alternative between an absolutely and exclusively secular State system, and a system of payment by results."