Hill. — On University Extension, 397 



for our primary system is scientifically very defective, seeing 

 that it is non-adaptive to the needs of the people. I appre- 

 ciate to the fullest the fact that the svstem offers to everv 

 child in the country the right of receiving a certain type of 

 instruction, but there is a wide gulf between a permit to re- 

 ceive a certain form of instruction and the giving of instruc- 

 tion which is adaptive and anticipatory. However, like every- 

 thing else, education is evolutionary, and it may be assumed 

 that the time will come when a modification will be found 

 necessary in our primary system such as is here suggested. 



Before proceeding to discuss the question of university 

 extension in this country it may be well to review in outline 

 our present educational standing. We are supposed by many 

 to be tending to a purely socialistic form of government. 

 Much of our legislation is said to be tending that way, but to 

 those who strive to harmouize the tendencies of legislation in 

 its application to life the facts hardly support the contention. 

 The education system such as we have is certainly not 

 democratic in its tendency. In some measure the country 

 has charge of primary education, but every step outside the 

 primary stage up to the university itself is only the semblance 

 of State control without any of the powers which are neces- 

 sary to bring the various educational forces into one har- 

 monious whole. There is no continuous and complete 

 scheme of education established even in the matter of 

 primary education, and the high schools and university 

 colleges, such as are in operation in various centres, are 

 carried on by authorities altogether independent of Govern- 

 ment control, although all of them are maintained in great 

 part out of revenues derived from State endowments. Under 

 what is known as the " voluntary system " it is easy to under- 

 stand the difference between the aided and the public schools 

 of England. The latter are self-sustaining, and offer a type 

 of education specially adapted to English polity. Public 

 schools like Eton, Harrow, and Cheltenham are purely class 

 schools established for specific purposes. They receive no 

 Government aid, and need no Government control, as their 

 prestige can only be sustained by maintaining high tone,, 

 efficient control, and capable tuition. But English prece- 

 dents cannot be taken as applying to this country. The 

 people of New Zealand possess no hereditary rights, and 

 what is understood in England as " society " and class 

 distinction do not and cannot exist here. Environment is a 

 factor that cannot be neglected, and it is certain that what- 

 ever advantages there are in education, no matter of what 

 kind or character, those advantages belong in common to all 

 the people of every kind and degree. The difficulties which 

 have limited until lately the educational advantages of the 



