460 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



one hundred and eighty for the central school. This school- 

 building would be provided with six suitable rooms, for natural 

 science, mathematics, drawing and sewing, English, science, 

 and a laboratory. 



Then a competent teacher would be required for each 

 department. This might prove a slight difficulty at first, but 

 every year would help to remove it. There are many suitable 

 assistants available who are now teaching children to spell, 

 Avhile the teacher of science at present would be more suitably 

 occupied in their places. 1 do not think any one would doubt 

 that a three years' course in such a school would put new life 

 and new vigour into this young country. I hope I have said 

 enough as to the utter futility of employing any but competent 

 teachers. 



To enumerate all the benefits arising from such a change 

 would compel me to double the length of this paper, which is 

 already too long; but, at the risk of being tedious, I will 

 enumerate a few. 



It will enable science to be at last properly taught, which 

 cannot be done without a teacher that knows it, and the 

 scientific apparatus that illustrates it. 



It will realise the long-desired benefit of having drawing 

 taught in a manner suited to the wants of mechanics. 



It will supply the right kind of students to the various 

 technical schools that are now being founded in the colonies. 

 But I need hardly point out that such schools will prove 

 failures unless a better preparatory training be given to the 

 pupils. 



It will enable parents to provide a higher education for 

 their children, when they do not desire Latin and French as 

 an essential part of it. A central school such as I advocate 

 would soon furnish the teachers of the sciences and of mathe- 

 matics at the University College with the best stamp of stu- 

 dents—students that would be trained to develope the resources 

 of this colony, while now they fritter away their best years on 

 subjects that are but the shell and husks of an education. 



At the commencement of this paper I mentioned that the 

 philosopher Darwin was delighted with the skill that the 

 Maoris at the mission-station displayed as agriculturists and 

 as artisans. And now, in conclusion, let me ask, Is it not in 

 our power, before this manual labour is commenced by our 

 own people, to impart to them not only the principles of the 

 operations, but also the power of reading with ease the 

 scientific books that relate to each one's own occupation ? 



