116 Timehrr. 
the Agricultural School, for which the necessary funds were provided also in — 
the Hodgson administration, should early be established and got into full 
working order. For the girls, a school of Domestic Science is sadly needed, 
and, it may be, some legislator will champion its cause into existence during 
this Court, if the Government will notinitiate. Imagine the trade in preserves 
and pickles that must result from the existence of such an institution ! 
Imagine the increase in population with more wholesome cooking and better 
feeding! Will this not confer greater benefit on the girls of the colony than 
the Needlework Scholarships recently created ? Parents are severely taxed 
to know what to do with their daughters ; surely the Government will not 
continue té look on with supine indifference, and merely to join the religious 
authorities in deploring the lack of morality in our midst. Let honest labour 
receive due recognition and be made possible for all of our intelligent and well- 
disposed girls ; let the industrious daughter of the farmer, artisan, and labourer, 
receive more respect from those in authority than the girls of doubtful repute, 
of lighter complexion, and fashionable appearance ; let moral worth be given 
preference by the State and leading citizens ; then quite a healthy impetus 
will be given to the women of this community. 
Now, a few remarks on higher education. Much real progress has been made 
in secondary education within the last two decades, and the colony can boast 
to-aay of giving the boys an education that attains to the open Scholarship 
Examination Standard at Oxford or Cambridge. The local press has done 
much to bring this about, especially the ‘‘ Daily Chronicle ” and the defunct 
“Keho.” They pleaded rightly and vigorously for making the secondary 
education moze valuable than obtained at the Queen’s College prior to the ap- 
pointment of the Committee of 1898 to enquire into and report upon its work ; 
they desired greater attention to scientific education. There has been marked 
progress ever since, but the modern side of the College requires greater develop- 
ment, and possibly the next administration will accomplish that. 
It is difficult for one actively engaged in anything to offer criticisms on it, 
and especially is this so for me where persons are wont to consider men actuated 
by selfish and improper motives, though their public spirit has again and again 
been manifested, and though they have never sought to make profit thereby ; 
and, in contributing this article, I have studiously avoided criticisms and 
suggestions that could even in the remotest way alter or affect individual 
interests, while I have written thoughts which I hope will be useful to those 
who in no carping spirit condescend to read my unworthy contribution. 
