STATE EXPERIMENTS in NEW ZEALAND.

By SIR ROBERT STOUT, K.C.M.G.

THE Colony of New Zealand has made several experiments in the art of government that may be of interest to older countries. The word "socialism" has been used in connection with them, but this term has so many varied and even opposite meanings that it were unwise to characterise such experiments by any special term. Indeed Professor Adams of the Cornell University has declared that it is an intellectual blander to say that all extensions of the functions of government are in the direction of socialism. M. Leroy-Beaulieu on the contrary asserts that the term socialism is properly applied to an extension of the State functions. Whatever term may however be applied to the State experiments I am about to mention, the result cannot fail to be interesting. In these days when social questions have become so absorbing, the different roads that seem to have been travelled-and that are still journeyed over-in the democracies of the United States of America and in the southern colonies of Britain are worthy of note. For in the Australasian colonies many things are undertaken by the government which in the United States are left to private enterprise, and indeed one of the most noticeable features in the governments of these colonies is the extent to which they undertake or interfere with business ventures. And, judging by the utterances of many leading Americans on the subject, one is apt to conclude that the results of such non-interference have been far from satisfactory, for we hear a great deal about "millionnaires," mono"polies," and "trusts" and even of corruption and "rings," both in State legislatures and in municipal corporations, all of which may be said to be unknown amongst us. We have however, in our heavy public debts, burdens to carry, from which many of the States of the Union are free; and the communities of these colonies may have perhaps less elasticity and resource than their American cnfrères. To enable us to determine which is the best course for the democracy to pursue, many things would require to be taken into consideration. But it is not my purpose, in this paper, to attempt this, nor even to defend the system we have adopted in New Zealand. My design is the more modest one of stating the facts and indicating some of the more immediate and direct consequences, premising that the ultimate and indirect results cannot perhaps yet be seen nor estimated. I have mentioned results, but, after all,

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results very rarely come up to the expectations of those who are responsible for them. In democracies as in other States these are often disappointing. If, for example, one were to write down the hopes of those who struggled for reform in the early years of this century, and to picture the future that the chartists dreamed of, and then to write down the results of the extension of the franchise, of free government, of the abolition of privileges, would it not be seen that the millennium of the reformers is still in the far distance? Free government has been attained, but it has not brought in its train the benefits that were expected. Human nature is not easily changed; and the passing of statutes has not always led to social advancement. This consideration may

deaden the enthusiasm of the impatient radical by showing that reforms can only come slowly, and that their consequences may not appear for years after they have been achieved, but still who would now say that the English Reform Bills were wrongly conceived or improperly enacted? In the colonies we are pioneers, but as the great American poet has said—

"We take up the task eternal and the burden and the lesson."

The State in New Zealand has undertaken the following functions:

(1.) Free primary education, with assistance to secondary and higher education in the form of land grants, &c., &c.

(2.) A telephone system.

(3.) Telegraphs in addition to the usual postal arrangements. (4.) Railways.

(5.) Water races for irrigation and for mining.

(6.) Life insurance and annuities.

(7.) Trusteeship and administration of property.

(8.) Guaranteeing of titles to land.

(9.) Labour bureaux.

(10.) Co-operative contracting.

(11.) Advisory functions to farmers, &c., &c.

The State does much more in New Zealand than all these things. There are the usual administrative functions performed by the New Zealand government which other governments perform, such as defence, police, lighthouses, harbours, beacons, justice, &c., &c. I have preferred to point out some things that are usually not performed by a general municipal government. There has been, it will be seen, a considerable extension of State functions, and this extension of functions has not been confined to what may be termed the general government of the colony. It extends also to municipalities. In most towns that have been.

incorporated, the municipality owns both the gas and the waterworks. The tramways pay a rental to the local authority, but there is reserved the option of purchase. There are some privately owned gasworks it is true, but the tendency is for the municipality to become its own supplier of gas, water, libraries, bath houses, &c., &c.; in fact of all things that may be necessary for the health and recreation of the citizens.

1. Education.

All primary schools are free, and in them a sound English and commercial education can be obtained. Education is secular and compulsory, and the cost to the State for the year ending 31st March, 1892, was for public schools 340,463l. 168. 11d., for native schools 14,215. 108. 7d., industrial schools 9,856l. 188. 8d., deaf mutes 3,149/. 198. 8d., and the cost of general administration was 2,040l. 18. 2d. The number of pupils of all ages on the school rolls was at the end of 1891, 119,523.

The administration is under a Minister of Education, who has to guide him and advise him an inspector-general and a secretary. The minister's function however is more advisory or directory than administrative, for practically the administration is left to boards and committees, and it may be useful to point out how these committees and boards are elected. Beginning with committees The householders and parents of children attending the school elect yearly a school committee of 5, 7, or 9 members according to the numbers of children in a district. A meeting is held, and the election takes place at the meeting. The school districts are small; very rarely is there more than one school in a district. These school committees have the general supervision of educational matters, subject always to the board. There are thirteen boards. These consist of 9 members, who hold office for three years; 3 members retire each year, and they are elected by the school committees in each educational district, so that their election is not direct by citizens, but mediate through school committees. They have the power after consulting the committees of appointing and dismissing teachers. The inspectors are appointed by them, buildings are erected and looked after by them, and they perform the main administrative work of the educational districts, subject always to the advice of the committees. The committees look after the more petty and local wants of the schools. The system has worked fairly well, and the standards required of the pupils are equivalent to the standards in the education code of England. There are practically seven standards, and a boy or girl who has passed these is well equipped for the business of life. The highest standard is an education a

little above the highest English elementary standard. Steps are being taken to introduce technical education. This already exists in some schools in the shape of woodwork, agriculture, chemistry, science, &c., &c. The State also maintains industrial schools. These are for neglected children or children whose parents have fallen from the paths of rectitude; or children who have committed some offence. There are at present four industrial schools, but the boarding out system is adopted, with the result that not many children are kept in these schools compared with the number on the rolls. As soon as possible children are boarded out to families, and after being trained, are sent to work either to assist farmers or to a trade, &c., &c. There is also a deaf and dumb school, conducted on the articulation and lip reading system, and aid has been given towards the erection of an institute for the blind. The deaf mute school has been exceedingly successful. may be necessary to add that New Zealand has ample secondary schools in every educational district. The total number of secondary schools is twenty-two. Most of these are under the inspection of the State, having their governing boards partially appointed by the government or by education boards. Three or four of them are under the management of ecclesiastical bodies. The secondary schools look really to the matriculation and scholarship examinations of the University as the test of their work. The subjects required and marks given for these are as follows:

For the Matriculation Examination :

(1.) English.-Grammar and composition, with précis writing.

(2.) Arithmetic.-Fundamental rules, vulgar and decimal fractions, proportion, and square root.

(3.) Algebra. To simple equations, inclusive, with easy problems.

(4.) Euclid.-Books I and II.

(5.) Latin.—Translation at sight of easy passages from Latin into English, translation of easy passages from English into Latin, and questions on grammar. (6.) Greek.-As in Latin.

(7.) French.-As in Latin.

(8.) German.-As in Latin.

(9.) History. History of England, from the accession of William III to the accession of Victoria.

(10.) Geography.-Political and physical.

(11.) Elementary Mechanics.-The elements of statics, dynamics, and hydro

statics.

(12.) Elementary Physics.—Heat, sound, light, and electricity.

(13.) Elementary Chemistry.-The non-metallic elements and the atomic theory.

(14.) Elementary Biology. (The papers will contain questions on both zoology and botany, but candidates will not be required to answer questions in more than one of these subjects.)

Zoology.-Elements of animal physiology.

Botany. Elements of the morphology and physiology of flowering plants, including the main characteristics of the chief native and introduced natural orders.

A candidate must pass in at least seven subjects, except those who take Latin or Greek, who shall be required to pass in six subjects only. Every candidate shall be required to pass in English, arithmetic, and at least one of the following languagesLatin, Greek, French, German.

The subjects for Junior Scholarships are:

(1.) Latin.

(2.) Greek.

(3.) English.

(4.) French.

(5.) German.

(6.) Mathematics.

(7.) History and geography.

(8.) Natural and physical science.

The requirements for the Scholarship Examination are, in addition to the matriculation, the following:

(1.) Latin.-Translation at sight from and into Latin, and questions on history and antiquity.

(2.) Greek.-As in Latin.

(3.) English.-Paraphrase, mensuration, and explanation of passages selected from the works of any of the standard English writers; general questions on etymology, grammar, and the uses of words; also a short essay on some easily understood subject.

(4.) French. Translation at sight from and into French of a more difficult kind than the exercises set in the matriculation paper.

(5) German.-The same as French.

(6.) Mathematics

(a.) Arithmetic (the whole subject), and algebra to quadratic equations inclusive; also ratio, proportion, variation, the progressions, permutations, and combinations.

(b.) Euclid, Books I, II, III, IV, and VI, and plane trigonometry, to solution of triangles inclusive, with easy transformations and examples.

(7.) History and Geography.-A paper on outlines of the history of England from the accession of Elizabeth, with especial reference to the colonies, and on geography, political and physical.

(8.) Natural and Physical Science.-Any of the following:

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(a.) Chemistry. The chief physical and chemical characters of the following elements, and of their more important compounds: oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, chlorine, bromine, iodine, fluorine, sulphur, phosphorus, silicon, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, aluminium, iron, manganese, chromium, lead, silver, copper, mercury, tin, gold, platinum; the laws of chemical combination; equivalents; the atomic theory; atomic value (valency); the general nature of acids, bases, salts; the elements of qualitative analysis.

(b.) Magnetism and Electricity.-Properties of magnets; magnetic field; magnetic induction; magnetic laws and units; elementary facts of terrestrial magnetism; electrical attraction and repulsion; conduction and insulation; electrostatic induction; distribution of electricity on conductors; simple electrostatic laws; electrostatic units; friction machines; condensers; common forms of voltaic batteries; heating, chemical, and magnetic effects of electric currents; electromagnetic units; galvanometers; Ohm's law and its simple applications; measurement of resistance and of electromotive force.

(c.) Sound and Light.-Production and propagation of sound; intensity; pitch; quality; velocity of sound in uniform media; reflection of sound; vibration of strings, and of the air in pipes; resonance; beats; the diatonic scale; production and propagation of light; photometry; velocity of light and modes of