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ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION BE REPRODUCED PHOTOG

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRÁN.....

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Special need for Juch a

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organisation they may be compared with the arrangements made for the circulation of travelling libraries in connection with the courses of Uni versity Extension, lectures.

7. The success of the Gilchrist and University Extension lectures proves that it is possible to scheme in attract large and intelligent adult audiences to the United hear" lectures of the kind suggested in this Kingdom. Memorandum. It is submitted that there is a pressing need for the diffusion, in an accurate and vivid form, of knowledge of the conditions of life in different parts of the Empire among the masses of the people in this country. For great mpititudes the Empire exists in little more that name. They do not realise the economic opportunities which it affords to them. They do not comprehend its geography, and they have little idea of the dangers to which it is exposed. Is it not advisable that they should be led to think of these subjects, in order that they may be more willing to give sustained support to far-seeing plans for Imperial consolidation and development ? Live ...

Its

natural connection with the work of

primary,

and

1

An important branch of this scheme for visual instruction would connect itself with the primary; secondary, and evening schools. The same set of slides could often be shown three times in one day--in the morning and afternoon at schools, secondary, in roonas specially darkened for the purpose, and at night to an adult audience in some public room or school assembly hall. Local arrange-. menta: would naturally be made with the local educational authorities. Teachers would certainly take up the plan with readiness. Classes in the duties of citizenship, and in geography, would all be: made more interesting by such lantern lectures. dance - #adı

momabitiasis

evening schools.

could be test

*8. It would be possible to test the usefulness of the plan by trying it, to begin with, in one fumenis, of two Colonies and in a few of the chief cities the United Kingdom. But the success of the scheme would depend în

or in one or

twe Celonies

and in posse

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measure on

in the United efficiency of organization and on suitable,

vertisement. The plan would have to be pushed attention until the at art and pressed on púbilo stron

den and ad-

interest of the

"It would

of

lectures was generally recognised.

↑ be necessary to have a headquarters the scheme, presumably in London. The ganization of the lectures in Great and Thalatta might be

sonál authoritiesy of

And

ted to lo

Ses as the

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long run the most economical plan to bave a skilled workman permanently engaged on the work, as is done by the British Museum, and to have the correspondence, which would probably be considerable, in charge of someone in general direction of the scheme, with clerical assistance.

The collection of slides thus brought together would be copyright; it would represent a valu able asset, and there would probably be a good sale for many separate slides, and some sale for

sets.

It is doubtful, however, whether, in view of the initial expense, the whole could be made

a profitable commercial enterprise. It might be expedient to work the scheme in close connection with some first-rate optician in London. The despatch of collections of slides might be arranged through the Crown Agents for the Colonies. Good lanterns would be available nearly everywhere.

It would be desirable that all the work should be done within the Empire, and that as few slides as possible should be imported from abroad. To begin with, however, it would be advisable to get, say, half-a-dozen slides from the best French maker and from the best German maker, and compare them with the best work turned out in London. Professor Bickmore might be asked, through the American Am- bassador, for the loan of some of his slides. In this way a standard could be set for the English maker, it being clearly laid down that the new set of slides were to be equal to the very best slides produced anywhere in the world. The success of the scheme would largely depend on the slides being artistically chosen, accurately coloured, and of first-rate technical excellence.

9. The initial cost of the slides would vary. Some would cost as much as ten shillings, or even more if the colouring were elaborate. But many would cost much less. Perhaps it would not be an unduly low estimate to calculate that, on the average and presuming that a large number of duplicates were made, the cost would be five shillings per slide. That would amount to £12 10s. per set of slides for each lecture.

A different number of lectures would be nceded in different Colonies. To take New Zealand, as one which would probably require as many as any other, it would be necessary to provide (if the scheme were carried out as out- lined above) 20 lectures on the Mother Country and 19 lectures on other parts of the Empire. The cost of the slides in such a case would be (39 × £12.10s.) £487 10x.

The cost of the preparation of the text of the lectures (including stenography, expenses of trial lectures, &c.) would probably be not les than £20 per lecture on an average, though of course this amount could be reduced in some cases. But it would be very important to

Finance.

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