RAILWAY PASSES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 674, 26 November 1909, Page 8

RAILWAY PASSES.

POSITION OF TEACHERS. PROTEST AGAINST WITHDRAWAL. WHY THE CIECULAtt WAS ISSUED. A strong deputation, representing education boards in various districts, urged,the Hon. G. Fowlds (Minister for Education) yesterday to re-consider tho proposal to curtail the railway privileges, to. teachers attending classes -of instruction. ' , .' ' ' .; Mr.' Lee, chairman of the Wellington Education Board, emphasised the desirableness of continuing the old'system. It was in the interests of education, and especially to backblocks settlements, that the privilego in question should not be withdrawn. •. ■;" Mr. J. G. W. Aitken submitted that the privilege was one of the best concessions that had.been afforded in the interests of education;. Ita withdrawal would affect not only thp teachers, but the/scholars, and-in town tho whole population. Upon investigation he had .come to the conclusion that there had been very little or no infringement of. the privilege. He -might add that the Wellington Board -issued at. the-commencement-of each year, a circular, to. the effect that the issue of., the pasees was dependent on'' regular attendance at the classes. - .

' Mr..Hardy, M;P. for Selwyn,-declared that even if'the teachers did not attend classes but had the. advantage of mixing with more experienced teachers, the benefit to education would justify..,the outlay! It would be better if .curtailment-took place in some other direc-. tion in order that the privilego might be cbn- r tinned. > .- ; : , , . Mr. Langford, also of North Canterbury, emphasised tho point - that if. the privilego were withdrawn there would be (treat difficulty m filling positions in the ; backblocks. What was needed was that bright town teachers should be encouraged.to enter schools in tho backblocks. The withdrawal of the', conces-. 'sion would- mean the establishment of two classes of teachers-town and. country-aid two scholars—town and country. . Mr. G. W. Russell, M.P. for Avon,-■sup-ported the .views of the deputation on behalf of the Board' of Governors of .Canterbury Col-lege.,-The board., was willing -to-.assist, the Minr ister to make regulations which would prevent: the privilege being,abused. Before the passes were issued a. return showing the ' attendance for the .preceding quarter should b* given. , f?' Gnt , nne > H - p - f °r Oroua, .spoke on be-' half .of the •■ Wanganui Education ' Board, of which he ls.choirman. He said that his board required a return to be submitted monthly showing .the attendance at the classes.:. If tho concession were dropped the education of children in, the backblocks would undoubtedly ■suffer. '■~.'.-.. : ,■:.• ~.'•■ . -.■ , . ■-..' - 'Mr, MTarlano. stated that' numbers of •teachers, .who went to the classes at-Blenheim, resided up to ten,miles away from the railway, ■line. ; He., could not'"see what' difference the fgranting of the passes made to .the'.Kailway Department. . . - ; ' ■.' ' ;.-.' .-. . Mr.. J. C. Thomson,. M.P:';'.for..Wallace,, expressed the opinion that the members of edur ■cation boards present should assist the Education 'Committee to formulate a scheme. which would prevent the abuse of-the privilege.' .Mr. Buchanan, M.P. for Waiiarapa, referred to.the interest, which the. Wellington .Board took in regard to'teachers in the'backblocfce. 'Mr. WiH6rd;:M.P.' for Hutt; emphasised'the point that the return, from- the grant, of tho passes, .was, not measured : by. money,. , but ; by development Jn". a' vital -part of, the ; national asset., ~., . • ■ ''/,. : ■'.''.. V/ .".:■ '■■■-,■ v,.:-."-..".!■■.-■'■ ,: , . Purther'remarks in similar strain 'were made .by.Mr. Vile and Mr. Anderson,, M;P;':f6r Ma-' 1 ;taura.' '• • ; -' ' -'■ ■•' " ■',■■•■ '■ .'• "'; •■"' , •:-. IN REPLY; v; - ■ The :■ Minister, said ; .the '• object in the passes was: to' facilitate the training ,pi,' 'teachers., thought that'.the suggestion that ■teachers;- :ehould v-be ■ given .- passes even if >;./they'•;,! did. .not' attend '.olasses. would" have v ,,-to be 'Considered ■-~ separately., . If ; ;varioiis other suggestions' which would advance the;'intcrests-;bf teachers'.-were adopted,.it'would Epr some- timo;ho, like, his-.'colleagues, 'had -\ .been .endeavouring ,tq. economise at,every point possible:without im-. pairing-. the.;.efficiency ; of the Eorvice< Whenover .'tree • passes.., were • granted ■ ,fp'r any;. purposes -or to. any, .section, there w.as- invariably' abuse. The Education 'Department paid something like JBie.OOO. a-year -to, the Railway Department for passes issued, partly to students, aiid partly' to .teachers. -..I^e.-,went-.on" to say that it was Recognised that'-Bonio' boards, wore [particularly careful..to.'.^oq ; Jhst. the : system•was not abused, but in dealing with a problem affecting the whole-of' the' Dominion, the De-. partment could., not bri guided by the best 'results -'Bbtiuhcd-by-.-one , Sritwxjvboa'rds- .which had;.perhaps exceptionally, .''good-",, secretaries.'■Taking' the Dominion as a;.wholei'.'the boards had -not' supported careful in. that 'matter'..as they- ouight. : to' have dono/v'The-Department had frequently found,.instances of gross -abuse,-' even--afteil claims'had 'been certified by boards; Ho w;slmil to point" out that -the , .'action) which the' Dp. partment took was Tery largely intended .to 'cut pif,.for the time being, the whole-of that parti of : the system 1 of free' passes in which : abnses took place,-'. They- : had quite on their mifids the - possibility that: after public :attention 'aid ! tho ilbtice'. of boards' had been drawn to, the abuse, they should gradually; promote a' system which.would secure -efficient training of toachors without ; abuse' of the .passes;''" There were cases -of, teachers who; had availed• themselves of passes:'for four- or five •years; but had only attended, classes' in one subject"for-'-the miuimum number of" attendances, and for the-minimum: time'that could be ' reckoned ,an '• attendance, with the result 'that,:'at' the end of that period they had' ! not improved their status; oven : in regard' to > thework of tho singlo class which they had attended. As a matter of fact * the students-in question-' had 'simply used the' pass for tho purpose of a, free 'trip to town.. If ■ they had taken theopportunity of mixing' with : their: fellows there would not have been so much cause for complaint, but. in some cases it. was known-'that- thestudents had passed most of -their time in' townjn frivolity.; Cases had been discovereS where students had' received .passes, taking them .to. centres, past other .-centres where classes, which they wished to' attend were be-: ing held. Other cases were known, where students had. .obtained' passes to. take them to. other towns, despite the fact-. that similar classes were being held in the town in which they'.wei-e '.residing..:, He' thought that he! must, admit that','tho-: boards' were 'prob'ably. justified; from the 'first circular in assuming that the Department meant- to go-a little'fto-' ther than was really■ anticipated. In,connection with retrenchment, > the whole question was as to how far the. Government should; continue services hitherto provided. "The.,;positipn ,; was ..largely as stated, -by i him; in', , the House,. viz., ,that ■ the.- Department .wanted to see. that teachers v gettinE the .benefit of the free -.passes .should' attend, a, course of classes that would reasonably, increase', the efficiency of. teachers-rehear, hear)—and i.put; in-.honest attendance at them. .'■..-. ' , '-'.:. ■, ■■ ,■

'A., voice': And. so progress. ''...'.. .- ' : /-> ' '■Mr. Anderson: .Would- yon ;that the Pepartjn«nt;should conduct examinations? ..The, Minister: No, that'= would -not "be practicable. Boards may;take it that,the'Department, wiir interpret the' circular as , liberally as possible... ': ■ • : .:, v ...'.■.. . Mr. Buchanan: When the':Department became aware of' the alleged abuse of the privt leg% was, any .warning sent, but to, any 'of -the boards? ' . ■-;■ -'. ■-.:' .- . ; ..''■,..

Tho Minister: Specific boards-;' have been' dealt -with,'.but-.Wellington -yd North Canterbury were not" specially inofaded/ , (laughter.) .■.■■'.;.-■, ■:.. -..,: :...■. .':■:■.-; ■■■■■■'