EDUCATION SYSTEM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 913, 5 September 1910, Page 8

EDUCATION SYSTEM.

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS CRITICISED.

EMPLOYERS AND CONTINUATION CLASSES.. With reference to tho proposed amendments to the education system, Mr. Pryor, secretary of the Employers'. Federation, has received'telegrams from various associations, 'representing 10,000 employers,, who aro strongly a-verso to tho proposal that education boards may, on tho application of a school committee 'compel the attendanco of children under 17, years of, age at continuation classes. To a reporter, Mr. Pryor stated that employers held that if the suggestion, were adopted it might mean disorganisation of business in many, cases. It was conceivable that during the time the young people were attend : ing classes'numbers of factories might be brought to a standstill. The hours of work for young people in this country were not so long.as to.prevent their attendance at -. classes. Employers felt that the proposal was antagonistic to the present law, as. the Factories Act provided for a 45-hour week for boys under 16 and women, and the Shops and Offices Act provided for a- 52-hour, : wcek for shop assistants. If the proposal became law these hours, would be reduced by 2-i per week, and it would also over-ride many, of the arbitration awards., If it were proposed to put the clause in operation but to •a limited extent' the clause' would, he unworkable. •

The provisions of the amending Bill are approved'by Mr. A. W. Hogg, a member.' of the Wellington Board. ./The, power's..'conferred on inspectors and teachers to make physical and/ medical ..examinations, subject. /to regulations that receive the revision and approval of the'educationboardsj. were .desirablb,- Mr. ■ Hogg considered. .By the exercise of: these powers, serious results arising from infection or contagion wero; likely to ■bo prevented. ..As .far as practicable teachers should bo made 'to. recognise 'that above 'every 'other consideration the health of'the children confided, to their charge should bo; protected.;, Thoprovisions for'..ensuring/the education and proper.treatment of blind,, deaf, feeble-minded; and defective,child-: r.eri .would s be usoful, butr.the penalty imposed; : on ' : parents ~'or guardians for ' failing' vto notify ■ - the authorities 'respecting these children' appeared to. be hardly .necessary.. His 'experience had'boon that the custodians of ■ such children were only tooglad to.find suit-; able institutions for them, so -that they might have the advantage- of. kind'and judicious ; training, -■ .The 'establishment of .continuation classes and the inauguration'.- of. compulsory, attendance within reasonable'.'bounds., could not fail to have ay capital effect on the: youth.of. the Dominion; \ :.''.;/,"'.

' ■ : Mr; ;H. J.' Greenslade, a member': of, the, Auckland "Education 'Board, ..expressed general, approval of the -Bill.: The 'Iproposed/, increase ■in the grani td education boards from lis. 3d. per num to -12s. for. each child -in l attendance - : was : only fail'. and.. reasonable, -land would doubtlcss-bo'appreciate cd by .'the.boards.v' Another, reasonable, • provision was that : graiit-s by boards/to school comniittees;. are, to include, such' grants/for . incidental expenses as; de l ' fined by regulations shall amount in the, aggregate', for, all.the. committees taken together to'not less than ss: 6d. for- each, child in average: daily attendance in, the- education.. l district. ,:The clauses respecting;. medical inspection and -technical, schools were also apprdv- , ed' by Mr. ; Greenslade,' and hot. ■ much objection:could be raised to the,amende meht 'of;Section- 214 of the principal .Act,' dealing with the determination of. -the, engagements -of teachers who have reached certain ages, but Mn Greenslade ' contended .that greater latitude should, be-allowed:to the- boards in th'e.matter of the/transfer, of teachers.- The present position, was somewhat 'unsatisfac-:' tofy because, a board, knowing the, full circumstances of ;the case; and with the' full concurrence of, the school committee, '-; might 'desire ■'■ to remove' a, teaeher. for well-founded/ reasons,: but it could not be :dorie'_without i 'tlie consent -of ,the .teacher.,'. This'was due to the provision for, a court of appeal./ Teachers .'should be protected', in every way but seven -years', experience on ■ the, old .board'had convinced him that■ the .powers of. boards, and- oommittees. slioiild be 'enlarged in this respect. Ho .thoroughly, approved- of/the proposal in respectydf . continuation , classes. Tlii3 need had been recognised for some timo past by the' Auckland Education Board, which was: one of the most progressive in the Dominion in.this respect.■"•■■'.-...'.