EDUCATIONAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1016, 4 January 1911, Page 5

EDUCATIONAL.

...THE DOMINION INSTITUTE, ;A "ANNUAL'CONFERENCE.. /"'-.. : <By Telegraph-Press Association.}. . .i'vw Hokitika, January 3." -'In connection with the president's, ad'dress:'delivered at' the. annual meeting of'.'tho New.-Zealand Educational Institute, which : commenced here last, night, r'eeyeral matters of pressingimportance<- ■■.- notably one referring to. the influence- of " surroundings upon children—were dealt With;,' The .president.urged that larger and' more beautiful grounds; and buildings should'be provided for schools, and . that'..greater' attention', should bo paid .. tc-v.temperature and ventilation. Much ■■: inter.eshrig ' information, was; given con'cerhirig the progress.made in these directions in other countries, notably Switzerland.,'. The: president also referred to the methods' adopted in America and'Aus- . tailia '■' which ■' have successfully coped .with "the .'difficulty of making country schools more efficient. Ho interesting: address by stating that New Zealand-could.never hope to attract the best men to the, teaching profession, nor make ...the best use of the present teachv ers until'a.' Dominion promotion schemo . .-w'ft's.adopted.. ~ -. '-■.'.. "•At >•: to-day's sitting of: the conference the remits suggesting amendments, in the ...' constitution met with little success,. The only. .one.'carried refers to. the ewestion. of..appointing 'ft. paid secretary not en""K'ajed'.in .'teaching to. the . various .' district .institutes. This has been.recom-, ;"■ mended for consideration and a Teport. ■-. r''A'verbal; amendment in the constitution. -- of district-institutes defers the election of,, representatives, to' the : annual. meet- ,: iris: to November in each year. ■■- ■Tho'following remits were unanimous.:ly':.'agreed, to; (1) That the''Minister beasked; to reintroduce,,as soon as pos< ... sible, ..the regulation providing 1 for the .'substitution of an assistant for two pupil teachers; (2) that tho clause formerly in the ' fei'ulations'. under the Education Act,of. 1877/'"declaring '.'■ the.. Minister's decision upon all disputed points in the regulations .to; be, binding upon all to .whom it". is"commum"eated, should be reinstated, i in"-'the present'. regulations; (3) 'that'a' 1 colonial sehemo of salaries for inspectors be: : dra'wn up, and that'tho minimum salRry.'for inspectors be :-th'e maximum paid •: to-;.- headteachcrs'j. (i) , .'that "inscectors fhouliV be appointed and. controlled by the-Education Department. ':. ■: ■The question of tliebositionof the first 1 female, assistant in,-the larger schools' ( gave ; .riso to a. lively debate during this , evening's sitting. Tho women's view of. , the' question was ably .set forth, by Miss Bfrss.v.Miss-Chaplin,, and' others,- incltidrinS!'.Messrs; Priestley, and: Owen, but the arguments, of Messrs. Caughley, Cousins. Macddnald, .Warren,.and' v others sufficed . to; defeat "the motion : by -.means'of an : amendment.'-,'-. ..,;..-;...',..--:.,!■•,-.- . ■ Vfbe:-' motions referring . to : ' superanuua- / Hon '.matter's.' next occupied the attention of-the .institute. Tho. Minister, is to be asked to.provide.mcans whereby teachers ; who,.for various reasons, did not enter ■■'■ the/Scheme as original members may be enabled to do so now upon the payment of back contributions and interest thcreoriV'-'-'.'. . ' : ■'. '. -, "■Tha; report of the. executive expressed > ~regret, that-.circumstances, had necessitated,'the,resignation of the ex-secretary, ; .«nd.-:'placed on record its- high appreci'a- , ' tion of Mr. .Foster's services in .'the past, 'An, : increase of. 238 in the- mem- -.; bfrship ;has. brought .. the.. '.'■ total .. within .measurable" -distance of 2500, * n fl .Jhe, services rendered by Mr. Joan Menzies,-registrar,, were recognised by a...vote of ten guineas,- the-passing of the. : yote being.greeted with hearty an- .-' P'ajise... The trust funds of the institute had, i.nacoordancewith the amended con- '-.' stitutioh, been invested with the Public .trustee, and amount to almost £950, earn- . ing, interest at 4J per cent." The legislation of the year, ds it affected teachers and..scholars, was briefly-reviewed, and regret expressed that, owing to unforeseen , ■ circumstances, the . usual interview ' with tho,Minister.;.had not taken place. The executive noted, ■ with pleasure the pro- .. press made in promotion matters iu'Auok- •' land,-'Wanganui, Taranaki, and Southland, and urged that special efforts should . be.- made to educate - public opinion •on .this, question. Efforts had been- made to ' fic-o'ure. an. increase of annuities, payable to ■ these who had retired prior to the amending 'Act of 190S, but:without success. It was a matter of regret that, despito the sympathetic attitude of the Minister, no , relief had been afforded to those who failed-, to become original members. Only on two 'occasions (had it been necessary to ■-. support members in the law. Court', but a.'case of house allowance is still .'occupy- . ing attention: The report, concluded with .... n reference to tho■ newly-formed benevolent fund, towards which purses are bcin" < contributed by the various district insti! tutesi ■ . ... The .report was adopted, and was follow*d;.by:an interesting little ceremony prior t:. which eulogistic reference was nade . to : the efforts of Mr., G. W. Murray in connection .with-the establishment of the benevolent, fund. Tho representatives of the district institutes thou handed to the • president purses as follow:—Mr. Lippiatt. . tor-Auckland, .£SO 10s.; Mr. Ambrose, for . Jjfrth'Canterbury", ,t2O; Mr. Flumank, for og ii' m J JI I M ■ Bri ? llt - f °r Wellington, ,£3,135.; Mr.-Holmes; for, Hawke's Bav. ,^^", r -."°oley for Nelson, iJ2; Mr. - : Sl'Neil, for Southland, i 2' 2s: The total ' vtas : .J!93 ss. ■ i Tho, institute adjourned till to-morrow morning at 9.30.