EDUCATION REFORM

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2215, 30 July 1914, Page 4

EDUCATION REFORM

THE NEff BILL REVIEWED BY TEACHERS INSTITUTE A special meeting of the Council of the Now Zealand Educational Instituto opened in Wellington last uight. Tho president of tho executive (Mr. A. ErsKine, Wellington) was in the chair, and tliero wero also present the following:— Messrs. H. A. Parkinson, Geo. Flux, W. T. Grundy, A. N. Burns, and Miss J. Finlayson (Wellington); Messrs. T. U. Wells, W. O. Lamb, Ci. Lippiatt, C. It. Munro, and T. F. Warren (Auckland): Mr. E. U. Just (Lyttelton); Mr. W. H. Nowton (Thames) Mr. it. B. Holmes (Havelock North;; Mr. J. H. Harkness (Westport); Mr. 0. D. Flamank (Dunediu); Mt. 11. L. M'llroy (Tar^naki); Mr. 1). W. Low (Wangauui); Messrs. J. Duggan and (i.- Harvey (Hawko's Bay): Mr. H. R. Fisher (Marlborough); Mr. A. T. White (Nelson); Mr. A. J. Wickes (Grey); Mr. L. F. de Berry (Westland); Miss E. Chaplin and Mr. J. Caughley (North Canterbury); Mr. A. Lindsay (South Canterbury) ; Slessra. J. Kelly and W. Phillips (Otajjo): and Messrs.' E. C. Hewat and E. M'Kay (Southland). A Unique Occasion. v Tho president, alter welcoming the visiting delegates, described the meeting as unique for the reason that on no otner occasion had a special meeting of the New Zealand body been called to discuss special business. The important cause of the meeting was the promise made by the Minister of JSducation that he would bring down a Bill dealing with education matters. . Tho Bill was now before the meeting, and when he mentioned several of tiio re-, forms contained therein he thought delegates wpuld" agree that tho Minister iiad been faithiul to his word. (Applause.) Un the question of the scale of salaries, however, there was a difference of opinion, and although tho headmasters' associations in various centres had carried resolutions, congratulating .the Minister, the assistants were not so. pleased, as many of them would receive no benefit from the Bill. Other anomalies existed and woiiid, he believed, continue to exist' as long' as there was the system of payment iof salaries on average attendance. Ho then referred to the feeling abroad that the basis of grading should, be on efficiency and. service, in addition to the Education Bill, the special meeting would bo concerned with the remits postponed from the annual meeting at Auckland, and .with additional remits. The Bible-in-schools question was included in the remits, it occupied an important place in the political arena at tho present time, and tho institute had obtained pormissiou to send a representative to give evidence before the Education Committee in reference to the Referendum Bill. On this account, the executive felt that tho matter should be dealt with promptly by the meeting. ! Compliments to the Minister. Mr. G. Lippiatt moved: "That the council approve' of Part I of the Bill as it stands."- , This was seconded by . Mr. A...N. Burns, and gavo rise to some little discussion.

Mr. W. H. Newton moved as an amendment: "That tlie council sees no necessity- for the introduction. of tho position of Assistant. Director of Education, and -hopes .that tho position of Secretary of liducation will be retained."

The amendment was seconded, but was lost-on the voices, and the motion • wag carried.'"!' ' !;>s&.''/U?'arid Mr.;' T. F. : Warren iseconded; "That this meeting heartily approves of the pro-' ,posal to" set iipf a Council of Educa? tion."" '■ ;■ -

■ Mr. J. Caughley thought it should be strongly emphasised' that tie setting up of this Council of Education was tho most important reform -in the whole Bill. He felt confident, however, that while tho council was advisory at tiio present time, it would have to be made administrative later on if $io necessary .reforms were, going to be carried out. It would be to the Council of Education that we . would bhvo to look for most or our .progress of the future. Mr. Caugliloy went on to refer to important matters on which the council would "bo of assistance, and expressed, approval of its constitution." - '

Mn T. U. Wells expressed the opinion that if only for the Council of Education alone, the Bill would be. a monumental one. He hoped with Mr. Caughley that the council would becomo administrative in time. One defect ho saw was that the inspectorial staS had not direct", representation- on the council, and ho intended to move an amendinont suggesting an alteration of the. constitution of. the council in that direction.-

Mr. H. A. Parkinson also spoke approvingly of' the proposed Council of but announced himself as in favour of the change in ; the constitution suggested by Mr. Wells.

Mr. Munro's motion, on being put to the meeting, was .carried unanimously. .. . - . v Mr. Wells then moved: "That in the opinion of this meeting, the inspectors who are actually in touch with the inspection and examination of pur schools, should bo directly represented upoii'tho General Council of Education, and to securo this representation 1 Claiiso /c) should be altered to read: 'One other officer of the Education. Department, who sliall be an inspector, sliall be appointed by tho Minister.'" Mr. Parkinson seconded this motion, which, after brief discussion, was carried unanimously. ' ' It was resolved, unanimously* "That in tho opinion of the institute all casual vacancies should be filled by tho electing; bodies." By resolution, the meeting then endorsed tho proposal to establish District Councils. On tho motion of Mr. J. Duggan, it was decided to recommend that the representative of tho primary teachers on the District Connate bo elected by tho District Institutes. New Board Distrlots. ! Mr. W. H. Newton, in discussing Part 111 of the Bill—"Education Boards"—expressed surprise that nine education districts had been, retained. In hi sopinionnot only were tlieie far too many districts, but they were not evenly divided. The present system placed difficulties in the way of the properly grading of teachers, i and narrowed their chances of promotion to the more important, positions in the servico. He thought a matter, for discussion at a later stage would be the prosent inadequate facilti&s for grading and promotion. In tho meantime he desired to move: — "That tho New Zealand Education Institute urges most strongly upon 1 the Minister that tlicro should be nqt more than live, but preferably only four, edu-1 cation.districts." ■ > Mr. A. T. White seconded the motion, and endorsed the remarks of the moverHe pointed out that very few opportunities of promotion were offering to teachers who were unfortunate enough to be located in the smaller districts. Mr. Well 3 protested .against tho proposed division otiptlie districts. Several teachers in tho Waikato had expressed to him strong objection to the suggestion to separate that from Aucklaud, as that would, remove from them opportunities which at ■ present existed of reaching, more important posts in the service. He quoted figures to show that 011 the score of economy in administration fewer education districts were to be preferred. 11l tho course of further discussion, Mr. H. A. Parkinson expressed the hopo that tho storm of protest raised against the nine Education Boards would lead to the obliteration of tho lot. He declared that last year it had cost more

I to run tho Education Boards than it had cost to maintain the schools. : - The dcbato was then adjourned. *A committee of- nine was then set up to go into the question ' of "staffs ' and salaries," and to report to the council. this afternoon. " The meeting resumes at 10 a.m. to day.