THE EDUCATION BILL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2268, 30 September 1914, Page 9

THE EDUCATION BILL.

VIEWS OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES

Resolutions arrived at by the conference of representatives of school committees in Wellington City, on the Education Bill, woro placed before the meeting of the Education Board yesterday:

The more important resolutions were as follow :—

"That fciis conference disapproves of a Council of Education; but if such a Counoil is established, the number of the boards' representatives should be increased to sis—three for each Island—and the number of teachers' representatives reduced to four."

'That this conference disapproves of Hie establishment of District Councils as being unnecessary." "That this conference i 3 entirely opposed to tho establishment of urban school districts in this Dominion, as now proposed hi the Education Bill 'of 1914. It is of, the opinion that if this portion of/the Bill is passed, ami urban pchool districts are established, it will bo entirely detrimental to the efficient control of, public schools as now carried on bj' the various school committees. A school committee of au urban school district could only consist of men of the leisures! class, who would have no 'particular interest in the school, and in all probability the position would develop into one for office-seekers only, and the rent work Ije left to one or two men. The ordinary business or working man could not possibly find time to take up the duties of committeeman on an urban 6chool district committee with the enormous amount of w.ork entailed.. City school committees are now composed of men from all ranks of society; who have a kesn personal interest in the schools of their districts, and who are endeavouring to do the best for tie welfare of both teachers and ■ scholars, and to upkeep and protect the property of their boards. The Educa-' tion Board, the teachers, and the parents of the scholars, can testify ■ that the work of- the Wellington School Committees has been carried on to the benefit of all concerned. This conference is of the opinion that the. establishment of one school committee for the whole of a city's schools on the urban echool district principle as embodied in the Bill is an entirely undemocratic and retrograde stop, and hopes that the. Minister of Education will see his way to remove from the' Bill all that portion that has reference to urban school districts.'\

, "That in the case of election of bcVjol 'committees for schools having aa average attendance of over 200, the names cf the candidates be posted in convenient places in each district." "That tho present and proposed rates of payment of pupil-teachers, probationers, and stiidants-in-training .are grossly inadequate;" "That the salaries of teachers in tfte' lower, grades are grossly inadequate.-' ■ , . / ' "That this conference disapproves of the proposal to remove inspectors of schools from the control of education boards."