TEACHERS' INSTITUTE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2812, 1 July 1916, Page 3

TEACHERS' INSTITUTE

MEETING OF WELLINGTON BRANCH.

A meeting of the Wellington DistrictEducation Institute was held last evening, Sir. J. C. Webb presiding. A letter was received from the llanawatu Branch of the Wellington Institute, stating that that branch is taking steps, under tho new constitution, to establish in the Manawatu district a branch of the Now Zealand Institute, to be called the Manawatu Branch of the N.Z.E.1., such branch to be a successor to the present body. The meeting decided to write, approving of the step to be Men -by the Mauawatu branch. "*r. H. A. Parkinson moved "That tho Education Department be asked to consider tho advisability of establishing' a store for the supply of school requisites." The mover stated that thousands [ of pounds were expended annually for school material, for which sufficient value was not received. Other Government Departments all'had their supply requisites, and he did not see why the TTiiucatlon Department should not. bo likewise situated. He hoped that his motion, if agreed to. would be sent in as a remit from the Wellington branch to the forthcoming conference. The' matter Should, in his opinion, bo taken up and dealt with in a businesslike manner. Jfr. Ballachy asked if the motion involved the free distribution of school books, which was a very important matter. N Jfr.'C. N. Haslam said tluit i.e agreed with the mover, but would like fi'st to know what was done in 'this connection in America and England. J[i«s Ziman stated 'that she i:ad been a' pupil in a public school in New York, and that the practice there was that children were supplied with liooks and stationery by the school free cf cost, the books being returned by the children when passing from grade to grade. Mr. Hopkirk thought the motion should ha upheld. y Jfr. Foster, agreed with the principle of the motion, as far as it affected school requisites,"but not in regard to books.

Ho feared the undue uniformity cf school books.

Mr. Parkinson, in reply, sfated that he was not inclined to go into matters of detail, but he had brought the metter forward in a broad and general senso, and, hoped it would be passed as such. On the motion of Mr. Foster, it was decided, in view of the smalt number present, and the importance of tho matter, to postpone consideration of the motion until a subsequent t.nd fuller meeting.