EDUCATION STATISTICS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 29 June 1910, Page 3

EDUCATION STATISTICS.

i'OU HOROWIIIvNTA COCXTY. Tilt' letter ha.s been issued by Mr \V. 11. Kiel;l. M.l'., to the chairman ;ui:l nii'inber.s o-I' .school coinmitk-i'.s of the Ilntt-Iloiowhe--11 in ward of tile Wellington Kducat.'on District:— Gmtlemen, —] beu; to offer liiy.se 11 jis a candidate to represent you on the above Board. In doing have thought it well to furnish 11110'l'ina t'iou of the Hoard's reeenlt. work in several directions which may lie ol special interest to you: Iviiral ('ours?.-- Recognising tin. 1 great i 111 portiaM<*t» of encouraging a taste lor country pursuits, the AVellingitou Hdueation Rrard wa.s the fii'st in the dominion to :ippoint, now over four years ago, a special instructor in nature study and agriculture, and the ivj; impf >rtnnet o'l til is branch of its work justified the Hoard in appointing a second instructor at the f>f.Lciliti.in<1; of the present year. The services of Hitsc instructors are alwavs available to ■!t(Tvi.se and to a-sist the teachers who undertake the work. At each of tht* five country district hi<«-.]i snbnols where circumstances permit, a special rural course, drawn up on lines npprovedjn- the I'M oca tin 111 Department, has tins voir been estahI'sncl. B;\sid"s other subjects, the cours;' onihi'aces woodwork, and domestic erouomv. in"l urfinrr (bakery, and an inVtni."t"i h", been appointed to overtake the. crrmvine work in th-«-> .ciiitipffc. .A* the majority of the HoarrPs schools are 111 tihe countrv. I'r-ril ."/tension 's 'jiven a't tin l t-*" *jt'l'V*? to the nesds oif the fuHire teachers of fountrv children. There, a c ' at the country distrio 1 hi< r h s-jiwls, the rural cours" h-j h"'n and n mvial ii"-lru-t : 'Mi is .-rir'>n V: Mie st.iifle.nts in ur;- amd nat--1 "i") st"dv. HuihVnirs.— There -r> in the rr ''*! l -Tr.'i'iT/.vlifM!:i:>. w a-d f:: 1 ty-l liree d'riols. Duritif the n:'Vt thp'e _ "'rs tln> efforts -f_ the Hoard have. » th" utmost c|' it? means, be* j n ■ 'Vidily directed !l o the proper imik'o f ud filie improvement o.f its ' hoots, .and to provi'Mmr mr,v •tools where conviucine evidence ' nred lif>s heen produced. ' The ' H-wing fi(jures <diow in brief tlie '-irk done in this ward during t-be ■ ■riod under consideration:— New .schools, 0; new residences. o. Additions to schools, 7; to resi'.•■ivoes, fi. Re-ereHtion.s • of schools, 2; resi,l -noes, Renovations to sohnols, 10; rosi'V'lU'AS, i>. Improvement of out'buildiiigs, 15: r •"■idences, —. These in addition, to a number of minor works. Libraries.—"With a view to tlie rst.aiblisliment and ininrnvement of 'cliool libraries, the l!oard bas, according to its means, subsidised moneys raised locally for this purnose, and it bps in preparation lists ( f suitable books, which will presently be sivpnlied to committees. Teachers' Salaries.—Witilt n view to en courage the entry inito, and "ontiitnance in: the profession of th;o bt.s'b tvpe 'of teacher, the J3oard has r-taadily 'advocated: .a measure "-iving iiv>reaserl and more ar.surod reninnoration ito teachers. Much benefit to teachers amd to schools also, especially the .smaller, is oxpeeted from meiasure, under which, in tho "Wellington district, increased payments of over £6000 wore last year made to teachers. Fitikinoo.—The l Board has done its very best with the mrwi.niS 'at disposal to promote. fairly throughout the district tb° I)est interests of edufiation. The finance of tho Board was, ihowever, durins; tlie last year greatly hampered by ah unexpeoted

rotliiffcici.il rrf iiihout JC2OOO in the a.mounit of .fits ordinary building grant, and by the large sums which it has ineoessiiriily had to provide foi sites where rapid increase of population has rendered purchase 'absolutely necessary, owing to 'tOie aibsence of sclhool site reserves. As the gra,nt has been limi'tcd to half cost at the most, the Board 'has, during the past two years, kad to find some CIBOO for tioeessiarv sites in addition to the Amounts granted. I am distinctly of opinion that this is unfair to the Hoard and that the Department of Education, i.e., the Governing nit, should provide the whole purchase money for new school sites. T am strongly opposed to the Od reduction in t-he capitation ffran't, And am in hopes of being a,hie to render material assistance 'presently in securing its restoration or an equivalent provision. Mv progressive views of education mliters, ns well as my work o.m the Board, for some years past, will, 1 trust-, be found to justify me in seeking a renewal o.f your "onfidcnce. Should T be re-elected, you can one and all rely upon mv continued watchfulness over your interests.—

Yours faithfully, IV. H. FIELD.