DOMINION-ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1923, Page 1

DOMINION-ITEMS.

[nv TELEGRAPH—PER TRESS ASSOCIATION,

EDUCATIONAL. WELLINGTON, May 10. li- The Hon. C. J. Pari;, Minister of Education, in an address to the New ° Zealand Institute, put some pointed questions to the Conference, j_ "Mr Parr said that educational ex,o pemliture had increased 150 per cent. I since 1913, and now totalled about rs £3,300,000 per annum. Of this sum II over £2,000,000 went out ii salaries n and wages to teachers, inspectors, and ” officials. The sum was large, but, fie thought, not too large at all. Critics, t however, frequently asked him whee tlier the taxpayer was getting value for - his money. Addressing the teachers, Mr Parr ■ asked: “Are our primary schools offiI clout? It teaching sound ? Is the product of to-day as satisfactory as ? the product of 20 or 30 years ago? - The answer,” said the Minister, “is that, on the whole, we have made progress. I believe the pupil, ns evolved ‘ from the primary school to-day, is more intlligent, more resourceful, more selfreliant than the pupil of 30 years ago, but there are some undoubted weaknesses to which I would call vour attention. A little self-examination will do us all good,” lie added, “and I am hound to say that I am not satisfied with what is being done in some subjects.” The Minister said, answering his own question, that ho thought sound progress had been made, and that the teaching on the whole was satisfactory. There were, however, blemishes. It was his and their duty to get together and improve the weak spots. He asked for the coining year that a special effort might be made, first for a more mechanical accuracy in arithmetic, and secondly for more thorough instruction ' in history, and he hoped to place he- 1 fore the Institute proposals for the 1 improvement’ of singing, which was not 1 satisfactory in the majority of schools, i

EULOGTES OF MR MASSEY. ' I MR WILFORD’S COMMENTS. P WELLINGTON, May 17. ’’ At a social gathering held in his hon- ’’ our at Petone to-night, Mr Wilford s replying to remarks made about the resolutions appearing in the Press about the Prime Minister’s attendance h at the Imperial Conference, said: “Before every session you will notice p through New Zealand an outburst of a propaganda through the Reform Press, s The leader of the English Conserva- m tives has just given the loader of the New Zealand Conservatives a testimonial in order to make New Zealanders believe that Mr Massey is the only fit representative for the conference.” The Wellington and Wnirarnpa Chambers of Commerce each passed resolutions moved by Reform’s right-hand supporters. Those who remembered Lord Milner’s wonderful eulogy of our Premier some time ago, were im-

ressei! somewhat till we read practieHy the same eulogy by the Conservaivc cx-Preniier of Canada. I want lie electors of my constituency to see ic values of-these madc-to-order resodions and weigh them accordingly. 1

remember how resolutions against the Opposition were suggested by circular by Ernest A. James, the Reform Party's secretary, in days gone by. They have not changed.”

THE HYLTON SCHEME. CASE OF BACKWARD CHILDREN. 'WELLINGTON, May 17. In the afternoon of to-day the report of the Recess Committee upon the Hylton scheme was adopted by the ■Education-Conference. Special thanks were accorded to Mr Kane and the committee for their report, also to Mr Hyton, who, it was stated, had rendered a memorahle serrice- to the teachers ol the Dominion in putting forward his scheme. The Conference also considered the report ol the Roc-ess Committee on the Auckland remit regarding the interests of the non-intellectual type of children in the primary schools. The Conference was of the opinion that such children should receive instruction in subjects essential to their future citizenship, dropping those subjects and problems which were remote from their future citizenship. The committee expressed the view that in such a- case arithmetic should be simplified, and home craft subjects should be taught, the children on leaving the class to he ctntitlcd to attend the manual training school. The department should engage the services of a trained psychiatrist, "hose duty it would he. to visit the different centres, examine those pupils selected as difficult cases and advise as to the lines along which each should be trained. Tile report was adopted and it was decided to send it forward to the department for special consideration. THE LOSS OF AN EYE. CHRISTCHURCH, May 17. An affray at the Grosvenor Hotel on March 3 last was revived in the lOourt 1.0-da.v. Last week John Stack, barman at the hotel, was fined £lO, for assaulting Thomas Reynolds, gas expert, by striking him in flic eye. The eye was severely injured, and had to be removed. Reynolds now brought a civil action against Stack, claiming £IOOO damages. Mr Justice Adams said that Stack admitted that the blow was struck in anger, and there could be no defence to the general action. The jury gave a verdict for plaintiff for £3OO.

TECHNICA f, EDUCATION. WELLINGTON. May 17. At the Technical Education Conference. chc- following remits wore passed : “'That in view of the greater difficulties cf the organisation of technical schools, their regulations should l:e amended to allow of working conditions at least as good r.s those in secondary schools. “That the Minister of Education be asked to appoint immediately a woman inspector to inspect and organise the teaching cf home science subjects in the primary, secondary, and technical schools of the Dominion. “That before any changes affecting the internal organisation of the technical high schools, such as standardisation of text hooks, are adopted- the Minister be asked to place the proposals before the annual May conference. “That the attention cf the Min.ster be drawn to the difference cf the salaries payable to technical teachers in the general division as' compared with primary teachers, and that he be asked to arrange for better salaries for the former.” Other remits asked for: (1) House' allowance for the directors of the smaller technical schools; (2) twenty-

six per cent, technical capitation suggested on a sliding scale; (.'!) manual capitation to be fixed by the department early in the year.

MATRICULATION EXAMINATION WELLINGTON, May 10. The present system of education >f with the Matriculation examinations as iv the University entrance, was referred d to at the Secondary Schools’ Conference, when the following remit was brought forward on behalf of 'Wellington and Nelson; “That this Association ' again strongly confirms the principle oh * accrediting in lieu of the Matriculation 1 examination.” s Mr M. Renner (Wellington) said that 1 in many respects, the Matriculation cxi animation was unsatisfactory to the school teachers. The Department had ’ supported the accrediting system, but Hie University Senate was so conservative that little progress had been made respecting a change of system which would have a beneficial effect on tbe growth of the secondary schools. . The remit was carried. NO MORE MONEY. FOR SOLDIER- SETTLEMENT. WELLINGTON, May 17 The Government lias decided that no more applications for advances under the Soldier Settlement Act will be received for the present. The Acting Minister of Lands, Sir Francis Bell, said that the funds which the Government had set aside for the purpose had been exhausted, and many of the applications already in hand could not be granted. 'Consequently it- had been decided that no more applications would be received. It was also intended that new legislation should be introduced next session, though he was not in a position to indicate what line would be taken. Asked as to tbc work of the Soldiers’ Inquiry Boards, Sir Francis Hell stated that all tbc reports should be received before the end of the month. Until the final report had been received, the Government could not decide what it would do to relieve { the present position. It might he that a very large sum of money was involved, the extent of which could not he ascertained until all information " gathered by the Boards was consolidated. At any rate, legislation would he necessary, and the question would have to be dealt with at the next session of Parliament.