EDUCATION MATTERS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 February 1925, Page 4

EDUCATION MATTERS

AIR TATE’S MISSION. SCHOOL CO.MAIiTTEKS. WELLINGTON, February 1. Sir James Parr, .Minister of Education, asked by a “Times” representative on Saturday when Air Tate, Director of Education to the State of Victoria, was to arrive in New Zealand, said that Air Tate was sailing that very day by the Aloeraki from Melbourne and .should he here next week.

“1 had .suggested by cable to-Mr Tate lasi week,” added the Minister, •‘that he might postpone hi.s visit until March or April, alter the present epidemic was over, lie lias replied, however, that lie could not come later as he is lequired in Australia to prepare some educational legislation which the new Government lias instructed him to got ready for the coming session. I. have therefore, asked him to carry out the original arrangement. Mi- Tate, of course, is not a Ko.val Commission. hut conies here at my invitation on a. very important mission to discuss with the Department and myself some problems of post-primary education in this country and give us all the benefit of his wide experience in educational matters. Probably alone in the world New Zealand practically gives free secondary education to all. This makes the whole problem of postprimary education a most interesting and rather difficult one for this country. I am not content to go on without overhauling our present machinery with a view to getting even better results.

“There is,” stated the .Minister, “no reflection whatever on the Department’s officers in asking Mr Tate’s advice, although a few newspapers and sundry school committees have affected to think otherwise. The problem of adolescent education is the biggest thing in the educational world to-day. and I am-.sure I do not lio amiss in seeking the opinion of the highest educational authority in Australia on some nt our obvious anomalies and diffieul-

“I observe,'' said Sir James in eonelusion, “that although, as 1 distnictIv stated last month and now reiterate. Air Tate comes on a limited educational mission, yet somehow the school committees in Christchurch lmve got it into their heads that we are importing Mr Tate for the purpose, among other tilings, of discussing with these school committees some of their rather illusory complaints. It strikes one as somewhat odd. I must confess, that these Christchurch school committees should seek help from our visitor to increase their authority, powers and prestige, coming as Mr Tate does from Australia, where they will not stand for school committees, at all. Nearly everything is regulated from the central Department. Anyway, Mr Tate, 1 fear, will not have sufficient time to go outside the scope of hi,s mission.”