WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1929, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS

PR ACTICAL ED U CAT I ON. i MINISTER'S VIEWS, i (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, May IG. In the course of his address to the members of the Technical Teachers’ Conference the lion. H. Atmore made it quite plain to his audience that he jiad no intention to be swayed by age old traditions or by professional prejudices. • “While four million pounds a year,” he said, “are being spent on education—a large sum, but not too large if the public is getting value for the money—l do not think it is getting that value.” No member of a very alert Cabinet lias been more active than the Minister of Education has been in making himself acquainted with the details of his Department. Frequently more frank than discreet in his utterances lie opened his address by letting his audience know that he was not impressed by the multiplication of such educational organisations and stressed the value of unification. Education should he a continuous process, he maintained, and numerous organisations did not help in the national outlook.

REFORMS’ IN VIEW.’ •••• vli • ■ . " ■'

■'About Mr: Atmbre’s ’ thoroughness aiYil courage there can he no doubt. Without casting any aspersions upon his predecessors in office the now Minister indicated to .Ins audience many reforms he thought' were needed in the education-byscem of the Dominion. Modern condition's of life, he reminded the assembled; teachers, were in a state of lltix, and no man in the world sh'oiild lay ; do.>'!!■ an education policy lor a term of years. While technical education had advanced in jiopuiar estimation in the Dominion there had not been the changes and the progress in the educational system the people had a right to expect and demand. The fact that there had been so little change in the system since 1877 was in itself an indictment of the education policy. -Mr Atmore aspires to placing the New Zealand system! wislthe forefront of: they education systems ol the world, aneb: towards this end would make inuterial changes in 'both its character and'-tits app.iiiation.. Developments in-'these directions! are being awaited witlv.inueh interest), mi:

' TRANtSftGRT DEPARTMENT. • The Hoik W. Ae-Veiteli’pthe Minister of Labour,i;Alines and Transport, is hearing his full share of administrative' work in the new : Cabinet. -/Transport just now is making particular demands upon iiis time, the establishment of a new department of Si-ate proving a more exacting -task th,an lie or any ol his colleagues had anticipated. He expects to.have the preliminary work far enough advanced, in a, few \vq<,'ks timeto call the members of the Advisory Council together and to ay,ail lii insell of. their assistance., Mea}iwl)jjjg.,he is being regaled by complaints concerning heavy charges and limited facilities to which lie ha| yet liadi- l i(i| o|)|)ortunity' to give' A nftention; but which he knows' to he in some cases c jargely overdrawn. The Minister has high hopes pi• the potentiali(ics of tl i.4iff] artmen.t . He'.believes that it will improve many if the existing conditions and ultimately bring about a much bettor understanding between the users of the roads and the authorities than that existing at the present time.

PR ()PQI \ TTON AL I’ll ESENTATI ON

. The “Evening Post” apparently has not yet quite made up its mind in regard to the merits, and demerits of proportional representation. “Opponents of proportional representation.” it told its readers last night, “some times p’-guo that if the simpler ballot sy.de a- . :1 i- n t, as fair, they are at It-. -1 more praiti al. The swing of 1 1 ; i p'endu.'jpmjs. not p iitrolled so well but it is py> -e.,/1 jcisjye. As a logical argon"' f ’•• <> yjannot endorse this, but, we must a unit that occasion (illy those who use; it can quote examples which arc more convincing than logic to the average man.” The “Post” finds in the results of the Christchurch municipal election, held under.-,the proportional representation svstcnU. an example which, it thinks, to the average mail will ho more convincing that logic. Dr. Thacker, who sat on the rail between the Citizens Party and the Labour Party during the election campaign has get down on the side of Labour and so given tint party a majority in the Council. Here, of course, it is Dr. Thacker not the system of election that is to blame.