SCHOOL COMMITTEES CONFERENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2150, 15 July 1920, Page 3

SCHOOL COMMITTEES CONFERENCE.

The conference of Dominion school committees concluded at Wellington on Tuesday. A remit, calling on the Government to amend the present regulations governing the payment of board allowance to children attending primary and secondary schools Avho are compelled to live a way from home was adopted. “That the Government bo requested to establish hostels where secondary schools are established, providing such hostels arc under the* direction of the controlling body,” was the (ext of a remit passed afler some discussion. it. was decided to ask the Minister to amend the Education Act to provide that of school committees should be elected .for a term of two years, one half of each committee to retire annually. After some, discussion it was decided to bring before the notice of the Department a recommendation that all nominations for school committees should close one week before the date of election, in cases where the school roll was one hundred or over - .

In moving that in eases where teachers arc transferred from one place to another the department he requested to provide the expenses in connection with Hie transfer, Mr Atnmre said that he saw no reason why teachers should not he given equal treatment with civil servants when the transfer was made by the board. The remit was carried. After considerable discussion the following remit was lost; “That the basis of ward representation under Hie Education Act, 1914, be amended to provide that any ward with three Parliamentary . electorates ■within its boundaries shall be entitled to an additional representa-

tive, and in Hie event of (here being four such electoral districts an extra ward shall be created/’ The elect ion of officers resulted: President, Mr S. G. Smith, M.P. (Taranaki); vice-presidents. Mcs-

srs A. G. Wallace (Wellington), A. Pevevill (Christchurch), J. K. Horublow (Poxton), and R. IT. Potter, M.P. (Auckland); secretary and treasurer, Mr A. J. White (Auckland) : committee, Messrs D. R. Pickering (Masterton), AV. Bruce (Wanganui), Hon. M. Cohen (Dunedin), A. Anderson (Southland), H. C. Jc Grange (Palmerston North), R. Masters, M.P. (Taranaki), and AA r . Glover (Nelson). The following remit from Hie

Pembroke Association was iicloptetl: —“That the time has arrived for the to immediately establish training colleges in oacdi of the education districts wlferc there is

now no Training- College.” A remit from the Manawatu Association urging the Government to increase the education grant to

£3,000,000 annually was adopted

It was also decided to adopt a remit reaffirming the principle of the assembly Hall. The delegates appeared to regard an assembly hall as absolutely necessary for schools of any size.

A remit emphasising the necessity of free medical, optical, and dental attention being given to pupils attending the State schools of the Dominion was adopted.

A lengthy discussion took plane on a remit from the Manawatu (Association favouring the abolition of education boards. After the mailer had been thrashed out, leave was given for the motion to he Avithdrawn, the mover intimating that the remit would be brought up again at the next annual meeting.