LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 236, 5 October 1877, Page 2

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Wellington, Thursday. In the Legislative Council last ni_ht, clause 8 of the Education Bill was postponed for further consideration on the motion of Colonel Kennedy to strike out sub-section 2, which reads as follows : "In payment to the Board of every district of a sum of three pounds fifteen shillings for each child in average daily attendance at a public school, such average daily attendance to be computed in the manner prescribed by the regulations." . The Hon. Mr Grace will move the following amendments :— ln section 13. sub-section 1, line 10, after "the day of," to insert " determining tho." In sub-section 2, to add the following words : <• Together with the total number of vote each person shall have obtained at the nomination election by the Committee." Jn sub-section 3, line 3, to insert '* from the tocal aggregate of the number of votes set opposite the names of each person respectively iu the list returned by the several Committees." In sub-section, Hue I, to omit all words after "every election," and insert "and every nomination whatever under this Act shall be by ballot, at which the cumulative principle of voting shall be enforced ; and every electing householder, member of Committee, aud member of Board shall have as many votes at each election and nomination as there are persons to be elected or nominated respectively, aud shall have the right of giving all or any number of his votes in favor of one person, aud the remainder to any oue person or more persons, or of distributing his votes among the several persons to bo elected iu numbers and in manner as lie shall thiuk fit." In section 03, lines 8 aud 9, to omit " either by shtw of bauds or by ballot as shall be determined upon by tlie said meeting," and to insert in lieu thereof, " iu the manner prescribed in section 13." The Hon. Mr Miller will move the following amendment ; Iu clause 2[>, to omit " and inspectors." The Hon. Mr Buckley will move the addition of the following new clauses :— " The Committee of any school may set apart one half school day in every week during which any ministers of religion or person or persons appointed by them and |

a pproved by the local Committee may impart religious instruction to such of the children on the books of the school as may belong to his or their religious denominations ; provided that no child or children shall be allowed to attend at such instruction except on a written request to that effect addressed to the teacher by the parents or guardians of such children." "Whenever any twenty-five or more householders in any education district shall signify in writing to the Education Board of such district their desire to be constituted into a separate body for educational purposes, it shall be the duty of the Board to convene a meeting of such householders for the election of a school committee in the manner provided in part 3 of this Act, and it shall be lawful for the Board to grant to the Committee so elected such aid in books, school apparatus, and money as the Board shall deem expedient, or, afc the option of the Committee, such aid may be granted in mouey only, inclusive of the value of such books and school apparatus as would other- 1 wise be supplied by the Board ; provided always that every such Committee shall provide a school-houso or school-houses to the satisfaction of the Board, and shall appoint aud pay the teacher or teachers of such school or schools, every such teacher having first obtained a certificate of competency as provided in section 44 of this Act ; provided also that all books used in auy such school shall be approved by the Board, aud that in every respact wherever no special exception is made iu this section every such school shall be a public school under this^Act and subjact to the provisions which this Act makes for the conduct, management, aud inspection of public schools, and that every such school shall be open to all children between the ages of five and fifteen years without fee or payment of any kind." The 7th clause of the Bill was altered in Committeo of the House so as to give power to the Govereor to appoint a General Inspector only, leaving the other inspectors to be appointed by the local bodies, but in Committee of the Council yesterday the clause was amended so as to read : " The Governor may from time to time appoint and remove a Secretary to the Department of Education and such inspectors of schools and other officers a3 may be deemed necessary."