EDUCATION IN NEW SOUTH WALES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, February 20.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 12

EDUCATION IN NEW SOUTH WALES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, February 20.

Two of the inspectors under the North Canterbury Board of Education — Messrs Foster and Mulgan — have just come back from a holiday visit to New South Wales, and though they went chiefly for pleasure they naturally looked into matters educational.

Speaking to-night to a Press representative, Mr Mulgan said: "Now South Wales has made a considerable advance in all departments of education during recent years, and an instance is afforded by the provision available for the training of teachers. The authorities brought out from Home Mr Alex. Maokie, M.A., of Edinburgh University, as principal, and purpose erecting a large and modern training college in the grounds of the university. At present the work of the college is carried on in one of the public schools. In kindergarten work also substantial advance has been made. In several schools kindergarten departments are included. " A number of ; others are equipped with laboratories for j the teaching of science, and special provi- j sion is made for giving boys who leave the primary schools a training which will en- I able tnem to immediately appreciate the value of the teaching they receive. The particular institution in which thi6 preparatory process is accomplished is known as the Hurlstone Agricultural Continuation Sohool. We have nothing like it here, but our Technical Obll§ee Board of Governors contemplates making arrangements for the inauguration of some scheme whereby the intermediate cap may be bridged. Mr Foeter and I had the privilege of being associated with the inspectors of the State at their annual conference. During the proceedings several papers were read by inspectors, who had been asked by the Government to discuss different subjects of vital importance. Two papers on 'Child Life ■ in Mining Districts' and on ' Child Life in Dairying Districts' were Riven, and led to muoh interesting debate. So fe.r as the latter problem is concerned, it appears that New South Wales is confronted with the same problem as New Zealand is faced with, arising from the desire on the part of some parents to make the \itmost use of their children, thus sending them to school ia an unfit and exhausted condition. A great deal of interest was manifested by the New South Wales educational authorities in the New Zealand system of the issue of leaving certificates to children on passing Standard VI. In New South Wales certificates of this character are unknown. A pupil passes through all the classes in a primary school without being examined for promotion at any period of his career. I think there is a necessity for the application by some independent authority of reasonable tests to the finished products of any particular primary school. % There are three main divisions of schools in New South Waifs— first, the primary schools (in which pupils receive instruction as far a« Class 5) ; second, ' superior schools' (where additional instruction in the higher branches of education may be given) ; and third, the high school for boys and for girls. The first two institutions are free , and compulsory, but for the high schools a fee of £3 3s per quarter is charged. While a great many pupils can, and do, obtain secondary education in the superior I pchoole, there ie apparently no system of j free education in the secondary schools such as ie enjoyed in New Zealand. The Fort Street (Sydney) Superior School oon-

tains approximately 2000 pupil*, of whom about 750 are in the secondary department, ilus establishment, which is doin* primary and secondary work, is managed and directed by the same Lead master, and splendid result are obtained. Amon X the , features of the' sohool worthy of mention , are a sohool magazine and an excellent | debating society. Mr Foster and I were ] present at the annual meeting. A boy acted as chairman, and he and the other boys showed a remarkable grip of business methods and a capacity for public «peakinff wonderfully developed. We had an opportunity of inspecting the fine Technical College, at whose head is Mr J. W. Turner Attached to the Technical College is a I splendid technological museum, containing not only exhibits of work, but collections of natural products. Some fine original work is carried on at the museum, and "we were especially struck with the value of the -work ; done in the matter of recovering valuable oil from the leaves of the eucalyptus and express pine. We spent a pleasant day at the Hawkesbury Agricultural Coletge and experimental farm, and had the pleasure of meeting Mr H. N. Potts, the principal, and some of hus able staff of teachers. The college has accommodation for 200 resident pupils, and is always taxed to its utmost. The training — both practical and theoretical — is very full and valuable. A gratifying feature is the manner in which the work of the college is entering into the national life. As an example of this, during the yearly recesses, when the students go to their homes, opportunity is given to the farmers to come to the college and profit by its instruction. This is eagerly availed of, and last year over 100 farmers from all parts of the State went into residence at the college. Teachers from the Training College wishing to specialise in Naturestudy or agrioultuTe are sent to Hawkesbury ~ I Agricultural ©silege. A summer sohool is afeo held here annually, extending over several weeks. This yeariabout 100 teachers attended. Much of the land about the college is not of a very hijrh quality, but the principal does not consider this is a drawback, holding (properly) that ifc is as well to instruct the students in what can, be done with relatively poor land."