The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, JULY 20, 1914. THE EDUCATION BILL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 75, 20 July 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, JULY 20, 1914. THE EDUCATION BILL.

The Education Bill before the House has been long expected and the measure now presented bears evidence of careful drafting in every regard. The main idea running through the Bill is to make the system more really national than it has been in the past. The Bill also contains many proposals for the improvement of the lot cf the teacher and the smaller and poorer schools are, under it, to bo placed in a much better position than they havebeen in the past. It is further proposed to bring the Inspectors into clos- 1 or toucli with the Department, an important change about which there may bo some difference of opinion, but if accepted, as set out in the measure, the whole of the Inspectors will bo brought under one control, so that a uniform standard throughout the Dominion may bo obtained for efficiency and competency certificates. The system undoubtedly means one of central-. isation, and it remains yet to lie seen whether the proposals for the abolition of certain Boards are in the best interests of education. One idea which is likely to be welcomed is the proposal for a national system of the grading of teachers. So far as this district is concerned the now education district proposed will contain the counties of Taranaki, Clifton, St rat- ' ford, Whangamomona, Egmont, Kai- i tieko, Eltham, Waimato West, Hawera, Patea, Waitotara, Wanganui, Waimarino. Rangitikei, Oroua, Kair- | nnga. Kiwitea, Pohangina, and Manawatu (including all boroughs and town districts therein), with W anganui as the chief town, and the new district will be known as the Egmont District. 1 The district councils which the Minister proposes are to bo constituted as follows:—The Director of Education, or any other officer of the Education Department appointed, for that purpose by the Minister, who shall bo chairman. A member of the General Council of Education appointed by the . Education Board of the district. The

senior inspector of the district. A member of the General Council appointed by the Minister to represent the teachers of public schools of the island in which the district is situated. One or more other persons appointed by the Minister—namely, a representative of an urban school district, or a representative of teachers of secondary and technical schools; or any other person. The measure is ofj greatest importance, and will undoubtedly occupy a good deal of time on the floor of the House.