EDUCATION SYSTEM.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 359, 13 February 1937, Page 4

EDUCATION SYSTEM.

PROPOSED CHANGES.

Atmore Report Before High School Board. The principal subject on the agenda paper for the meeting of the Stratford Technical High .School Board last night was the consideration of a voluminous report on the proposed reorganisation of the education system of New Zealand. It is Intended that this report—generally termed the Atmore Report—will be the subject of legislation during the forthcoming session of Parliament, and the opinions of the Board were sought in a communication from Mr. P. J. G. Smith, private secretary to the Minister of Education. When the subject was introduced it was pointed out by Mr. W. J. Polson, M.P., a member of the Board, that it would be quite impossible for the meeting to deal With such a wide range of reference, and his suggestion that a sub-committee be appointed and a report submitted to the ne*t meeting of the Board was adopted.

Ou behalf of the Parliamentary Committee set up to make preliminary inquiries regarding the education system, he was directed to obtain the opinions of the Board on the resolutions and recommendations, taken clause by clause, of the Parliamentary Recess Education Committee which reported in 1930 on educational reorganisation iu New Zealand, wrote Mr. Smith.

“The resolutions and recommendations referred to are summarised on pages 17 to 15 of Parliamentary Paper X —Ba, published by the Government Printer in 1930.

As ample opportunity of giving evidence upon the proposed reorganisation will later bo afforded to all interested or concerned, a full statement of the views of your Board is not requested for the committee’s present purpose. The committee's wish is merely for an Indication, by means of the words 'approved' or 'disapproved,' of your Board’s opinion upon each clause of tre resolutions and recommendations under consideration. Where disapproval of a clause, is intimated, a brief statement of the grounds ot disapproval would be of assistance, b|it comment otherwise is unnecessary.

Your co-operation in making this information available to the committee as soon as possible after the 31st January, preferably before the 15th February, will be greatly appreciated by the Hon. Minister and other members of the Committee.'

Time for Consideritlon.

The .chairman, Mr. J. McAUlste", said that from time, to time the report had been referred to at Board meetings during the last six years, aud if members were not familiar wtth the clauses they were at least familiar with the general trend ot the report. Mr. Polson: It is an enormous order of refcnce. You don't think that we should go through the report and solemnly deliberate on these clauses? Mr. McAllister: I was reading them until three o'clock this morning. A great deal ot It doesn't affect ns. Mr. Polson: But a great deal of it does. There is no Immediate hurry. Mr. McAllister: 1 thought we might deal with one or two principles affect us. Mr. Polson: There is a. good deal more in this report than meets the eye. I am satisfied that if the Minister gets the report by the middle of March it will be as soou as a good deal ot other institutions. Mr. E. S. Rutheffurd: What does affect us? Mr. Polson: I suggest we have a small committee to go Into the report and sort out what does affect us. It l is the only intelligent way to deal , with it. I suggest that the chairman, principal, Mr. Rutherfurd and one other member ot the Board comprise the committee. Conference Discussions. Mr A. 11. R. Amess (principal) said that al the Technical Education Conference which ho had attended iu Aiigust with Mr. F. Gawith some interesting discussions had taken place. As a member ot a sub-committee ho had spent a whole day, one evening, and next morning in considering the report, and then had made certain recommendations. Mr. Polson: It Is obvious that we cannot settle these things to-night. It was decided that a sub-committee consisting ot the chairman, principal, and Messrs. Rutherfurd and Polson investigate the report and submit recommendations to the next meeting of the Board. Present at the meeting were Messrs J. McAllister (chairman). W. J. Polson. M.P., T. T. Murray. J. Thomas. A. Ferguson. E. S. Rutherfurd, A. 11. R. Amoss (principal), and Mrs N. Gibson,