INVERCARGILL ITEMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 11 May 1907, Page 2

INVERCARGILL ITEMS.

Per Press Association. lnvcrcnrgill.. Aisi.v 10. Donald Williamson, f.-Ji-od lice-infected -hccp fin' sale, at W;l----lacelowu yards was today iin<-1 i's j willi 28s mm--. llcndci-on and Co..] charged with a similar oll'cnce, i>k'iul<-.i'; ililicrcnt fanners for freezing, and bcini; Jound unsuitable fur tin.-. i»-=ii had been sent to the yards. They Wire. | i.ncd Is with 28s costs. I W. T. Splatt, charged with being an' I unregistered ncrson wi.liin the meaning I of tile .Demist Ac. IUO-1, In- di.l l>y inference adopt iliu description of <K'iiti-'-; operiuion on behalf of one o.pi.jiius , Coop.-r. a demist, and uoi, under lii-i snpervi-ion. After a deal of cwd.-n-.-e had !i"fi! li.'in!. Mr McAlisLcr submit I'd ;l,a; li.- case must be disnus-ed. as the information:; w.i'i' ii"i laid within -:x A dopula.ii.n 'from the SouUdaud branch of the Tea.■lli-l'H' Jll-titlltc <v.u.cd on tlw Ann. ilr Fuwlds today 10 draw his attention to detects in 1,i.• colonial scale of salaries, Tie' principal objcclii.il was that. I lie scale of salaries 'was based mi [lie average attendance. The Minister adniiited (lint {he system had not yet reached perfection. ' lie pointed out Ihai Hie New Zea- ; land system of local euulrol made it less easy to have a general system of promotion. Parliament was never likely to accede, to the proposal to annually in- ; crease teachers' salaries while, the school ' attendance was dropping. At .the same ■ time, when, from causes beyond teachers' control, the attendance fell off, the 1 teacher should have the opportunity of . transferring before any material dimiunI tion was made, in salary. The question ' of how best to arrange matters I'eipiired ' careful consideration, lie expressed a ' belief in the value of local intcresl in ' education, but was prepared to listen to ■ anyone who might evolve a better I scheme, while continuing the present - system of boards and committees. Jle invited the deputation to work it, scheme ' of salaries and submit it. The colonial 1 scale had enormously improved the stnf his and conditions of tile majority of ' teachers in New Zealand in several ways. • lie did not think the decreases in the s proportion of males to females was due iJ to salaries, but to the desire of women to earn their living, and to the fact that their wages had been more largely increased. At the same time, he did not deny sympathy with the deputation, and would be delighted if he could, persuade Parliament to grant more money for educational purposes. A member uf the 1- deputation said that the .N'evv Zealand '' institute was engaged drawing up a '• scheme of salaries for submission to the '! The Hon. Mr Fowlds was enterlainei ' at a rociill by the Southland Educatioi v Hoard and High School Hoard, and ar S altedanci; largely represciitaiive of edu o cational interests. .Responding to thi L * toast of his health, Mr Fowlds pointoi !, out that the expenditure on educatioi l' last year was £853,1-17. It was quie j, possible that in future years, a re-nc , r tion might be experienced, and in hi: , e opinion a strong party might seek ti i cut down the cost of education, li d which the pruning knife would mos /, easily be applied. This furnished i i- strong reason why the present Pallia 'e ment should do something more for tli i endowment of education, so that the; >' would have an assured revenue indi 1(5 pendent of the consolidated fund. Oi "-' the question of instruction in agricul 5 ' tui'e in primary schools, ho said it wa ''' quite impossible to do nuich in tha ''' way, and it would be left for secondar; ,' or technical schools, which he hope would be provided in various centres. At a large and enthusiastic inectin; ,jj held tonight, it -was unanimously dc e cided to form a universal Saturday Hal !_! Holiday Association, with a view '1 !t promoting interest in the question, an 2, supporting legislation that may b ■)r brought down next session in the diret

~ tion of a. compulsory universal Sitturr day half holiday. Speakers strongly ap- - proved of the lion. Millar'.* enforcement of the Factories Act, ami contended that the half-holiday should bo observ ed in all classes of employment on tin tame day, and that day should be Sat urday. A committee was appointed and a largo number of members enroll ed. . f A return laid before the County Conn - cil today, showed that during Hie tuelvi -' months ended March 31st last, £lO2-1 " odd was spent in exterminating 5111:11] 1 birds. Of this .C77S odd was paid foi 1,121,02S eggs and heads. The Counci. J approved of the model bv-laws Submit' \ led by the Minister of Public Work* with slight alteration.