TECHNICAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 29 July 1907, Page 2

TECHNICAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

WHO DOES ITS WORK?

At the Education Hoard .meeting o.j Wednesday the chairman mentioned that the clerical work in the Board's office had increased greatly of late, principal on account of the. demands of technical education. As a consequence the secretary was kept in this office nearly every night, working till about ten o'clock.' He did not -think lie was justified ill allowing that to go on without informing the Hoard, lie thought the Board should obtain another cadet. Mr Monkhousc asked if there was any possibility of the technical education work decreasing. II seemed to him thai technical education was taking more than its share of the time of the officers. Jlr Ballantyne considered the work like|ly to increase than to decrease, for furj t'her technical clases would be opened. The staff had to answer enquiries from intending pupils, and to impart all sorts of information. Mr Monkhousc said it seemed to him that in New Plymouth lhe Kducation Board's stall' was doing a lot of (lie work that should fall on the secretary of tho technical committee, and this was crippling the work of the staff in primary education. .Mr Kennedy considered the two branches should be better defined. He complained that, whilst there had been practically no increase in the number of I schools there were now two inspectors. S l'j) till lately the work had been done by one inspector. Now that there were two it seemed that one was employed solely for tlie technical branch, for there was no extra primary work. The chairman corrected. There had been a tremendous increase in the primary department. iir Kennedy considered that the new cadet, it' appointed, should be paid by the technical branch. The public complained now of the technical education, from wbick only a few at present derived beneiit. Of course, he hoped for better things, and that greater numbers would benefit. But in the meantime they must not let the technical work infringe on the_ primary department. Mr Monkhouse wanted to know if his surmise was correct, that much unnecessary detail work was being done in the Board's cilice. Mr Tisch explained that there was a technical school committee, with a secretary paid £5 per annum. He could not be expected to do very much for that, but he enrolled students, kept the rolls, and so forth. He considered that it would be a good idea to place this secretarial work in the hands of the new cadet.

Mr Monkhouse said it seemed ho was right in his surmise, but Mr Tiseh's scheme would make matters even worse, for the whole of the. management of the New Plymouth technical classes would centre in the Board's offices. In Stratford this work was done by the secretary and superintendent. Mr Morison was of opinion that the | secretary and superintendent at Stratford were underpaid and tremendously overworked. He considered the technical committee at New Plymouth should do more, and not leave so much for the Hoard's staff.

'Die secretary explained Hint when people failed to find the technical secrej tary they immediately came to the ' Board's office. No man conld he expeet- , ed to give the whole of his time for .-£» or £lO a year. It took him (Mr Wliit- ; combe) no longer to give information to applicant!! than to send them to Mr Clarke and explain why he had to do so. He referred to the immense amount of work connected with the New Plymouth and Stratford classes. Mr Monkhousc considered it unwise to cut wood with a razor, or to allow highly paid officials to do this detail work. Mr Ballantyne pointed out that Stratford was fortunate in having such men as Mr Penn and Mr Tyrcr. But all their work had to go through the Board's olliee. and all the accounts adjusted. Returns had to he drawn, statements submitted and sworn, before the Department would authorise payment of a penny. Tie considered that if the whole mnwwiiirnt were left to commiltees there would be some hi? bills fir the Bowl to nnv. He comnbiiiied th»t the tll«nortnr« h»(1 to fir, n l„t of wnvk. =,HI a« m*ikui*» mi rarcplg of whoo' nnferioln ind annarnfus to be sent out. w*V«t this work should be done bv n end"!-. 1,1 answer to Mr. Kenncdv he snid tint no inspector bad ever Tvtid as many visits to s"hools a 1! he bud done an assistant ;„ 5 ,,p..t.i,-. ivi,„„ >V". h"rl b»A,i „„i-. oiv tlv> sr>li™,'j In.d lien examiner", bo' not inMieeterl.

-\fl"r further discussion, it, was decided to emratred a cadet at .Cf-tn" a year, and to charce the salary against the technical fund.