EDUCATIONAL

Taranaki Daily News, 2 July 1909, Page 3

EDUCATIONAL

TECHNICAL CONFERENCE-

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Thursday. Th* conference of tccunicfl school directors resolved that capitation lor school classes in cookery and ioodwork conducted bv special instructor* be ras'ed to 20s for not less than 80 hoars instruction per annum, with pro rata rapitation for 20 hours, and 40 hours respectively. It was resolved tb.it tue Minister be urged to establish agricultural technical classes in suitable country centres. The 'committee set up yesterday brought down its report recommending that it is expedient in the near future to render it compulsory for boys and girls under 17 to receive instruction for not less than 15 hours a week, that no employer should employ boya or girls under 17 for more than 30 hours a week, and that it be a strong recommendation of the conference that until Mich provision is made managers of technical schools should arrange with employers to allow employees under 17 time off to attend technical continuation classes'. The opinion was also expressed that time spent by boys in at tending full time courses at day technical schools should count as part of apprenticeship.

AGRICULTURAL TECHNICAL SCHOOLS ADVOCATJiD. Wellington, Last Night. At the Technical Education Conference, Mr. George George moved, That 'the Conference notes with approval the increased capitation paid for pupils taking agricultural courses in the district high schools, bat in view of the fact that agriculture is the most important industry in this Dominion, that the Minuter be urged to authorise the establishment of agricultural technical schools in suitable country centres. The matter, he said, was a most important one to the Dominion. He instanced iwhat had been done in other countries and the success which had followed the establishment of such schools. Yet there was not one such school in New Zealand. If they were established the pupils receiving education there would get a hias to follow other rural occupations, instead of making towards the cities for employment. The schools would also be of immense use to farmers in the localities in which they were established.

Mr. Opie supported the motion. The ignorance amongst farmers and their tons was lamentable. New Zealand was » fanning community, and no motion wa» worthy of more support than the one before the meeting. Replying to Mr. Brown, ilr. George George said the proposed schools would be on the same plane a*i day technical tehooli and district high schools. Mr. A. A. Hunts agreed that further facilities should be provided for imparting instruction id agriculture. (The chairman said probably one Khool would be wanted in each province •t first. Mr. Grant thought the district high schools w ouid meet what was wanted." The chairman pointed out why this was not so. The motion was carried by six votes to tw«.

It was decided to recommend the boards to place before the Department the particulars of capitation paid in England, Scotland and Ireland, and to urge strongly that in view of the higher cost of administration in the Dominion and the recent improvement in the status of teachers in other branches, it w imperative that the present law rate of capitation should be considerably Increabied and brought more into line with that granted in other countries. Further, it should be pointed out that the capitation paid in the case of Ireland. Scotland and England is not the whole source of revenue, which is drawn largely from local rates. It was also decided that it be a recommendation to the Department to grant technical rates of capitation in all subjects taken with a view to the matriculation exam. It was decided to recommend the Department to make some provision for the maintenance and upkeep of technical buildings on a definite basis.