TEACHERS' INSTITUTE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 37, 7 August 1911, Page 3

TEACHERS' INSTITUTE

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Taranaki branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute was held on Saturday, whe» there was a good attendance, Mr. H. Stratford (president) presiding. The annual report was of a very satisfactory nature, the standing at 136, or 9<5 per cent, of the teachers in the district. The report referred to the case of Miss Ross, formerly teacher at Okokc, who was injured by her horse putting its foot through the decking of the bridge. The Institute had endeavored, on Miss Ross' behalf, to obtain some compensation from the County Council, but the legal advice obtained was that they had no remedy against the Council, on the grounds that it was a case of non-feasance, not malfeasance, The report also traversed the work of the year, and mentioned that the branch had a credit balance of ,€7 14s 'til.

A circular wa.s read from the general secretary in Wellington, setting out what bad been done in endeavoring to obtain a uniform system of promotion. The .Minister of Education had said he was quite in favor of the centralisation of the inspectorate. He was also in sympathy with the proposal to reduce the number of education boards. A letter was read from one of the members who had lately been transferred, and a resolution was carried, on the motion of Messrs. Dempsey and Wiley, "that, owing to the great expense incurred by many teachers when being transferred from one school to another, the board be respectfully asked to make arrangements whereby such expenses should be paid." It was decided to ask the general executive whether it would refund legal expenses that would be incurred by the presence of a solicitor at teachers' enquiries.

Reference was made to the criticism of handwriting in schools by members of the Education Board, to the publication (if lists of teachers who failed to pass their examination, and to a letter from Mr. Richardson to the Inglewood School Committee on corporal punishment, and it was resolved, "That this institute views with regret the growing tendency of the Board to allow certain matters, likely to embarrass teachers in the execution of their duties, to be made public through the medium of the public press." The secretary was instructed to have a further hundred each of the geography and composition schemes printed. The secretary was voted an honorar-iir-i of three guineas.

Votes of thanks were passed to the outgoing officers, to the press for support, and to the Board for the use of the boardroom for meetings. Mr. Dempsey moved. "That this Institute wishes to place on record its high appreciation of Mr. Wade's zeal and untiring efforts on behalf of education as a member of the Taranaki Education Board for twenty-nine years and chairman for five years." 'Second by Mr. Stratford, and carried. Officers were elected as follows: President, Mr. Stratford (re-elected); vicepresidents, Mrs. Dowling and Mr. 0. Johnson; secretary and treasurer, Mr. Mcllroy; executive. Miss Mead, and Messrs. Tryer, Mail, Pope and Wylie; auditor, Mr. Bary.