THE EDUCATION BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 53, 23 July 1914, Page 6

THE EDUCATION BILL.

TAKANAIvI EDUCATION HOARD I'UOTESTS.' DELEO.U'K-, TO BE SENT TO ci.\ j: evidence. The proposal in the Education Dili to eliminate, the Taranaki Education i)U. tnct and make Wangamii the seat of control was brieily .but forcible dealt with at the meeting 0 f jj|, t Taranaki Education Hoard yesterday. ORGANISED OBJECTION. Early hi the meeting it was nuoveri by Mr. E. .Masters, "That the .school committees m the Taranaki Education district be asked to hold meetings protesting against the proposal to eliminate the Taranaki Education Boajd." This was dealt with early so that Uhe committees might be circularised without- delay. THE CHAIRMAN'S VIEWS.

At a later stage, the matter was again introduced by the chairman, who moved that the Board enter an emphatic protect against the proposal to eliminate tine Taranaki Education Board and merge the district in Wanganui. He wished to make it clear to the members that-they must not sillpw the question oi We district boundaries to .be. settled by a Royal Commission. Phis should be done by the House, and ir the House left it to a Commission, then it was shirking its duty. The actual boundaries might be left" to a commission, hut they must see to it that there should be an education district of Taranaki with headquarters at Mew Plymouth. The boundaries were not si important, although they should, of course, include as, iarge an area as possible. The inspectors /had, he reminded the Board, recently drawn up a scheme dividing the North Island into fairly equal districts, and this had been hull before the Minister. It was, of course, but a tentative proposal, and the Hoa:-ii was not bound to it, but thev wer> bc-imd to see'that there was a Taranaki district. There was no reason why this should not be so. It had been said at a meeting at which he had been present that morning that the Minister had probably not seen;the actual boundaries proposed in tlfoe Education Bill, and that these had probably been included in the Bill as recommended bv the Department. He did not doubt that the Department had recommended them, but to say that the Minister knew noth ing of them, was not complini'Mitary to him, to say the least of it. If lie" did not make himself acquainted with them it was a very curious business. In t!u meantime, it was necessary to make an emphatic protest against the abol; itii n of the Taranaki district. A WIDER VIEW NEEDED.

Mr. Morton suggested tlmt a fuller resolution was needed. It was necessary to give reasons fir saving that the Taranaki district should be retained. lie moved, "That the Taranaki Kduration Board emphatically protests uga'nst the proposal in the Education IH. new lie.fore Parliament to abolish the present Taranaki Education District, and urges that such a step would be against the best interest- of education as a whole, and of the Taranaki district in particular, and this Board is 1 of opinion that for the efficient management of such an important district as Taranaki, containing 'large areas of clrse settlement and slili larger areas when! settlement is widely scatter'd, it is essential that there shou'd be a board in existence, the member* of which would be in touch with and have a knowledge of all parts of the district, and the Board further urges that the interests of education would b" better served by the retention, of the present Taranaki Board and the inelusv n within its jurisdiction of> the whole of the Taranaki Provincial district and the southern portion of the present Auckland district extending along the coast as far as Raglan, and inland to Te Kuiti." Mr. Morion remarked that he made no comment on the subject, as it had a'ready been fully dealt with elsewhere, and a scheme had previously been laid before the Minister. Mr. Bradbury seconded the motion, lie had been sorry to hear ■ens ?peakcr at. the public, meeting on Monday night introduce into the di-cusMon j.ko question of the financial 'o-s ic the tow.a .resulting from the loss of the head-quar-ters of education for Taranaki. Thai was a wrong view, and it would he useii~i to urge it as a reason why the Taranaki district should be retained. The Minister must be shown that to eliminate Taranaki would be against the interests «>f education. In that argument the anticipation of increased population and extension of the (lis trict must be one of the principal planks. 'The effect on education was the only gr-i und on which they could proceed. It would be advisable to get sti listics concerning the development and prospects of the Oh lira and other districts in Taranaki, which would fur-ni-h a definite reason for the retention of the Taranaki Education District. The motion was carried unanimously DF.LKIIATRS APPOINTED.

Mr. 11. Oki-y, MA'., writing on the -ill) jcct, said that strong representation was being made to tlie Minister to al'ov evidence, tii lie taken hwforc tlie Kdue.ition Committee. The •Minister favored this being left to a Commission, and said he was willing to aee->pt amendments to fh," boundaries set forth ir. tlie Uil!. Tie asked' whether tin- Hoard desired to give evidence, .-'.liuild ill? Minister doeide to take it. lit a subsequent letter, lie. said that the chairman of tile Education (,'omniittec had agreed In authorise payment of tlje expenses of two witnesses, l-.it thought thev would not in l requires for thre' l or 'four weeks. If the. Hoard wished to lie represented <>key would -co thai ample notice was given. Me fonva/!eil three copies •; f fhe Hill. whi'-'i he said would bo circulated among ilrboards later. The following resolution was then carried: "That tlie Education Committee 1)' asked to hear evidence from this Hoard in support of the .retention of the Taranaki district, ami that, in the event of this being allowed. ?.i<-••! Trimble. Masters and Morton be appointed to represent the. Hoard. 7 '

Tin-; srccKSTKD i!t)ux!)Ai:i;:s. The committee set up by Monday's nii't vi'.-tui'day morning and decided to writ., to tilt's -Minister (if K.iiication uryinj; tlie retention of tlie 'l'aranaki district with boundaries extended at leas* as fill- as the old provincial boundaries; also asking Mr. Allen to ve view- a deputation on the. subject anil to allow evid-mv to he before the Parliamentary Committee. The cliaivniiin (Mr. d."K.. Wilson) rei>ortod lhat; he had already communicated tilic resolution parsed' at Monday's meeting to Ministers, and members lor tile, district, and had written to the various "Mayors and chairmvn of counties and town districts asking their co-operation.