COUNCIL OF EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1915, Page 5

COUNCIL OF EDUCATION.

FIRST MEETING, THE BOUNDARIES PROBLEM, The General Council of Education, & i body which was constituted under the Act of 1914, met for the first time at Wellington 011 Tuesday. The Council will probably lie in session daily untH the end of the week. The members present are: Dr. W. J< Anderson, Director of Education (chairman) ; Mr. T. 1!. Fleming (member of the Inspection Staff appointed by tile Minister); Mr. .1. E. Kirk fflisborne) and the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken (elected by Education Boards in the North Island); Messrs C. H. Opie (Christ* church) and W. N. Franklin (Nelsonl, elected bv Education Boards in the South Island: Mr. T. U. Wells (Auckland), elected by male teachers in the North Island; Mr. J. Caughlev (Christchurch), elected bv male, teacher* in the South Island;'MY. F. H. Campbell (Dunedin), elected by male teachers in secondary and technical schools-. Mi°s Phoebe Myers (Wellington!, elected by female teachers in the North Island; Miss E. A. Chaplin (Christcliurcli), elected bv female teachers in the S'out'i Island: 'Miss C. M. Oruicksbanl: (Wanganui), elected by female teachers in secondary and technical schools; Professor .J. MacMillan Brown (Christchurch), appointed by the N.Z. University Senate.

The Hon. 1. A. Ilanan ("Minister of Education) addressed the members of the council, offering them i welmmc to Wellington, and congratulations on tbeir appointment. The Minister paid a high tribute to tlie former pupils of Ken* Zealand schools who had offered their live? for their country. Mr. lianan then referred to the need of giving soimi thought to a time beVond the war, the coming period of social and industrial reorganisation and reconstruction, and he stressed the important part which the education system had taken in shaping the new, higher democracy. "Thorough-' ness" was the word which he wished, to have associated with the whole system. He wished the schools to help more strongly than ever In the training of citizens to whom the term "true man" and "true woman," in the broadest sense, could be fairly applied. lie reminded his audience that in the opinion of many the parents—and the teachers who had to take the place' of parents—were doing too much for the children in some • respects. The path was smoothed for the younger generation; everything was made easy; therefoTe ( the young folk had a disposition to ba selfish and to lack self-reliance.

The proceedings were not open to tha press.

The biggest task before the council is that of fixing the boundaries of the nine educational districts constituted under the Act of last session. The council will have before it the evidence of the Education Commission, the evidence given before the Education Committee of the House of Representatives, and the evidence taken by the Education District Boundaries Commission which sat early in this year. Strong 1 protests have been sent in to the Council of Education, and the Director of Education against the possible severance of Axkkurton from North Canterbury to be joined with South Canterbniy in tlie event of South Canterbury district being maintained. Hatfera people have protested against inclusion of their district in Taranaki; they pre' fer to remain in the Wanganui district, and one of their reasons is that their ■believe in the programme of agricultural instruction which lias keen part of the pobcy ot (lie Wanganui Board. Representations have been made on behalf of Marlborough district, urging that it to "kelson added t0 Wellin * t ° D ' and