EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 October 1917, Page 3

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

TARANAKI BRANCH. A general meeting of the above institute was held in the Education Board room, New Plymouth, 011 Saturday afternoon. The president (Mr. A. V. Sims) presided over a fair attendance of members. Mr. E. A. S. Browne, director of agriculture, gave, an outline of the work he would like to see undertaken during the next few months. He recommended no sowing of seeds till November, except on the coast. He would like every school to sow a plot of lucerne, using lime 01 carbide, Bcwt. to the acre (51b to 40 square yards), followed later by slag or superphosphate. Eucalyptus or ■ black wattle should 'be planted on wasfe ground. A new fodder plant, imphey, might be grown, the seed for which may be obtained from Mr. Newton King's warehouses. In the autumn he would like to see as much seed collection done as possible.

Mr. Sergei, one of the board's agricultural instructors, wrote thanking the teachers for their kindness to him during his three years in Taranaki. It was decided to thank' Mr. Sergei for the consideration he has shown to" teachers, to express their regret at his departure, and wish him success in his new sphere of work.

The president reported that the executive had met the executive of the School Committees' Association on the previous evening, when several questions of mutual interest were discussed. It was agreed that there were many points 011 which the bodies could \york together, and there was much scope in the movement for co-operation between the institute and the committee of the association.

The president also reported that the executive had that morning met the inspectors and Mr. A. Gray, and had come to a satisfactory arrangement regarding the woodwork and cookery classes. The geometrical drawing required for Standards V and VI will be taken ibv the woodwork instructor, and girls who do cooking will not be required to do geometrical drawing. Votes of sympathy were passed to the parents of Corporal Cuthbert, one of our promising young teachers, killed 011 the battlefield : to Mr. Cmnberworth, on the loss of his daughter; and to Mr. Ainsworth, truant officer, who is seriously ill.

Mr. J. W. Hayden addressed the meeting on behalf of the Xgamotu Seaside Committee, who are anxious to inaugurate an athletic sports meeting for all the schools of Taranaki, to be held some time in March. Messrs Day, (Bary and Bullian were elected a sub-committee to work up the competition, in co-operation with the Ngamotu Committee. Miss Jones, of Kalnii school, was elected a member of the institute.

The following remits were passed for the conference to be held in Wellington in January: (1) That the Department be asked as soon as possible to substitute assistants for pupil teachers in all schools. (2) That all teachers holding the position of first assistant in schools of grades 5, C, and 7 be eligible for 10 marks for organisation. (3) That the Government be asked to institute a Dominion seale of sick pay similar to that in other branches of the service.

Mrs. Dowling, Messrs T. Thomas, 0. J. Howarth, and A. V. Sims were appointed representatives to the conferences. Mr. H. A. 'Parkinson was nominated for tha position of secretary of the New Zealand Educational Institute, and Mr. A. Erskine for non-official member of th» executive for the Wellington district.

It was decided to ask that the war Bonus be allotted in accordance with family responsibilities.

The infant mistress at the Hawer» school will be asked'to give an address on the Montessori system at the next Hawera meeting of the institute.