EDUCATION BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 September 1919, Page 6

EDUCATION BILL.

IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS.

(By Wire.-—Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Last Night,

The Education Amendment Bill wag introduced into the House to-day, the old definition of "householder" has been repealed, and the right to vote is given to any adult occupying a house as owner or tenant within the school district.

Concerning the election of school committees also, the Government is asking for power to declare tivo adjoining boroughs to be an urban area, provided the nearest distance between then does not exceed six miles.

There is an important *ncw clause regarding the promotio'n and transfer of teachers. It runs as follows: "If at any time the grading of any school is altered pursuant to the provisions of the principal Act ill that behalf, no teacher employed therein shall by reason of the alteration be entitled, subject to the provisions hereinafter contained, to claim any increase in salary in respect of his position in that school at any time within one month after such altera, tion in the grading of the school. The Hoard may notify the teacher of its intention to transfer him to another position, and the Board may, subject to the provisions of this section, transfer that teacher accordingly. Such notice may be a notice of intention to transfer tlie teacher to a position specified in the notice, or may be a notice in general terms of intention to transfer to a position not then ascertained and determined. If such transfer is not actually effected within.six months from the date of the alteration of the grading of the school, the teacher shall be entitled to claim the higher salary (if any) attached to his position in that school as from the date when the alteration of the grading was effected." The power of transfer conferred upon ihe Board may be exercised by the Board on the ground that any teacher is moVe suitable for or has a better claim to be appointed to the poHit'on (ban the teacher "whom Jthc Board proposes to transfer. The right of appeal against a transfer is reserved to the teacher.

Another clause provides that secondary schools may ntjt admit pupils wno have not obtained competency certificates in Standard VI

It, is provided that no scholarship shall be tenable after the end of the year in which the holder has attained the age of 17 years in the case of a junior scholarship or If) years in the case of a senior scholarship.

Provision is made for the establishment of scholarships in agriculture, domestic science, or other technical or industrial course, to be taken at any college affiliated with the New Zealand University, or at any agricultural or other approved college. Another basis is proposed for the payment of annual grants to technical schools. Tho Government, is to allow a sum not exceeding in any case £SOO fir a school, and in addition a further grant calculated at a rate not exceeding .£ls in respect, of every free pupil, and £IOO in respect of every other pupil in attendance at the school.

I The Government asks for power to deal with many matters for regulation, including the grading and stalling of Native schools, prescribing the rate" of salaries, allowances, and increments to be paid to any teachers, including training college students, conditions for the granting of leave of absence on pay to teachers, and the rates of allowances that may be. paid towards the rcmova: expenses of teachers on transfer from school to another. Increments and allowances to be given under these iemulations are to be deemed to have bieti in force as from April 1. lfllfl. t

The Bill makes a new arrangement for grants to Education Boards for general purposes, and for assistance to school committees. The grant is to be £750 a yfyir, and 3s Od for every child fn average attendance at any school within the district.

The schedule of the Bill prescribes the scale of grants to be given to secondary schools, and another schedule fixes the scale of allowances payable to Education Boards in respect of expenses of school committees.

LOAN BILL. Wellington, Last Night. • The Educational Purposes Loans Bill embodies the proposals of the Government as outlined in the Budget for providing additional funds for educational needs. The Bill gives the Government power to borrow the sum of £500,000 in the current financial year and the sum' of £750,000 in each of the succeeding four financial years.