SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1920, Page 7

SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

THE TAEANAKI CONFERENCE.

The annual conference of the Taranaki School Committees' Association Was held in the Technical School, New' Plymouth, yesterday afternoon. Mr S. G. Smith, M.P. (Central School) occupied the chair and the following delegates were present:—Mi's. Ciitlrtiert Pembroke Road), Messrs K. J. Deare { r f} £ ntl) ' T - H - Sinclair (Opunakej, J. M. Downs (Bell Block), G. ' Capper (lvaimata), \V. W. Avery (KaponVa), *. J. Hodges (Durham Koad), R° S Sage (Hawera), J. Sutherland (liHewood), C. Southcombe (Kent Road)°T Calvert (Ahititi), I ra J. Bridger (Eltham), W. K.. Morris (Oakura). Mr H. Trimble (member of the Education Board) and Mr. A. ,T. Morton (Inspector of Schools) were also present. The chairman, i u welcoming the delegates, said that he was in a difficult position, because Mr. \V. Eeid, secretary of the Association, was at present absent from Taranaki, and the whole of the correspondence was not available. The chairman said that the Association had .been carried on in the past year out of the pockets of the officers of the Association, and he thought that in view of the large amount of work done and the number of schools represented on the Association, this state of affairs should not be allowed to continue.

Mr. Sage remarked that with regard to the election of school committees he had ascertained that in the Education Act last session, the word "resident" had been struck out in the qualifications of a householder entitled to a seat on the committee.

The chairman replied that the amendment had been inado because previously a householder living just outside the school district could send his 'children to that school,'and could .also vote for the election of the school committee', but was not eligible for election to the committee;. He considered that the alteration was an improvement. The report and balance sheet were adopted.

CONSIDERATION OF REMITS. The remits were then considered. The chairman on behalf of the executive moved the following:—(1) "That the Hon. Minister of Education be urged to amend the present regulations governing the payment of board allowance to children attending primary schools, who are pnrn-iHlod to live away from homo, by ( a) ,„,,viding an increase in the present alluwance; (!>) providing for the payment of the allowance being continued when sehooto are closed for short vacations, or dur-i ing epidemics; (c) providing for some additional allowance in special cases where suitable lodging is unprocurable, *nd a parent is compelled to leave home, and set up n second home in the vicinity of the school" where the child attends. '

The remit was seconded by Mr. Bridger and was adopted with the addition of the words "and secondary" after the word "primary." Mr. Downs moved the following remit, which was seconded by Mr. Sage, and carried:—'That in the opinion "of this conference provision should be made where new schools are being provided, or being rebuilt or remodelled, that.the floor space should be on the basis of 15 square feet per pupil on the roll, and that provision also be made for the adaption of the single desk in all schools at the earliest possible moment.

The chairman, in moving "That the question of making provision for payment of fares of children travelling by eoaeh or 'bus to high or technical schools be again urged upon the Government," said that the position at present vvm that a child living near a railway line, who had gained a certificate, could travel to a secondary school free of charge, but a child living away from a line but on a regular This or coach route, was not allowed free travelling. He could not understand why the Department had refused in the past to see the justice of their request, but if they kept hammering at the Government, something might' be done.

The remit was seconded by Mr. Sage and carried unanimously. The following remits, moved by Mrs.

Cuthbert, on behalf of' tha Pembroke Road Committee, were adopted:— "That the Department be requested to adopt a better system of staffing country schools, and that it be urged that every school with an attendance of 30 children be entitled to an assistant, and that such assistant be not removed unless the attendance falls below, 25 /or the two preceding quarters and'that in such cases the school Bhall again bb entitled to the services of an assistant immediately the attendance rises to ,10." "That the time has arrived for the Government to immediately establish training colleges in each of the Education districts where there is now no training college." On ' the motion of Mr. Sage the following remit was adopted.—"That the Government he asked to adopt the principle of supplying school requisites from a central depot." ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Officers were elected as folows: President, Mr. S. G. Smith (re-elected); secretary and treasurer, Mr. W. G. Keid (re-elected); vice-presi.dents, .Messrs. R. Sage, W. Pinkey, W. Sinclair, W. K. Morris, I, J. Bridger, H. W. Bovis, and i\ .. J. Hodges; executive committee, Mesra. J. W. Downs, R. J. Deare, A. ft. Davis, and the Rev Martin It was decided,to liold thß next meeting of the executive at Hawwa during July. ,