ORGANISING TEACHERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1921, Page 5

ORGANISING TEACHERS.

THE PROPOSED REDUCTION. FINAL DECISION POSTPONED. RECONSIDERATION PROMISED. (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. Mr. R. Masters (KI.P. for Stratford)*, interviewed the Minister for Education to-day with reference to organising teaehers. He stated that Taranaki peoI pie were much impressed with the value of the work done by these teachers in the backblocks, and he hoped that the Minister would not reduce the number or abolish the system. The Minister, in reply, said that Mr. Masters had discussed the matter with him, and had brought before him some consideration which gave him reason for reviewing, to a certain extent, tbe decision that had been reached. The point was the very wide area which ori ganising teachers had to cover in the 1 Taranaki district. He was not sure jthat it would be possible for two teachers to undertake the work now being done by four, and he was going to reconsider the matter before reaching.- a "final decision. PROTEST BY MR. S. G. SMITH, MJfy (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) ■Wellington, Sept. 28. The proposal to reduce the number ofi organising teachers drew a further protest from Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., today. Referring to the reply of the MinU-* ter of Education on the subject, Mr. Smith said that the reply made it daut that the Minister was proposing to reduce the number of organising teachers. He urged the Minister to reconsider thq decision. The Taranaki education district contained 54 uncertifleated teachers who had no other qualification than a proficiency certificate. There were too many such teachers, because certificated teachers could not be secured for positions in the backblocks. The only hope the backblock children had to obtain anvthing like- a decent primary education was the appointment of more OTs ganising teachers. If the Minister could not, at least, leave four organising teachers in Taranaki, as at present, it would be more honest to withdraw all of them, since two men could not pos* siblv cover the ground. The Hon. C. J. Parr: All my responsible officers say you arc overmanned. Mr. Smith: If the Minister will produce any signed document by any person who knows the district thoroughly to that effect, I will not have another word to say. I suggest that the reports he mentions are from officers who do not know the district.