APPOINTMENT MADE

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1940, Page 6

APPOINTMENT MADE

SCHOOL AGRICULTURE MR. J. W. CONNELL CHOSEN SENIOR INSTRUCTOR POST

The appointment of Mr. J. W. Connell, Hamilton, as senior instructor in agriculture and manual .supervisor in the Taranaki education district in succession to Mr. Duncan Mackay, has been confirmed by the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason. Mr. Connell is expected to take up the appointment on November 1. Confirmation of the appointment has been made on the understanding that the Taranaki Education Board will confer with the Auckland board in regard to the Taranaki instructors undertaking the agricultural work in some southern schools of the Auckland district. There was no alternative but fo give the pledge as the board could not hope to retain the full services of three instructors, said the chairman, Mr. J. A. Valentine, at yesterday's meeting of the Taranaki Education Board. He gave his word to Mr. Mason that if the appointment were expedited the board would negotiate with the Auckland board with a view to taking over agricultural instruction in certain schools in the Te Kuiti and Taumarunui areas. Later a letter was received suggesting 23 schools that might be taken over. Negotiations at Auckland. Mr. H. W. Insull, the board secretary, reported at length on his visit to Auckland, where he had met Mr. D. W. Dunlop, secretary of the Auckland board, and Mr. Shoreland, supervisor of manual and technical instruction. Mr. Dunlop indicated that his board had no objection to Taranaki taking over the instruction at as many schools as possible as it was short of agricultural instructors. The Auckland board would expect to receive a proportion of the incidental grant, which was 30 per cent. of the instructor's salary. Mr. Insull, however, pointed out that the instructor would be replaced and Auckland with fewer schools to do would receive the same incidental grant. Mr. Insull said he felt that the matter of a few pounds would not be a barrier. Mr. Shoreland suggested Taranaki should take over 68 schools, but Mr. Insull pointed out that unless the type, standard and quality of the present instruction was to suffer Taranaki could not take over more than the 23 mentioned. Mr. Insull suggested that if the

board took over those schools it should | have absolute charge of them, that the [Taranaki Education Board should supply such requirements as seeds and the Auckland board the tools, and that reports, after being sent to the senior inspector in Taranaki, should be sent to the Auckland board, a proportion of the incidental allowance to be given to the Auckland board. Appreciation was expressed of the manner in which Mr. Insull had placed the case for the board.