Educational Institute.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 131, 2 April 1901, Page 3

Educational Institute.

The annual meeting of the South Canterbury Branch of the Educational Institute was held in Mr Wagstaffs Booms, Timaru, on Saturday afternoon. Present Mr Dalgleish (President), Misses Haskell, Bonn, Avison, Shirtcliffo, and Messrs Stewart, Goodall, McLeod, Johnson, Irwin, Cartwright, Ellis, Cooke, and Valentine (decreThe President congratulated members on the success of the past year. Although the membership had fallen, he confidently hoped that next year it would be considerably increased. In view of the good work done by the Institute, he thought that teachers should further their interests by supporting it liberally. His office, as president, had been a light one, owing to the capable way in which their secretary had carried on the work, and for this he wished to tender his best thanks to Mr Valentine. He also thanked the other members of the Institute for their assistance. The President then called on Mr Valentine to read the annual report and balancesheet, which lie did as follows: Membership.—During the year the , work of the branch had gone on steadily, but the membership had fallen ‘from sixty-three to fifty-four. There was during the year no such stimulus to increase members as there was during the previous year, when the Council meeting was held in Timaru. Of the'll2 teachers employed by the Board 48 per cent, were members of the Institute, a percentage surpassed b}' only two outer districts in the colony—by Otago and Southland. Meetings.—During the year there were held eight general meetings of the branch, with attendances ranging from ten to over seventy. Two of these meetings proved of more than ordinary interest —the first, when the Inspectors, at the invitation of this branch, met the teachers of tho^ district, and explained the working of the new regulations for the examination of schools, and the second, when Miss Avison gave one of her noted practical illustrations of the principles of kindergarten work. As a result of the meeting with the Inspectors, the committee was enabled to furnish every teacher in the district with notes explanatory of the obscurities and the difficulties of the new regulations. It was a gratifying feature of the relationship between Inspectors and teachers that such meetings can be arranged. At other meetings papers were read by the President, by Mis 11. Stewart, by Mr M. Browne, aud the Secretary, To these members the hearty thanks of the branch were accorded. The branch also assisted in the establishment of the South Canterbury Sports Association, whose career so auspiciously began on Thursday last. Committee Meetings. Of these there had been four, two of them somewhat lengthy, dealing with the circumstances of the Makikihi case. At the meeting of the school committee held to inquire into tfiot case the committee was represented by Mr R. Irwin, who was courteously admitted to the meeting. His presence wxs undoubtedly of great benefit to, Mr Goodall, aud his full report of the proceedings was of great assistance to the committee in dealing with the matter. The question of approaching the Board on the increment of salaries money was fully dealt with by the committee, but the action of the Board at its meeting to dis.cuss the'matter prevented any necessity for laying before it the views of your committee on the subject. Relations with the Council.—To the Council meeting this branch sent up as delegates Messrs Johnson and Valentine. All of the six remits sent up from this branch w’ere either adopted or reaffirmed. For the first time in its history this branch had to appeal to the Executive for reimbursement of legal expenses incurred in defence of a member. These amounted to just over £2. The sum of £2 had been paid over to cover these expenses.. Hence Mr Goodall had been defended, and 'his cause upneld, at a cost to hhq of merely bis subscription. Had he not been a member he would have been pounds out of pocket. The branch had retained Mr S. G. Raymond as its legal adviser. Constitution. —At last Council meeting a new constitution for District Institute was adopted. Copies of this constitution were not yet to hand, but all teachers hr South Caulerbury should note that this was the last year wherein any teacher not hitherto a member might join without paying an entrance fee in addition to the usual subscription. As the legal defence fund now amounted to about .£440, it was felt on all-sides that teachers who hereafter wished to become entitled to any protection by the Institute should pay 'ttiir'enlnffioe fee, but it would not be chargeable till after ■ January Ist, 1901. Further, it was provided that if any member’s subscriptions remained for three months after it was due, such member should be suspended until he or she had paid up arrears. ' The balance-sheet showed that the receipts for the year had been £2l 6a lid and the expenditure £lB 6s sd, leaving a credit balance of £8 Is fid. The report and balance-sheet were approved and adopted. A letters was received from Mr T, Hughes, treasurer to the Hew

Zealand Educational Institute, forwarding a cheque for £2 0s fid, being the legal expenses incurred by the South Canterbury branch in defending a case against'one of their teachers. Mr J. J. Adams, assistant secretary to the New Zealand branch, wrote, asking to be supplied with a copy of the Education Board’s scale of salaries in operation prior to January Ist. The Secretary said he had forwarded the information asked for. The President mentioned that he had that day asked the Inspectors if they would be willing again this year to address a-meeting of teachers to make clear any* points in the new regulations not easily understandable, and tbe Inspectors had replied that they would be only too glad to do so. The President said he thought it very good of the Inspectors to assist the teachers in this way. A discussion took place on the question of advertising. The expenses in this direction had been somewhat heavy during the past year, having amounted to a fifth of the total income. The general opinion seemed to be that it would be a mistake to reduce the advertising expenses, and it was ultimately decided to continue as at present. On the motion of Mr Goodall, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the returning officers for their services during the past year, - The' election of officers was then proceeded with, and resulted as follows :—President, Mr Steven ; vicepresidents, Miss Avison and Mr J. A. Johnson; secretary and treasurer, Mr J. A. Valentine ; committee, Messrs McLeod, Irwin and Stewart. A proposal to hold a social met with little support, and it was decided to allow the matter to drop for the present. This concluded the business, and a vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting. - •