TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 291, 24 March 1874, Page 2

TEACHERS ' ASSOCIATION.

An adjourned meeting of the Auckland Teachers' Society was held on Saturday in the High S/monds-street. The Ret Robert Kidd, president, in the chair. — The Secretary, Mr Worthinaton, read a number of letter* from the Teachers' Society at the Thames, approving generally of the action taken by the Auckland teachers, with categorical suggestions for verbal amendment or alteration of the resolution proposed. The first resolution, "That certain alterations in the Auckland Education Act, giving effect to the resolutions following, would raise the standard of education in this province by securing the confidence and co-opera-tion of the teachers, and increasing the interest felt by tbam in their work," was carried at the previous mrpting. — Letters were also read from the school teachers of Kihikihi, Waikato, Cambridge. Waikato, Matakani, and other place*, approving generally of the principles inrolred in the action takeu by the Auckland teachers. — Mr Martin, Grafton road, nioved, "That the appointment of teachers to schools under the Board be made by the Board of Education, with the approTal of the local school committees." — Mr Fraser, High School, seconded the resolution. A good deal of discussion ensued, many of the teachers suggesting that the resolution should bo amended by the omission of the word* " with the approral of the local school committees," because the retention of these words rather increased than otherwise the power of the local committees, inasmuch as if their approral wero necessary there was a vote given to them upon an appointment by the Board. — Mr Martin in reply thought that it would be unwise to omit the words. There could be no doubt local interests wert more or less represented by local commitees. They were composed of pei sons interested in the district, many of them parents of children attending the school, and they (the teachers) could not refuse to recognise the parent?. Local school com* mittees, though perhaps not the fittest to make the appointment, couM not be denied a certain amount of control. No doubt many local committees unduly interfered with the school teacher. Their present meetings were for little else than to find fault with the teacher. At the same time it was difficult to see how their power was to be neutralised without doiiw away with them. They were constituted under the Act, and as they represented local interests, it was impossible that the r e could be wholly ignored. Ho, even as a parent, would claim a voice in the school affairs, b»nng a houseboHer, &c. No member appeared desirous of moving in sub^tintive form, the omission of the words, and the resolution was cariied. The next resolution submitted by Mr Martin was, "That this association would suggest thafc in country districts the several Highway Boards shall be the school committees, and that city and suburban educational districts he united to form achool boards." He said there was a' good deal of difference of opinion with respect to thin resolution. ■ He was not himself pledged to it, but as it met; with the approval of many teachers he would submit it to the meeting. — Mr Harrison thought the proposition involved a logical oontiadiction to the resolution which they had just carried. — The Chairman believed the objection raised by Mr Harrison wa« fatal to the resolution in its present form. — Mrs Shayle Geoige thought the last clause, relating to city and suburban districts, would have the effect of placing the association and the committees in antagonism to each other. That would occasion jealousy, and perhaps opposition to the recommendation! suggested for tbe alteration of the law. Such a result would be to defeat the object they had in view. She thought the resolution nhould be so altered as to include rather than exclude the local committees. — There was a very general agreement with the opinion expressed by Mrs George, and a new resolution was drawn up — Mr French, Whau, did not think i wise to hand over the schools to the Highway Boards. In the Highway Boards there wai constant contention between parts of districts for tne extension of roads or expenditure of money. This feeling might be carried into the school management, and if that should be so there would be no end to it. — The clause in the resolution was struck out. — The following re?olntion was substituted — " That from each school committee in the city and suburbs of Auckland, a member or members shall be deputed to form a central committee, which shall overlook the general interests of Stato education in tho said city and suburbs, and that a sub-inspector should be appointed for the said districts." — Proposed by Mrs Shayle Oeorgp, and seconded by Mr Martin. — Carried. — The following resolutions were also on the notice papor for discussion, but after considerable debate it was decided not to insert them as recommendations for particular legislation :— "That the remunerations of teachers be fixed and paid by the Board, and bo not (dependent solely npon the average attendance of scholars." " That arrangements be made by the Board of Education for annual local examinations to test the efficiency of management and the progress in eaoh school ; and that additional payments be made to teachers according to results." " That the examinations may, in the case of any schools, comprise such extra branches of education as may be approved of by qhe Board." —Mr Martin thought the questions involved in those resolutions were for tbe Education Board and not for the Council. — Mr Harrison said it would be a matter to be deplored if tho association were to do anything which would carry education back to the old Act of 185 S. He believed a tendency in thaa direction existed in the minds of many persons. He thought there was an evident disposition on the part of the Board to deal liberally with the teachers, and to assist them in every way in the performance of their duties — It was agreed that the resolutions 3, 4, and 6, »'iould be forwarded to the Board. — The discussion was protracted considerably beyond the usual length of time, and there remained two resolutions mbe disposed of, via. :—": — " That there bo established an Association or Instituto of Teachers in this province, which shall be empowered to elect annually a representative as a member of the Board of Education ; that assistance b» afforded to tbe Institute for the formation of a library for reference and study and classes for instruction " ; and a proposal by Mr» Shyle George to establish a High School for Girls. — It was resolved to adjourn the meeting to 2 p.m. on Saturday next, for the discussion of these propositions. — N. Z. Herald.

A fatal case of poisoning by tobacco ii reported in the Naral M«dicttl Report juit issued. It occurred (says the British Medical Journal) in the person of a boy of the Implacable. He hud been frequently punished for chewing tobacco, and bad often presented himself at the tick bay complaining of debility, giddiness, and faintness, which wore tracd to the poisonous influence of tohacco. On two occasion* he Viwd swallowed pieces of tobacco to prevent detert.ion. On the night of his death, lie went to bis hammock, telling his messmate* that.-ho felt sick. About ten minutes afterwards, tho occupant of the next hammock to hii heard him breathing itentoriously, and immediately tried to awake him. Finding he could not, he was conveyed to the sick bay, and at once seen by a medical officer, who found him moribund. The pupils were insensible to tha influence of light ; and the pulse, winch was scarcely perceptible, in three minutes ceased to beat. On post mortem examination of the body, two small pieces of tobacco were found in the scotnach. < H t ■ A laughable story comes from, one of the Courts of Common Pleas (?ays a London letter.) Two costermongers claimed individually tho ownership of a donkey, and as the case was one calling for friendly arbitration rather than judicial interference, tho presiding judge recommended the iiutors to go out into the yard and settle the matter between them. Jfis lordship's Lindly meaning seems to be misunderstood, for in the course of half-an-hour or so the 'oosters' returned into Court, on* of them with hi§ eyrs blackened and his fnoo out ami bleeding, and tho other in a state of excitement betokening the authorship of his friend's In i""?'-i TlwJudgf lo.irnt, wb»p. it was too lote, that his advice had been accepted in its Whitjpchapel sense, and that th« two men bad bo'abored eaoh 'other until out of them its dcLL*? O s£.*o L:s 0/ s prac::