EDUCATION COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. BAUME, Chairman.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1903 Session I, I-13

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1903. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. BAUME, Chairman.)

Presented o the House of Bepresentatives, and ordered to be printed.

ORDER OF REFERENCE. Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Friday, the 31st Day op July, 1908. Ordered, " That a Committee be appointed for the purpose of inquiring and reporting,—(l) on primary education, and especially with regard to the curriculum now existing; (2) on secondary education, the subjects taught, the standard of proficiency, and the age-limit for admission ; (8) on higher education, the working of universities generally, scholarship conditions, and the advisability or otherwise of each college devoting its attention to specialities ; (4) on technioal education and manual instruction, both the system now obtaining and as to extensions essential to improvement; (5) on training-schools as colleges for teachers ; (6) on schools for the education of the Native race ; and (7) on Bills affecting education, and schools, and such educational matters as may be referred to it: the Committee to have power to call for persons and papers, and to consist of Mr. J. Allen, Mr. Baume, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Buddo, Mr. Ell, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Fowlds, Mr. A. L. D. Fraser, Mr. Graham, Mr. Hall, Mr. Hanan, Mr. Hardy, Mr. Hogg, Mr. Lethbridge, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Major, Mr. Massey, Mr. T. Mackenzie, Mr. McNab, Sir W. R. Russell, Mr. Sidey, Hon. Sir W. J. Steward, Mr. J. C. Thomson, Mr. Wood, and the mover. Five to be a quorum."—(Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon.)

BE POET 8.

Kegulations fob Inspection and Examination of Schools. I am directed to report that the Education Committee, to whom was referred the regulations for inspection and examination of schools, have considered the same, and made amendments therein. 2nd October, 1903.

Eegulations foe Examination and Classification of Teachers. I am directed to report that the Education Committee, to whom was referred the regulations for examination and classification of teachers, have considered the same, and made amendments therein. 2nd October, 1903.

Proposed Secondaby Schools Bill. The Education Committee, to whom was referred, under confidential cover, a draft Secondary Schools Bill, have the honour to report that it has considered the same, and recommend that it be allowed to proceed, with the amendments shown in the copy attached hereto. 19th October, 1903.

Teaining-colleges for Teachebs. The Education Committee, to whom was referred for consideration the subject of trainingcolleges for teachers, have duly considered the same, and recommend that, — (a.) A training-college for teachers be established in each of the four principal centres of the colony, viz.: Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, being the University centres ;

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and in order to avoid the expense of duplicating instruction in subjects which are taught at the University colleges, and to secure for teachers a greater breadth of view, the training of teachers in literary and scientific work should, as far as possible, be provided by the University colleges. (b.) The training-colleges should be subject to the control of the local Education Boards. (c.) The curriculum of the colleges should be subject to the approval of the Minister of Education. (d.) The Inspector-General should inspect each college from time to time, and report annually to the Minister. (c.) A two-years course of training for each student should be aimed at. (/.) It is desirable that the lecturer on education at the training-colleges should be given the status of either a lecturer or professor at the University college, in order that his lectures may count in the University course of the students. (g.) The practising department of each training-college should include a model country school with a single teacher. (h.) In addition to the personal and boarding allowances granted to students of the trainingcolleges who have been pupil-teachers, reasonable University college fees should be paid by the Government. (j.) Local Boards of Education are recommended to set up a committee of advice in regard to matters concerning the training-college, consisting, say, of the Chairman or other member of the Board, an Inspector of the Board, a representative of the Professorial Board of the University college, and a representative of the other Boards of Education, if any, in the same University district. (k.) In order to allow training-colleges to prepare teachers for district-high-school and other secondary work, clause 35 of the Standard Regulations should be amended as to the second paragraph by inserting after the words " district high school " the words " and in schools attached to training-colleges." 27th October, 1903.

No. 34. —Petition of G. Fowlds and 127 Others. Petitioners pray for recognition of a new method of timber-measurement devised by Mr. W. J. Morgan, and urge that it is a suitable method to introduce as part of the syllabus of the public schools of New Zealand. I am directed to report that the Committee have considered the petition, and find there is nothing new in the said system of timber-measurement, and that the syllabus provides the necessary suggestions to public-school teachers to give practical illustrations in the teaching of mensuration. 4th November, 1903.

REPORT On a Return of the Allocation of Ordinary and Special Votes for School Buildings, and the Expenditure on account of such Allocation, for the Year ended the 31st March, 1903. 1. The Committee are of opinion that the basis for the distribution of the amounts available for the repair, maintenance, and rebuilding of schools and teachers' residences should be the present cost of construction of such buildings. 2. They find the following to be the present cost of construction of school buildings (excluding teachers' residences, which are dealt with later) : — (a.) Cost of construction at present prices of wooden school buildings (including furniture, outbuildings, and fencing, but excluding teachers' residences) : — Age of Buildings. Cost of Construction. £ Not over 5 years ... ... ... ... ... ... 77,016 5-10 years ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 94,792 10-15 „ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 161,867 15-20 „ 158,181 20-25 ... ... ... ... ... ... 155,367 25-30 „ 102,787 30-35 „ 40,873 Over 35 years ... ... ... ... ... ... 23,967 Total ... ... ... ... ... 814,850 (6.) Cost of construction at present prices of school buildings in brick or stone ' ... ... ••• ••■ ... ... ... ... 118,855 Total under headings (a) and (b) ... ... 933,705 3. The Committee are of opinion that the following is a fair estimate of the cost of maintenance of school buildings (excluding teachers' residences): —

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Maintenance— £ (a.) Wooden school buildings, 3£ per cent, on £814,850 ... ... 28,520 (b.) Brick and stone school buildings, 2 per cent, on £118,855 ... 2,377 Total ... ... ... ... ... 30,897 4. The Committee are of opinion that the following is a fair estimate of the cost of rebuilding wooden school buildings and renewing the more perishable parts of brick and stone buildings (excluding teachers' residences). This estimate is based on the assumption that the average life of a school building in wood is thirty-five years, and that the perishable parts of brick and stone buildings need renewal every forty years : — (c.) Eebuilding of wooden school buildings— 6 10 per cent, on (buildings over 30 years) £64,840 ... ... 6,484 5 per cent, on (buildings 25-30 years) £102,787 ... ... 5,139 2 per cent, on (buildings 20-25 years) £155,367 ... ... 3,107 Total ... ... ... ... ... 14,730 (d.) Renewal of parts of brick and stone buildings ... ... ... 500 Grand total ... ... ... ... ... 15,230 5. While the information available is not as complete in the case of teachers' residences as in that of other school buildings, we believe that we are justified in estimating the present cost of construction of such residences as being about one-fourth of that of other wooden school buildings. The Committee, therefore, are of opinion that such present cost may be fairly estimated as £203,713. 6. Adopting the cost of maintenance of school buildings mentioned in paragraphs 3 and 4 hereof, we are of opinion that the following is a fair estimate of the cost of maintenance and rebuilding of teachers' wooden residences and of the maintenance of brick and stone residences : — £ Maintenance ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 7,724 Eebuilding ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 3,683 Brick, maintenance ... ... ... ... ... ... 125 Total ... ... ... ... ... 11,532 7. The Committee are of opinion, therefore, that the Government should make provision for the following amounts, namely:— £ Maintenance, school buildings ... ... ... ... ... 30,897 Eebuilding school buildings ... ... ... ... ... 15,230 Maintenance, teachers' residences .. ... ... ... 7,724 Eebuilding teachers'residences ... ... ... ... ... 3,808 Total ... ... ... ... ... 57,659 8. The Committee have not provided in the above estimates for the rebuilding of schools and residences in brick and stone, as the life of such buildings is estimated at not less than a hundred years, and there are no school buildings approaching chat age in New Zealand. 9. The Committee are of opinion that all applications for new school residences should be strictly scrutinised, and that no such application should be granted if it be reasonably possible for a teacher to rent a house or to obtain suitable residential accommodation otherwise. The Committee may point out that house allowances are payable under " The Public-school Teachers' Salaries Act, 1901." 10. As to the amounts payable in case of rebuilding rendered necessary by fire, the Committee point out that, if the basis for the allocation of the ordinary grant recommended above be adopted, the Government would begin to pay for the rebuilding of wooden schools as soon as they are twenty years old. If, therefore, any school over twenty years is destroyed by fire, the Government, having already paid part of the cost of rebuilding, should be liable only for the remainder of such cost. If the Committee assume thirty-five years to be the average life of a school building in wood, then when a building is destroyed by fire the amount really due from the Government for its reinstatement would be as follows :— If the building were not over 20 years ... ... ... Full cose. Over 20 and not over 21 years ... ... ... ... 98 per cent. „ 21 ~ 22 „ ... ... ... ... 96 „ „ 22 „ 23 „ ... ... ... ... 94 „ „ 23 „ 24 „ ... ... ... ... 92 „ „ 24 „ 25 „ ... ... ... ... 90 „ ~ 25 „ 26 „ ... ... ... ... 85 „ „ 26 „ 27 „ ... ... ... ... 80 „ „ 27 „ 28 „ ... ... .. ... 75 „ „ 28 „ 29 „ ... ... ... ... 70 „ „ 29 „ 30 „ ... ... ... ... 65 „ „ 30 „ 31 „ ... .. ... ... 55 „ „ 31 „ 32 „ 45 „ „ 32 „ 33 „ ... ... ... ... 35 „ „ 33 „ 34 „ ... ... ... ... 25 „ „ 34 „ 35 „ ... . 15 „ „ 35 „ 36 „ ... ... ... ... 5 „ „ 36 years ... ... ... ... ... ... Nil.

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11. In the opinion of the Committee, the sum paid for rebuilding schools and residences should be kept by the Boards in a separate account and used for rebuilding purposes only. In case a school or a residence is not rebuilt, the sum paid towards the rebuilding should be refunded to the Treasury. Further, the Committee consider that none of the money allotted for the maintenance or rebuilding of schools and residences should be expended in building schools in new districts. 12. The Committee find that the special vote for school buildings has been expended in grants for new schools and for additions to existing schools to provide for increased attendance due to new settlement or increase of population in the district. All applications made by Education Boards for such grants are dealt with on their merits. The grants are paid upon the completion of the work, progress payments being made if necessary. In order to enable the Department to judge of the merits of each case, the Board concerned fills up a form giving such information as the population of the district; the number of children of school age within three miles of the site ; the names and distances of the nearest schools ; the size, average attendance, and staff of the existing school (if any); the size and estimated cost of the proposed school or addition, including purchase of site, furniture, fencing, and outbuildings : and the recommendation of the Inspector is attached. The Department makes such inquiries as seem desirable as to the character of the new settlement, whether permanent or not; as to the possibility or otherwise of providing for the educational wants of the district by railway or other public conveyance; and the Cabinet decides each case upon the facts as they finally appear. The Committee consider that the system thus outlined should be adhered to. 13. The probable damage due to such causes as earthquakes not being calculatable beforehand, we recommend that such damage should be met by a separate item in one of the votes granted by Parliament for school buildings. 14. The rates of payment allowed in paragraph 4, (c), above for the rebuilding of wooden school buildings are based upon the following assumptions :— (i.) That the average life of all such buildings for the colony is thirty-five years. (ii.) That 10 per cent, of the schools need rebuilding when from twenty to twenty-five years old. (iii.) That 25 per cent of the schools between twenty-five and thirty years old need rebuilding. It would be necessary to revise these rates from time to time according to the actual average age of the buildings as ascertained in each district, and in any case payments for buildings over thirty years old ought not to be continued longer than would give each Board a. sufficient sum to rebuild all schools in its district of thirty years old and upwards. 15. The Committee find the total value of school buildings and residences at present cost of construction to be :— £ £ School buildings, wood ... ... .. ... 814,850 „ stone or brick ... ... ... 118,855 Total, school buildings ... ... ... 933,705 Eesidences, wood ... ... ... ... ... 203,712 „ stone and brick ... ... ... 29,714 233,426 Total, school buildings and residences ... ... ... 1,167,131 The amount provided last year for maintenance and renewal of school buildings and residences was £47,000. The proposals submitted in this report will entail an estimated expenditure of £57,659. 12th November, 1903.

Supplementary Report. The Minister of Education having stated subsequently to the adoption of our main report on this subject that the amount available for the ordinary votes for school buildings would, for the year 1903-4, be £50,000, we recommend that the basis for the allocation of such sum be the scheme submitted with our main report, with the following modifications, namely:— (a.) The omission of the amount for rebuilding teachers' residences —£3,713 (see line (h) in Table A, attached to this report); and (b.) The reduction of the allowance for the maintenance of wooden schools from 3f per cent, to 3 per cent, per annum, which makes a saving of £4,072 (see line (a) in Table A). The Committee attach hereto returns showing the amounts required by the several Boards for the maintenance, &c, of buildings according to the scheme set forth in our main report, and also the distribution of the votes for the current year, with the modifications named above. 17th November, 1903.

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Ordinary Votes for School Buildings.—General Maintenance, Rebuilding, etc., of Schools and Residences.

Buildings belonging to Boards. 1. Wooden Buildings. Brick and Stone Buildings. 8. 9. 10. Education District. Average Attendance, 1902. 2. Number of School Buildings at End of 1902. 3. Number of Square Feet of Floorspace in Buildings entered in Column 2. 4. Present Cost of Construction of such Buildings as are described in Columns 2 and 3. 5. Number of School Buildings at End of 1902. 6. Number of Square Feet of Floor-spaoe in Buildings entered in Column 5. 7. Coet of Construction of such Buildings as are described in Columns 5 and 6. Amount required for Maintenance. &c, of such Buildings as are described in Columns 2,3, 5, 6, and also for Teachers' Residences; as per Table "A." Distribution of Amount voted for 1902-3 —£47,000. Distribution of Votes as in Column 8, with Modifications named in Note { below. Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough ... Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago... Southland 24,476 3,914 9,585 12,580 7,046 1,745 4,809 1,380 1,015 16,681 4,455 17,784 8,241 355 67 136 139 73 32 99 30 30 190 63 190 144 367,315 67,254 144,142 180,851 120,893 23,249 92,497 28,787 22,332 260,568 46,311 196,983 121,992 £ 179,492 32,944 70,304 86,943 57,322 11,742 45,584 14,154 11,249 124,856 23,360 96,242 60,656 2 1 i 2 3,416 7,500 2,651 1,892 £ 2,150 4,550 1,640 1,235 £ 14,588 1,631 3,535 4,719 3,292 792 2,792 785 931 8,600 2,345 8,795 4,230 £ 9,950 1,750 4,200 5,300 2,700 950 2,250 850 800 6,300 1,900 6,500 3,550 £ 12,917 1,373 2,999 4,098 2,862 677 2,402 696 845 7,255 2,034 7,523 3,569 1 6 7 28 2 5,870 32,074 28,171 110,311 2,040 3,572 19,544 17,253 67,587 1,324 Totals 113,711 1,548 1,673,174 814,848 50 193,925 118,855 57,035 47,000 49,250 * Column 8 shows the distribution of the ordinary votes for maintenance, rebuilding, &c, as proposed by the Education Committee, the total being £57,035. Details are given in Table A. t Column 9 shows the actual distribution of the amount (£47,000) of the same votes (or the year 1902-3. J Column 10 gives the amounts that would be payable under the proposals of the Committee, omitting item (h), namely, £3,713, in Table A, and in the item (a) in the same table, lowering the rate from 3i per cent, to 3 per cent., by which £4,072 is saved.

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TABLE A.—Distribution of Ordinary Votes for School Buildings according to the Scheme proposed by the Select Committee on Education.

Auckland. Taranaki. Wanganui. Wellington. H g™ ke ' 8 [Marital I i pugh Nelson. Grey. *— *| Cante'rLy. Canary. I Ota 8°- I Southland. Totals. ' Schools, — (a.) Maintenance, wood, at 3f 6,282 £ 1,153 ! £ 2,461 £ 3,043 J 91 2,006 4 £ 41 £ 1,595 £ 495 £ 394 71 £ 4,370 391 £ £ 817 13,368 £ 2,123 £ 28,518 per cent. (b.) Maintenance, brick and stone, at 2 per cent. 43 25 345 1,352. 26 2,377 I I Rebuilding and renewals, — (c.) Wood, over 30 years, at 10 per cent. (d.) Wood, 25 to 30 years, at 5 per cent, (e.) Wood, 20 to 25 years, at 2 per cent. (/.) Brick, &c, at § per cent.... 4,454 971 14-2 141 52 646 A-A\ 693 169 1 J; 149 263 67 J 76 11 320 909 399 203 639 : I 255 ' 320 787 6,484 5,139 551 62 392 9 275 92 ' 32 329 84 ; 517 235 3,108 I 9 ... \ 7 5 14 I 78 475 ... 18 i 69 270 5 Residences, — (g.) Maintenance, at 3f per cent. (h.) Rebuilding, at 1*8 per cent. (wood) 1,504 774 181 93 357 184 362 280 1 0 Iβ 317 163 36 19 59 ; 30 1,403 721 378 1,538 194 791 2,345 |8,795 ; 696 358 4,230 7,221 186 144 3,713 Totals 14,588 1,631 3,535 4,719 3,292 \ 792 2,792 785 931 8,600 57,035

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Communication from Mb. George, of Auckland. I am directed to report that the Committee are of opinion that the reply of the Education Department to the communication of Mr. George, of Auckland, forwarded to the Chairman, together with Mr. George's communication, should be printed, and that copies of both documents be forwarded to the members of the Committee. 20th November, 1903.

Nos. 523, 806, 807, 808, 809, 810, and 811.—Petitions of Walter Eeid and Others, T. H.Bryant and Others, T. Latta and Another, J. C. Johnson and Others, F. Box and Others, G. Ballard and Others, and J. T. Skelton and Others. Petitioners pray that " The Public-school Teachers' Salaries Act, 1901," be so amended as to provide for the employment of one pupil-teacher in country schools with an average attendance of thirty to forty, subject to the approval of the local Board of Education. I am directed to report that the Committee have no recommendation to make in respect to these petitions. 17th November, 1903.

National Scholarships Bill. The Education Committee, to whom was referred for consideration the National Scholarships Bill, have directed me to report that they have duly considered the said Bill, and recommend that it be allowed to proceed as amended, the amendments being shown in the copy annexed hereto. 18th November, 1903.

Nos. 794, 795, 796, 797, 798, 799, and 800.—Petitions of James Kenworthy and 12 Others, J. G. Browne and 31 Others, H. J. Turner and 18 Others, E. J. E. Methzenthin and 16 Others, G. Smith and 8 Others, H. Couper and 38 Others, and J. T. Ward. Petitioners, all of the School District of Wanganui, pray for the adoption of such legislation as will place the election of members of Education Boards on the basis of popular representation. The Education Committee, to whom the hereinabove-mentioned petitions were referred for consideration, have directed me to report that they have no recommendation to make in respect of the same. 20th November, 1903.

Final Eeport. I am directed to report that the Education Committee held their final meeting for the session this day, and desire to announce that, although they have dealt with several subjects referred to them, and have submitted reports thereon, there are still others which require investigation. I am also directed to express the Committee's appreciation of the assistance afforded by Mr. Hogben. M.A., Secretary for Education and Inspector-General of Schools, in its deliberations. 20th November, 1903. Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (1,200 copies), £i ss.

By Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9o4. Price 6d.]