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

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1908 Session I, I-13

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1908. NEW ZEALAND

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

Presented to the House of Representatives, and ordered to be printed.

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Extracts from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Friday, the 3rd Day of July, 1908. Ordered, " That a Committee be appointed, consisting of ten members, to consider all matters relating to schoolteachers, education, and public instruction generally, public-school training of teachers, higher education, technical education, and manual instruction, and such other matters affecting education as may be referred to it; to have power to call for persons and papers ; three to be a quorum : the Committee to consist of Mr. J. Allen, Mr. Baume, Mr. Buddo, Mr. Hanan, Mr. Hardy, Mr. Hogg, Mr. Lethbridge, Mr. T. Mackenzie, Mr. Sidey, and the mover."—(Hon. Mr. Fowlds.) Wednesday, the Bth Day of July, 1908. Ordered, " That the Musicians Bill be referred to the Education Committee." Wednesday, the 15th Day of July, 1908. Ordered, " That Paper No. 82, Regulations for Inspection and Examination of Schools, dated 23rd March, 1908, be referred to the Education Committee."—(Hon. Mr. Fowlds.) Tuesday, the 28th Day of July, 1908. Ordered, " That the Education Act Amendment Bill be referred to the Education Committee."—(Hon. Mr. Fowlds.) Thursday, the 10th Day of September, 1908. Ordered, " That the report of the Education Committee on the petition of Thomas Walker be referred back to that Committee for reconsideration."—(Mr. Field.) Wednesday, the 23rd Day of September, 1908. Ordered, " That the petition of F. G. Reynolds and others be referred to the Education Committee."—(Hon. Mr. Duncan.) Wednesday, the 30th Day- of September, 1908. Ordered, " That the report of the Education Committee on the petitions of Ellen Astley, Mary Lovatt, Catherine Wilkinson, and A. Mcintosh be referred back to that Committee for reconsideration."-—(Mr. Bollard.)

INDEX.

No. Petitioners. Page. J 38 Astley, Ellen 4 10 50 Des Chesnais, T. Le Menans, and others .. Don, the Rev., and another (vide Appendix I.-13A) 2 2 Education Act Amendment Bill (vide Appendix I.-13B) Amendments affecting finances 2 2 17 Farnan, H., and others .. 3 67 Gilby, C. H. .. 2 226 142 Kahu, Hoani Korehe, and otheis Roller, F. R. 3 3

i No. Petitioner?. Page. 30 39 Laird, A. S., and others Lovatt, Mary 2" 4 54 Mclntosh, Alexander .. Musicians Bill 4 32 Reynolds, F. G., and others 4 441 Southwick, Joseph 3 373 Tβ Au, Tamati 2 215 215 59 8 Walker, Thomas Walker, Thomas Wilkinson, Catherine .. Wilmot, George Thanks tojthe Chairman :: I * 3 4

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EE PORTS. No. 30. —Petition of A. S. Laird and Others. Petitionees, on the ground of consideration for general health, pray that a separate school for European children may be established at Taumarunui. The Education Committee have the honour to report upon the petition of A. S. Laird and others that, in view of the fact that a school already exists in Taumarunui, they have no recommendation to make. 28th July, 1908. No. 50.—Petition of Thk Genbeai. Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand (Alexander Don, Moderator; Alexander Doui.l. Convenor). PETITIONEES allege that hygiene and scientific temperance instruction is not given in the public primary schools with fullness; jilso that beer-depots on the confines of no-license areas, and the " locker " system, is a thwarting and evasion of the spirit of the Alcoholic Liquors Control Act; also that packet licenses are unnecessary. The Education Committee have the honour to report that, as in their judgment the references in the petition of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church to beer-depots, " lockers," and packet licenses does not fall within the scope of their functions, that portion of the petition is referred back to your honourable House. Your Committee recommend that the petition be referred to the Government in order that the attention of petitioners may be drawn to Regulation No. 57, Mini that a copy of the report of the Assistant Inspector of Schools, attached hereto, be forwarded to them. 30th .Inly, 1908. [Vide Appendix [.—l3a.] Nos. 1(1 and 67. —Petitions of The Canterbury Private Schools Association (T. Le M. Dcs Chesnais) and C. H. Gilby, Teacher, Christchurcb. Petitioners pray that the privilege of permitting pupils attending private schools in the cities to travel on the railways at commutation rates may be granted to their schools. The Education Committee have the honour to report that they recommend that the petitions of the Canterbury Private Schools Association and C. H. Gilby be referred to the Government for f;i\ ourable consideration. 29th July, 1908. Education Act Amendment Bill. The Education Committee have the honour to report to your honourable House that during thenconsideration of the Education Act Amendment Bill this morning a question arose upon which the Chairman ruled that it was not within the power of the Committee to make an amendment of the Bill which would impose conditions involving the necessity of Parliament making higher appro priations than are proposed in the Bill. The Committee agreed that the question should be submitted to the decision of the Hon. the Speaker. 6th August, 1908. Education Act Amendment Bill. The Education Committee, having bestowed careful consideration upon the provisions of the Education Act Amendment Bill referred to them by your honourable House, have the honour to report that they recommend that the said Bill be allowed to proceed, subject to the amendments shown on a copy of the Bill hereto attached. 25th August, 1908. No. 373.—Petition of Tamati te Au and Others. Petitionees represent that, at the time the Government obtained possession of the Maori lands in Stewarl Island, it was promised that school-books and other requisites for instruction would be supplied for the Maori children of Southland, and they have been so supplied until recently. Now the privilege of having free .school-books and requisites has been withdrawn, and they are called upon to pay for l hem. Petitioners pray for relief. The Education Committee have the honour to report that they recommend thai the petition of Tamati. te Au and others be referred to the Government. 2nd September, 1908,

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No. 215.-- Petition of Thomas Walker, of Levin. Petitionkh represents that for some five years and a half he was employed under the Education Department as overseer of the Boys' Training School at Weraroa ; th it during the period of his employment he rendered good ami faithful service; that he was accused of there being a shortage of ten head of cattle, and of selling stock of the value of £2(10 without accounting for the money ; that, an investigation being held, it was proved there was a surplus of ten head of cattle; that he asked for an apology and received no reply ; that subsequently he was dismissed from bis employment. He prays that compensation be awarded for damages sustained to his character. The Education Committee have the honour to report on the petition of Thomas Walker that, as they have been unable to find that any charges have been made against the integrity of the petitioner and that any damage has been sustained by him, they have no recommendation to make. Bth September, 1908. No. 142.—Petition of F. R. Roller. Petitioner represents that for the year 1906 he was teacher of the Paiaka and Pah schools, the combined average attendance being fifty-two, giving him a salary for the year 1907 of £216, with £•'5O house allowance; that towards the end of the year the Auckland Board of Education decided to open these schools full time, and in consequence petitioner was given notice that at the end of three months bis engagemenl would terminate; at the termination of his engagement the best appointment he could obtain was worth only .£144 per annum with £20 house allowance, a reduction of 33J per cent. He praysuthat steps be taken to secure that he be placed on the same standing as a teacher of a full-time school. The Education Committee have the honour to report on the petition of F. R. Koller that they have no recommendation to make. i 15th September, 1908. No. 8. -Petition of Georoe Wilmot. PETITIONEE represents that he served the Education Department for over twenty years; that he was constrained to resign his position through progressive blindness and failing health ; that the Teachers' Superannuation Board has not been able to afford him any relief, owing to the fact that he was not in active service on the Ist January, 1906; that he is now in his seventy-first year, and unable to take any employment; that he has brought up a large family in New Zealand, all of whom are settled here. He prays that a compassionate allowance may be granted to him. The Education Committee have the honour to report on the petition of George Wilmot that last year a similar petition from the same petitioner was duly considered by them, and they have no further recommendation to make. 15th September, 1908. No. 17.—Petition of 11. Farnan and Others. PETITIONERS pray that a grant of money be allocated for the erection of a school building at Normandale, the land belonging to the Government being ready. From the farthest point in Normandale to the Hutt School the distance is two miles and three-quarters. The Education Committee have the honour to report that they recommend that the petition of H. Farnan and others be referred to the Government for consideration. loth September, 1908. No. 220.- Petition of Hoani Korehe Kahu and 416 Others. Petitioners represent that before the deed of sale of Ngaitahu was completed Te Keepa (Mr. Kemp?) and Te Matara (Mi-. Mantell?) solemnly promised, amongst other things, that '-'a school will be established for you for each kainga right throughout the Ngaitahu Tribe." Petitioners now strongly object to the placing by the Government of their schools under the " tnana " of the School Boards. The Education Committee have the honour to report on the petition of Hoani Korehe Kahu and others that they recommend that the said petition be referred to the Government for consideration sth October, 1908. No. 441.—Petition of Josei-h Southwick. Petitioner represents that he entered the service of the Wanganui School Board as head teacher in August, 1878, and his total length of service as a teacher in New Zealand was twenty-two years; that subsequently, in 1903 and 1904, being then in better health, he acted as relieving-teacher for the Otago Education Board ; that the average salary received by him was about £160 per annum, so that he was unable to make any considerable saving or provision for old age. He prays that a compassionate allowance may be granted to him. The Education Committee have the honour to report on the petition of Joseph Southwick that they have no recommendation to make, 22nd September, 1908.

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No. 215.—Petition of Thomas Walker. Petitioner was engaged by the Education Department to carry out certain preliminary work on the land set apart for the Boys' Training Farm at Weraroa, his engagement being subject to the condition that it was liable to be terminated at any time upon the giving of one month's notice. Petitioner alleges that an unjust allegation was made affecting his character for integrity, from which he hits suffered injury, and he prays that compensation may be awarded him. The Education Committee have the honour to report that, having again given consideration to the prayer of the petition of Thomas Walker, they are unable to discover that any allegation was made calculated to throw a doubt upon bis integrity—as a fact, he was continued in the employment of the Department for a period of some nine months after the alleged allegation was said to have been made; there is uo evidence that he has suffered injury, and the Department has endeavoured to find for him other more suitable employment. Your Committee therefore can only repeat their former report, that they have no recommendation to make. sth October, 1908. Xos. 38, -'19, 59, and 54. — Petitions of Ellen Astley, Mary Novatt, Catherine Wilkinson, and Alexander Mclntowh. Petitioners represent that, because in some instances ill health and in other instances purelyaccidental circumstances interfered with their being in permanent employment at the time the Teachers' Superannuation Act came into force, on the Ist January, 1906, they have been shut out from the benefits conferred by the said Act upon original members. Taking into consideration their long service, and the benefit?; which have accrued therefrom under inauspicious circumstances, they pray that your honourable House will take such steps as may be necessary to afford to them relief. The Education Committee have the honour to report that they have bestowed a great deal of sympathetic consideration upon these petitions. From a memorandum submitted by the Department they found that forty applications to be placed upon the roll of original "membership under the Teachers' Superannuation Act had been sent in. Your Committee have gone through this list of applications and carefully weighed the merits of each individual claim, concluding at length that they were unable to recommend your honourable House to take steps to amend the Teachers' Superannuation Act in the direction desired. Your Committee have therefore no recommendation to make. 30th September, 1908. No. 32.— Petition of F. G. Reynolds and Others. The petitioners pray that the Thames High School Endowment be taken over by the Government and leased under terms that would enable the tenants to farm the lands profitably. They represent that a large proportion of the land requires considerable expenditure for clearing, draining, ami manuring; that the rents charged are greatly in excess of the annual value of the land ; that the conditions of the leases require tenants to keep all buildings, fences, drains, &c, in good repair, whilst no provision is made for the value of permanent improvements effected by the tenants. From these and other restrictive and oppressive conditions petitioners pray for relief. The Education Committee have the honour to report on the petition of F. G. Reynolds and others.that, as the Public Bodies' Leases Bill now before your honourable House proposes to give power to local bodies—including educational bodies —to deal inter alia with such grievances as are set forth in the petition, they have no recommendation to make. 30th September, 1908. Thanks to Chairman. The Education Committee have the honour to report-that on Tuesday, the 29th September, the Committee unanimously agreed to the following resolutions: — ■' That the warmest appreciation and thanks be accorded to the Chairman, J. A. Hanan, Esq., M.P., for the very able manner in which he has conducted the business of this Committee during the session." " That this resolution be reported to the House.'' sth October, 1908. Musicians Bill. The Education Committee have the honour to report to your honourable House that, having given consideration to the Musicians Bill, they recommend that the said Bill be allowed to proceed, subject to the amendments shown on a copy of the Bill hereto attached. sth October, 1908.

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