EDUCATION BOARD DISTRICTS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15022, 17 July 1914, Page 7

EDUCATION BOARD DISTRICTS.

An important part of the Bill is that which dea_. wit. the constitution of Education Boards. The Dominion is diviaed into nine districts, thus reducing the number of Boards from 13 to nine. There will be five district-; in the North Island, and four in tho t-outh Island. The present Auckland education district has been divided into two district... which wiil be respectively designated North Auckland (with, headquarters at Auckland), and Waikato (.with headquarters at Hamilton). The present districts of Taranaki and Wansanui will be joined into a combined district, under the name of Egniont (with he .drjuarters at Wanganui). The other North Island district* are Hawke's Bay and Wellington. In the South Island the present .education district of Marlborough will bo added to the Nelson district. The pre. .-nt districts of Wo-stlaud and Grey will ho added to tho Canterbury •district, which will also include practically the whole' of the Canterbury province. The other districts wiil be thoso of Otago and South bind. The following is the definition of the Canterbury. Otago, and Southland Education Districts in the Education Bill :— Education District of Canterbury—All that area in New Zealand. being the Counties of Grey, Westlaml, Amuri, Cheviot, Waipara. Tawera. Ashley. Kowai, Rangiora. Oxford, Eyre, Malvorn, Paparua, Ilal.well, Akaroa, Wairowa, Wa imairi, Heathcote, Mount Herbert, Springs. Ellesmere, Selwyn, Ashburton, Geraldine. Levels, Mackenzio, and Chatham Islands (including all boroughs and town districts therein); chief town, Christchurch. Education District of Otago—Al] that area in New Zealand being the Counties ol V„ .ima-to, Vincent. Waitaki, Waihemo. W.iikouaiti, Taicri, Tuapeka, Bruce, Peninsula, and Maniototo (including all boroughs aud town districts therein) ; chief town. Dunedin. Education District of Southland —All that area in Now Zealand being the Counties of Clutha, Lake, Fiord, Wallace, Southland, Stowart Island (including all boroughs and town districts therein); chief town, Invercargill. PUPIL TEACHERS' SALARIES. The salaries of nupil teachers are fixed as follows (according to year of service as prescribed by regulations). First year £35, with allowance of £20 if obliged to live away from homo. Seoond year £45, with allowance of £15 if obliged to live away from home. Third or fourth year £5-5, with allowance of £10 if obliged to live away from home. Where a pupil teacher lives at home, but is obliged to travel moro than four miles daily each way to attend school, there shall bo paid an additional sum (not exceeding £10 per annum) te defray tho actual cost of such travelling. ELECTION OF BOARDS. The rural area of each Education Board district shall bo divided by the Board into three wards, ou tho basis p/ tho yearly average attendance. Two members shall bo elected for oa_h rural ward. Tho number of members for each urban area, whether an urban school district or "not, shall bo two for each 60,000 or part of 60,000 of tho population. Tho members for each ward of the rural area and for each urban district other than an urban school district shall bo elected by tho nicmbdrs of tho committees of tho school districts within the respective boundaries. Each member of a committee shall have as many votes as there aro vacancies to bo filled, but he shall not give more than one vote to any ono candidate. Tho members for each urban school district shall bo elected by the municipal electors of tho boroughs corapri_ng .uc „ urban school district. Tho election of these members shall take place at tho same time and placo as the election of the councillors of tho boroujdis within such districts, the votes obtained for each candidate in each borough to be added. ELECTION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES. An important alteration is proposed to bo made in the constitution of school districts. In urban aroas Boards shall have power to alter the limits of any school district, and to divide any a .eh j district into two or moro districts, or to combine two or more districts, and it may combino all the school districtwithin any city or borough into one district, provided that every school district shall be wholly within oi wholly without an urban area, and that tbo number of schools (not being side schools) in any district other than an urban school district shall not bo more than five. For every school district thero shall bo a committeo consisting of not less than five nor more than nine resident householders. Where the yearly average attendance at a school or schools in the school district for the preceding year has not exceeded ono hundred chilr dron, the number of members of the committee shall bo five; whero such attendance is over one hundred and not oyer two hundred, the number of members shall bo seven; and whero such attendance is over two hundred tho number of members shall be nine. In urban school districts there shall bo nine members of the committee. In all cases the committees of urban school districts shall hold office for two years; in other cases tbo term shall be ono year. Tho annual elections of Committees shad take place in March. % Tho Committees, subject to tho general supervision and control of the Board, shall have the management of the schools. Committees may establish savings banks for the use of pupils.