SCHOOL COMMITTEES' ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16506, 25 April 1919, Page 2

SCHOOL COMMITTEES' ASSOCIATION.

LAST NIGHT'S MEETING. I Tho Canterbury School Committees' Association met last night, Mr W. Jones proaiding over a good attendance. Tho chairman wa3 appointed tho Association's delegate to tho Canterbury Progress . .League. | A considerable amount o£ routine cones- i pondonca was left over for consideration ! till tho nest meeting. Mr £. U. Just v:as to have addressed tho meeting on proposed changes iu primary education, and to have explained various matters decided upon at the last conference of tho New . Zealahd Educational Institute, but as the attendance was but a small ono it waa decided to postpone the address until May 15th. A lengthy discussion took place on a motion by Mr F. H. Neville (Sumner): "That it be a recommendation to all school committees that tho time has arrived to lake steps to oppose the proposed conscription of boys as foreshadowed in recent Ministerial statements."

Mr Novilio particularly explained that he was not by any means an anti-Militarist, but ho was an anti-conscriptionist in peace times, "with Lloyd George and others," but that was as far as ho would go. He did not want his motion to convey anything drastic'; his whole object was not to pass anything definite, but to ensure that tho various school committees should discuss the matter. He criticised at somo length Lient.-Col. Sloe mail's proposals as to military training. • Several members spoke very favourably of the re-introduction of tho old cadet system in primary schools. Several speakers also expressed their opposition to compulsory training, but stated that they had no objection to voluntary training.Eventually the motion was put and lost, hub a. further motion that the matter touched on in Mr Seville's motion be discussed by the various school committees, was carried.