SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17750, 30 April 1923, Page 6

SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

MEETING OF ASSOCIATION. A meeting of-the School' Committees' Association was held on Saturday night, Mr T. P- Moore presiding over a large attendance.

Tho Minister of Education wrote regarding a protest made by the Association against the recent regulations for free places in secondary schools. Ho stated that instead of there having been any reduction in the free place privileges, they had been extended durm<* the past two yc-ars. Regarding the reduction* in the grant for the maintenance of school buildings, he stated that the reduction was imposed by a special Committee o'f the House of Representatives set up to consider the question of effecting economics in estimates, the recommendation cf the Committee was subsequently adopted by tho House, and he h.id no option but to accept ilia decision arrived at. He trusted, however that the grant for maintenance- or school buildings for tho curient year would bo provided at tiie old rate. Mr W. Jones said the Government had anticipated a deficit when the Committee made its recommendation to the House, but it had since been shown that there had been a substantial increase. He accordingly moved that the House of Parliament should, be petitioned, through the Minister of Education, and asked to make 1 a substantial increaso in the grant, instead of a reduction. .

The motion was earned. The president of the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, Mr J. G. Poison, wrote in regard to the question of school heating. The letter stated that in a few cases "quite arbitrary dates" were fixed for lighting fires in the schools, and that caretakers could not provide fires, even if the weather broke earlier than the fixpfl date. Also, between the dates fixed, fires were lighted daily whether they 'were required or not. The teachers, would be pleased if the Association would discuss the matter and advise all committees of its opinion, if it.decided that there should be greater elasticity in the system. The letter concluded: "The teachers fully appreciate,: two facts: first, that your Association places the interests of the children always first, and, second, that individual 'committees aro often hampsred by ■lack of funds, but we feel suro that by a free discussion it will be realised that, all committees could do what many committees do now, provide fires when needed, and not merely during a, set period, without injuring the lunds." ( After considerable discussion it was decided that the Association should'jrecommend to : tlie committees that fire? should be lit when needed. < An amendment, that nil school committees in Canterbury should be notified by letter.of the resolution, was defeated. Several members raised the ob- j jection.that such a course would entail too much secretarial work. . ■ . . .