Education Board Protest Against Amending Bill

Press, Volume CI, Issue 30004, 13 December 1962, Page 20

Education Board Protest Against Amending Bill

A proposed amendment to the Education Amendment Act, 1952, aimed at the appointment of an education districts boundaries commission, is not supported by the Canterbury Education Board. The board has written to the Minister of Education (Mr Tennent) protesting against the proposal “It appears to us that once the commission has completed the allotted task and made its recommendations, it could well go out of existence as the Education Commission did, as we cannot really see any need tor any further

examination of the need for boundary adjustments again for many years," said the letter, tabled at a meeting of toe board yesterday by the secretary-manager (Mr W. P. Spencer). The New Zealand Education Board’s Association said that toe function of the commission envisaged in the proposed amendment nowbefore Parliament, would be to investigate toe various factors that made for education districts of desirable size, and to recommend to the Minister alterations of the boundaries of education district* and the fannation

of new education districts. The board’s letter said that when Mr Tennent said he was setting up the commission the impression had been that the commission would be a short-term one to make early recommendations for necessary amendments. “It does not seem necessary for a permanent commission to be in operation,” said toe letter. "The Auckland district was divided in 1952 when the South Auckland district was set up. All other districts have preserved their boundaries since 1916.”

In Canterbury 38 of 44 school committees which had replied to a circular from the board were in favour of a division into separate wards of the present combined group in this district, said Mr Spencer. Four were against the measure and two were indefinite. Two other sections in the bill, one to facilitate the appointment of a husband and wife where both positions fall vacant in a two-teacher school, and the other to provide for the execution of bonds by students training as kindergarten teachers, arc supported by toe board.

Wing-Commander E. C. Gartrell. of Wellington, who returned to New Zealand last week from the United Kingdom, will assume command of the KN.Z.AJ’. Station, Woodbourne, on January 9.—€P_A.)