TECHNICAL EDUCATION BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 235, 27 June 1908, Page 11

TECHNICAL EDUCATION BOARD.

. SITE FOR NEW SCHOOL SELECTED. FEES .AND' CAPITATION. Tho ordinary meeting of tho Wellington Technical Education Board was held last night. Present: Messrs. J. P. Luko (chairmall), T. Carmichael, I). M'Laren, J. G. W. Aitkcn, M.P., and W. H. Field, M.l\ THE SITE QUESTION.

Tho Chairman stated that tho Board had inspected the site of the old horso tram car shed, and decided that it was the best available. In other cases the prices asked were prohibitive. Tho City Council's Finance Com- ' mitteo had co-operated in the matter. It had been hoped that Mr., Martin Kennedy would be willing to sell a piece of land adjoining tho site selected, but it had since been stated that ho was not.prepared to do. so. Consequently, tho area would have to bo reconsidered, and adjacent properties which were under offer ; to the Board might have to bo acquired. Ample light for the windows, and some ground for playing, would be' required. Tho Board would meet tho City ''Financo Committee again next Tuesday afternoon, and it was hoped that a final decision would tjicn bo como to._ ; Mr. M'Laren expressed satisfaction with tho sito recommended. , Mr. Aitken gave expression to fear that it would be found too small. . The Chairman said ' subsidiary schools would probably bo established latter. x !;. ■FEES. ' ;■ Tho Board adopted . recommendations of tho director for consolidating' this fees for the 'art classes, and removing the distinction as to fees between puro .grafts, so that students might be moved from'ollc to ■ tho other with the greatest freedom as required by their artistic development. Tho Director reported that there .were 62 students holding junior freo places; and 165 holding senior free places in .evening and 23 of the former and'27"of. .the latter wore not making sufficient attendances to warrant tho school in giving them freo tuition. He had written to them to state that unless they had' good reasons for their irregularity thoy would be callod on to pay.

fees. / . Members expressed regret that the attendances were unsatisfactory, and the question of special circumstances limiting- tho students' ability to attend was raised. ; The Director admitted that working hours and other conditions. accounted for some of the absences, but there were many where such circumstances did not apply. CAPITATION—A PROTEST. The Auckland Education Board wrote asking for support in protesting against tho reductions proposed by tho Government to bo mado as from Jauuhry, 1909, in tho capitation grants for manual and technical education. " . 1 , . • The Chairman said that tho present capitation was 3d. per'" student-hour up to 800 hours per student'for all technical courses, and per student-hour for two or four hours' per subject* per week per student for continuation classes. The present capitation was tho same for all subjects, whether advanced-or elementary, in these two classes of work. Tho Department . had . always maintained that the capitation was sufficiently high to allow of a jirofit being mane on elementary classes sufficient to meet tuo loss on advanced classes; and that this was. a perfectly legitimate way of running the; school. Tho Department had viewed with some uneasiness the remarkable growth in commercial' classes —a growth which was natural and inevitable, in present circumstances. The Department, however, m order.. to discourago tho commercial day oourso, had now' issued an Order-in-Council,' as proi vided, regulations ruling that, in future,' dating from January, 1909, capitatoon should bo paid only' on 400 hour attendances per: annum per student, thus reducing tho ordinary capitation for all day students from £10 per annum to £5 per annum. This reduction would affect this. Board to the ex-tent-of about £750 per annum, and unless the-loss on theso classes is offset by increase of capitation on advanced and manual classes and art classes, would render tha Board's financial position very insecure. The reduction would not prevent the board running tho elementary commercial classes, but would entirely prevent them from developing the higher work of . tho school,- as it ■would cut out all the profit on elementary, work, which had hitherto-been employed in maintaining the non-paying, but most valuable higher classes in all subjects. Ho un- ' derstood that tho whole subject of capita-. ' tion allowances was under revision,, but it was to be remembered that the r;vto of payment was fixed by, Act of Parliament, hot by regulation. Tho maximum could only bo attained by Act of Parliament. Tho Board resolved to forward an eml - phatic protest to the authorities, as suggested in the letter from Auckland. SPORTS.. .. . It was resolved to grant £20 per annum i to the Sports Association vhich is being i formed in connection with tho school.