NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 194, 14 May 1936, Page 11

NEWS IN BRIEF

Royal Congratulations In cases in which the Kins has knowledge of the pending anniversary of diamond weddings or the attainment of IOOIh birthdays of any of his people throughout the various parts of tiie Empire, lie sends a message of congratulation to those concerned. In New Zealand the correct procedure is for a relative or friend of the person or persons 'concerned to write to the Governor-General at least seven days beforehand giving particulars of the coming event, and expressing a wish that his Majesty might lie graciously pleased bo send a message on the occasion. Boards in the Discard. “Politically speaking, hoards are in the discard, and I don't know if any great enthusiasm could be raised for boards at present,” said the Minister ot Education, Hon. I’. Fraser, to primary, secondary and technical school teachers In conference at Wellington yesterday. The Minister was referring to a national board of education as a subject for discussion at the conference. Backward Child First. Referring to classes tor backward children when addressing school teachers at Wellington yesterday, the Minister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser, said he had visited one school recently where the headmaster informed him that a pupil who had formerly been in a “backward” class had headed his class as far as proficiency was concerned. Ingenuity of Detectives. “New Zealand detectives have their methods, and some ot their methods show a lot of ingenuity,” commented Mr. Justice Blair, when summing up in a criminal case in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday. "These detectives are not t<he foolish people that some people think they are; they seem to know a little bit about their work.” “The Child Must Come First." “It would be a calamity if teaching were to be regarded merely as« living and a career for adults.” said the Hon. I’. Fraser, Minister of Education, during his address yesterday at the teachers’ conference. “The question of vested interest must not oe allowed to militate against the interest of the child. The child must be in the midst of all our thoughts and all other interests must lie submerged.’ New Plimniertou Road. With the exception of a short section at the site of a slip, the new road from Paramata to Plimmerton is now completely formed and finished. There is still a large quantity of spoil <.o remove from the slip, but it is expected that this will be completed within eight weeks. On this morning’s illustrations page Is a photograph showing work proceeding at the slip, ami also a paneraina of southern section of tho finished road.

Proficiency Wanted. Ho once applied for a Government position and was asked if he held a proficiency certificate, said a delegate at the annual conference of the New Zealand Technical Teachers’ Association at Wellington yesterday. .He stated lie had replied that he held a university degree, but the reply was: “That's all right, but have you a proficiency certificate?” The conference approved unanimously a Tiinaru remit urging upon the Government the desirability of Government departments accepting the senior free place as au alternative to (lie proficiency examination. Vocational Guidance. A remit to the effect that the Education Department lake control of the vocational guidance system, moved . by Christchurch, was approved unanimously at the annual conference of tne New Zealand Technical School Teachers’ Association at Wellington yesterday. Mr. W. B. Harris said that Christchurch felt after 11 years of pioneering that official recognition was justified. A significant feature of a recent) report from Geneva on vocational guidance was that New Zealand was far behind other countries in this work.

School Text Books. “The question of school text books Involves a matter of policy,” said the Hon. P. Fraser, Alinister of Education, in the course of bis address to the teachers’ conference yesterday. “There is the question of the kind of books, who will write them, who will print them, who ’ will own them, and the matter of free text books. The question of free books has been referred to by Air. Lambourne, Director of Education. iu liis report, and it will receive consideration. 1 understand that we are among the most backward countries in the world in this respect.”