EDUCATION DISTRICTS

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 82, 5 October 1915, Page 10

EDUCATION DISTRICTS

THE COMMISSION'S REPORT THE BOUNDARIES PROPOSED. The report of the Education Districts Commission, which was set up by the Education Act, 1915, to enquire into matters relating to the determining of the number of education districts and the delimiting of their boundaries, was presented to Parliament yest-erday afternoon ,by the Minister of Education (the Hon. ( J. A. Hanan). The Commission recommends the | smallest number of districts allowed by j the Act — seven — as follows : Auckland, Wanganui, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, ■ Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. AREA OF DISTRICTS. The chief town of each district and the counties and other areas included therein are as follow; — j Auckland. — The counties of Mangonui, Whangaroa, Hokianga, Bay of Islands, Hobson, Whangarei, Otamatea, Rodney, Waitemata, Eden, Manukau, Franklin, Coromandel, Great Barrier Island, Thames, ■ Ohinemuri, Waikato, Raglan, Tiako, Waipa, Matamata, Tauranga, Kawhia, Waitomo, West Taupo, and Rotorua (including all boroughs and town districts therein, and also including Waihekeand Little Barrier Islands); chief town, Auckland., Wanganui. — The counties, boroughs, and town' districts of Awakino, Ohura, Kiatieke, Clifton^Whangamomona, Taranaki, Stratford, Waimarino, Egmont, Eltham, Waimate West, Hawera, Patea, Waitotara, Wanganui, Rankitikei, Kiwitea, Manawatu, Oroua, Pohangina, and Kairanga; chief town, Wanganui. Hawkes Bay. — The counties, boroughs, and town districts of Wkakatane, Opotiki,' Waiapu, Waikohu, Cook, Wairoa, East. Taupo, Hawkes Bay, Waipawa, Waipukurau,. Dannevirke, Patongata, Weber, and Woodville ; chief town, Napier. Wellington. — The counties, boroughs, and town districts of Pahiatua, Akitio, Eketahuna, Mauriceville, Masterton, Castlepoint, Horowhenua, Wairarapa South, Hufcfc, Featherston, Makara, Sounds, Marlborough, Awatere, Collingwood, Takaha, Waimea, Buller, MurcHson, and Inangahua. Canterbury. — The counties, etc., of Grey, Westland, Amuri, Kaikoura, Cheviot, Waipara, Tawera, Ashley, Kowai, Rangiora, Oxford, Eyre, •Malvern, Paparua, Halswell, Akaroa, Waire'wa, Waimairi, Heathcote, Mount Herbert, Springs, Ellesmere, Selwyn, Ashburton, Geraldine, Levels, Mackenzie, Waimate, and Chatham Islands ; chief town, Christchurch. Ofcago. — The counties of Vincent, Waitaki, Maniototo, Waihemo, Waikouaiti, Tuapeka, Taieri, Peninsula, Bruce, and Clutha ; chief town, Dunedin. Southland.— 'The counties, etc., of Lake, Fiord, Wallace, Southland, and Stewart Island ; chief town, Inyercargill. The above recommendation involves, as explained in The Post yesterday— the incorporation in the larger districts of Westland, Grey, Marlborough, Taranaki, Nelson, and South Canterbury. REASONS FOR ALTERATIONS. In determining the number of districts and delimiting their ' boundaries, the Commission kept in view the follow--ing considerations :—: — " (1) The provision of a sound financial position foi\ the several Education districts, so that the various activities of the boards can be carried on without undue strain. (2) Convenience of local administration from the centre, in such matters as the provision, maintenance, and supervision of buildings and other school properties. (3) Making the districts large enough to allow of full provision for the various branches of technical -education bearing on the industries predominantly caitfied on in th© Several parts of each district, more especially for those bearing on such rural industries as dairying, fruitculture, and general mixed farming. (4) Associating with the most populous centres — which have numerous urban and " suburban schools of the highest grades — correspondingly large rural areas. (5) The provision, as far as possible, of an equally favourable unbroken ladder of promotion for the teachers in all the Education districts, the effect of which would be to give increasesd efficiency of teaching with consequent benefit to the pupils. ' In view of the difficulty in connection with the ready transfer of meritorious teachers from one district -to another, the Commission attached very considerable weight to the principle that the new districts should be large enough, and should afford sufficient variety, in the grades of schools within their borders, to secure for their teachers prospects of continuous promotion as good as would be. offered were the whole Dominion treated as a single Education district.