ADVISORY ONLY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 147, 22 June 1923, Page 8

ADVISORY ONLY

AN EDUCATION BODY

SOME MEMBERS DISSATISFIED.

Mr. F. H. Campbell, Otago Boys' High School, at the annual meeting of the Council of Education to-day, expressed dissatisfaction with the constitution of the council, and intimated that, in his opinion, the council, under present conditions, hardly fulfilled the intentionß of those who originally set up the scheme. He moved: "That the council respectfully submit to the Minister that the constitution of the council should he amended in such a way that the ocuncil may become an administrative instead of an advisory body." The speaker drew attention to the fact that the Minister had not attended the present meeting of the council. Mr. J. R. Kirk, Gisborne, thought it would be a good thing if the council met twice a year instead of once. Professor Macmillan Brown, Chris tchurch, remarked that he waj in sympathy with the motion, but he did not see- how it could bo worked. It was impossible to make the council administrative, even if it met twice a year. He was sorry that the work of the council should be so futile in so many instances. He confessed that lie always cpme to the msetings- of the council with the feeling that it was a talking-shop and not an acting-shop; hence he sympathised with lir. Campbell's motion, but he could not- vote for it, because it ivould be quite impossib'e to carry it into effect.

Mr. J. H. Howell said that while he was not satisfied with the results followin? the recommendations of the coun,cil, still he could not see his way.to support the motion.

The Director of Education said that the Minister was just as much interested in the work o£ the council as any other Minister had been, and it was not through any disrespect that he had not attended the meeting of the council. With 'regard to the general question, he remarked that when anyone with enthusiasm or high ideals became a meniber of any public body, he was almost invariably disapnointed with the results. That remark had a very general application. Mr. Caughlev save the members present a strqn" assurance that the expressions of opinion given by tho council had been of tremendous assistance to the Department. He was of opinion that if the council were an administrative body, members would be a tittle more careful .about some of the things they proposed than perhaps thoy sometimes were at present. He pointed out what it would mean to give effect to the resolution. The main position was this: That a srreat deal of the .good work of such a body could not be readily indicated or tabulated, but he was sure the council could claim having achieved a considerable amount of success in its work.

Dr. Marwlon said he was a member of another advisory body whose recommendations were not always given effect to —the Board of Science and Art— and he had a lot of sympathy with the motion. He was of opinion, however, that the cost of the one meeting of the council a year was fully justified by the results.

Mr. Campbell, in reply, drew attention to tl'p. fact that so many resolution.? passed by the council were ignored, or were not given effect to, when members of the council had devoted so much thought to the cone j deration of such questions and when those matters were'discussed'at length'by the council and a, decision come to.

Under such circumstances it was disappointng that such recommendations should be ignored. ' ,

The motion was i>ut and negatived by 14 votes to 3. . " ■