TECHNICAL COLLEGE CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 20585, 10 September 1930, Page 6

TECHNICAL COLLEGE CONFERENCE

EDUCATION REPORT DISCUSSED [Pbk Uxitkd Pkbss Association.] - - WELLINGTON, September 9. The first remit proposed at the Technical College Conference found acceptance from by no means all the delegates. It proposed that the Minister of Education and the Recess Committee be congratulated upon the complete and comprehensive nature of the report submitted to Parliament.

It was submitted by Mr J. Hutton vGreymouth), who said they would re cognise the excellent intentions in the report, and they might congratulate the Minister and the committee upon the definite proposals put before Parliament.

Mr G. J. Park (Auckland) seconded the motion.

Mr WE 'F. Durward (Palmerston North) expressed tho hope that the report would not go through, adding: “ The voice is tho voice of Jacob, but the hand is the hand of Esau.”

Mr E. H. Andrews suggested that the remit should say “ thoughtful.” It would mislead the public, said Mr 11. S. W. King (Auc’-land), it the conference were to congratulate the committee upon the report before it had been considered by the conference. Mr Andrews suggests saying thoughtful.” but ! \rtmld rather say “laborious.” That does not convey any compliment, Mr J. Horn (Otago) said he_thought the should wait until it had heard the - Minister, when it might have clearer ideas on the report. Other delegates thought they should be content with expressing thanks for tho report. Mr King moved as an amendment that tho Minister and committee be thanked for the comprehensive nature of the report submitted to the conference, with some parts of which tho conference would probably find itself in agreement. “ I won’t mince my words.” ho said. “We have quite enough camouflage in the report. Wo do not want camouflage here, but we want to be’courteous. We can't accept the reco imendations as a whole, although there are many wo can accept. ’ Finally a non-committal remit was passed expressing thanks for the report. The conference passed a remit ex pressing the fear that an extension ot tho intermediate school system would threaten, the existence of the technics, schools,' the discussion indicating that ia was thought undesirable to have another break in school life.