TARANAKI SCHOLARSHIPS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 2 June 1928, Page 6

TARANAKI SCHOLARSHIPS.

ALTERATIONS IN REGULATIONS. RECOMMENDATIONS OF CONFERENCE. For some time past there has been an agitation by representatives of the Various educational authorities in Taranaki to have the basis of the Taranaki scholarships altered and more scope extended to students tb take up agricultural and other research work in connection with practical farming, as might lie recommended for the Massey Memorial College. It is contended by many educational authorities that the best- boys- do- not necessarily take the Taranaki scholarship because of its low value, and it is also considered that those boys who would make the best farmers had little use for many of the subjects required for matriculation. The main object of the agricultural course should be to assist the practical boy to become a good farmer. With this object in view a large and representative meeting of delegates from the various secondary school boards and committees was held in New Plymouth -last evening, those present- including: Messrs. S. G. Smith (chairman of tbe Taranaki Education Board), W. H. Moves (principal of the New Plymouth Boys’ High School), 11. Billing (chairman), -Miss Douglas (member). Miss North (representing Miss Allan. Girls’ High School), Messrs. A. H. R. Amc-ss (director of the Stratford Technical School), A. Gray (headmaster), R. S. Sage- (chairman). and F. Whitehead (member of the Hawera Technical High School), R. J. Deare (Technical College Board, New Plymouth), and J Cocker (Rnwhiti roa). The following resolutions were carried :

That this conference is of opinion that the Minister of Education and the Senate of the University of New Zealand should be approached- with a view to having regulations made by the Senate under Section 18 of the New Zealand University Amendment Act, 1914, whereby a portion of the income from the Opalcu Reserve may be made available for bursaries or scholarships for non-academic students at the Massey Memorial Agricultural College 1 , and a separate portion for girls, who by reason of their course of work taken .up are not eligible to compete- for university or Taranaki scholarships. That for the purpose of the above resolution, the term non-academic shall apply (a) to boys who, whilst possessing fair average ability, have, in the opinion of the principal, shown a. pronounced leaning towards the prafctical side of agriculture or dairy work; (b) in order'to be- eligible, the candidate shall have completed at least three years’ recognised agricultural course in a post-primary school in the Taranaki Education Board district. That the award shall he by nomination of the principal and by examination- of the examiners appointed by the Massey Memorial Agricultural College Council, who shall, in making their awards, take into account the work of the students in their school course; and. in addition, they shall further assess- the knowledge of the pupils by viva voce work, or hv an examination of the modern type.

A -sub-committee which, had been- set up at a previous meeting brought down a tentative syllabus of instruction upon which the bursary should be awarded.

It was shown that the receipt® from the endowments for the- pa-st year had been as follows: Rents £9BO 15s 9d. interest _on accumulated funds £1147 11s, which, with the balance brought down-from the previous year .of £21,848 Is lid-, brought the fund to £23,985 8s 6d. The disbursements were: Scholarships (six) £420, and expenses £59 3s lid. tbe net credit balance standing at £23.506 4s 9d.