LATE DOMINION NEWS.

Mataura Ensign, 9 March 1914, Page 3

LATE DOMINION NEWS.

EDUCATION OF GIRLS. FEB UNITED PBESS ASSOCIATION. GISBORNE, March 7. An interesting discussion on the education of girls took place at the W.C. T.U. Convention today. The Mayor (Mr J. R. Kirk) who was a member of the Education Commission, was present by invitation. He said he had no fault to find with girls being given the same facilities in education as boys, but what was wrong with out sdheme_ of education was that it was not practical j enough. He considered that girls should be given a training which would fit them for their chief duty in life, yet just at the age of adolescence it appeared that the present system was sapping the girls' strength. The time, he continued, had come to strike and he would suggest that they should appoint two representatives to interview Hon. J. Allen in Wellington. A Council had been set up to deal with education in New Zealand and why should' not women be on that Council P (Applause.) Mrs Atkinson asked what subjects the ' Mayor would suggest, differentiation ! being made between boys and girls, and Mr Kirk replied that he would start after the fifth standard. He was now referring particularly to children who had no chance of being sent away to secondary schools. Miss Henderson, M.A., said that she had been a High School teacher for many years and had to teach girls between the ages of 13 to 20 domestic science. In so far as the difference in education between' girls and boys was concerned, she had not found that girls broke ' down wholesale.- The trouble was to get girls to work hard enough. What was wrong with girls who went to high schools was the manner in ; which their parents treated, them at : home. Girls of 15 and 16 were allowed in some homes to be out till 11 o'clock at night. Others were allowed to do ' their home lei-eons in the same room as the family,-and instead of doing their work they took rort in the conversation. Tho trouble, however, really arose with girls who left the primary schools. Girls required training after the age of 15. Most of the girls, however, went out to work in factories. k Some people thought that these ; g'r's when they came home at 1 night' should start learning how < to make omelettes and she did 1 not see that, -this was fair. Miss Hen- 1 derson concluded by saying that she did , not see why the union should make a > request for' differentiation in education - between boys and girls. Girls should be allowed to "follow their bent if they de-; ( ■•iired to. 1 Mrs Field tlien moved, "That a com- 1 mittee consisting of Mrs Evans, Dr < Gu-nn and Henderson, with power I to add to tlioir numbeT, be set up to J discuss 'and. biggest what steps isihould k be taken .iii connection with the formation. of the proposed advisory board." The motkin was carried unanimously W.C.T.U. CONVENTION. < GISBORNE, March 8. ' At yesterday's session of the < W.C.T.U. Convention. Dr. Elizabeth junn (superintendent of the department of social purity) gave a most in>- • tractive address on '-'Purity and' Moral Education in 1 ndividual. Social andi National Life." The following resolutions s ivere carried: "That this convention l ex- 6 ;>rea*es its-satisfaction with the decision c :>f the Christchurch Hospital Board) to nake provision for inexpensive and iy • amweible medical'j ('treatment irithout registration or publicity for all sufferers from venereal diseases, and, 'urther, the convention urges all hospital boards to follow the same course"; 'that thi.s convention also declares that. J m attempt to legalise the social evil by j: ;egulation will be seriously opposed. The t •egulation system is condemned' as b«ng wrong in principle and- a failure in 18 >ra,tcice, as regulation increases vice ? mm} fails to reduce disease, while it 1 .ends to corrupt the young and to demoralise the. police charged with its ad* I ministration" ; "that a yote of thanks be accorded to Dr. Fenwick for his action in getting the Hospital Board to r adopt measures for the relief of sufferers from venereal diseases." ALLEGED LlfeEL. TTBLLINGTON, March 8. In the case 'Times' y. 'Dominion,' claiming £3OOO for alleged' libel, after four hours' retirement the jury intimated that it was unable to agree, and Mr Skerrett (for plaintiff) intimated that he would state on Monday what course he would take. SCOTLAND'S SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT OHRISTOHURCH, March 8. J. W. H. Scotland made a successful ascent in his Caudroni biplane fromi the Addington showgrounds yesterday afternoon in the presence of 4000' people. The aviator went to a height of 100 ft. and gave a fine exhibition. He landed safely. DEATH OF TWO OLD MEN. WELLINGTON, March 7. Two inmates of the Old Men's Home died suddenly yesterday. They were James Bevan and Henry Pike, aged 80 years and 63 years respectively. At the inquests to-day the verdict in each case wais that death was due to heart failuie. EDUCATION INSTITUTE. SOUTHLAND BRANCH. The regular monthly 'Electing of Southland primary school teachers was held on Saturday morning in the Education Board buifldinge at Invercargill. The president (Mr Hewat) occupied the chair and there was a fairly representative attendance of members. The principal business consisted- of the consideration of a scheme of salaries formulated by the central executive and forwarded to the branch institutes for their discussion and suggestions. The scheme in ite general features resembles the one in present operation, the schools being graded according to attendance, the salaries varying according to the grades. The scale of payments proposed is, however, on a more generous computation. The maximum is suggested for all schools with an attendance of over 450,, while under the existing scale the maximum is reached ofily when the attendance exceeds (Sow. The new grading, if adopted, wouldmore than double the number of teachers receiving the highest salaries payable. There is a noticeable increase, too, in the minimum proposed—an increase of 30 per cent. This is regarded ias essential, if suitable persons are to- be attracted to enter the profession. Under the present allowances it is found to be difficult to induce young men to become teachers, the remuneration being so much less than is. obtainable-in ■most., other pursuits. The scheme,'accordingly, was commended in respect of the amount of salary proposed for the several grades. Objection, was taken, by some of the speakers to the basis.of ; payment, and a proposition was made that no scheme could be regarded as ■atisfactory if under it the salary of a 1 teacher depended upon the attendance

of-the school. No one was able, however, to show how the basis of attendance could be dispensed with, and af-ter-some discussion on the point the proposition was withdrawn. A provision that no teacher would have his or her salary reduced in consequence of the atten<lAnce at the school falling was commended l unanimously. A good deal of discussion arose on the question of classification. It was decided to request the executive to state explicitly how the points determining efficiency were to be awarded. The old question of promotion came up for consideration, and it was resolved to have steps taken, if possible, during the coming session of Parliament to a dominion scheme formulated and brought into operation. Feeling tribute was paid to the memory <?* the late physical drill instructor, Mr lan Galloway, and a committee was appointed to act conjointly with representatives from the secondary schools to arrange for a, suitable memorial. Among the miscellaneous matters that required attention may be noted a request from the Board that the May vacation be regarded as commencing on March 11, and that a committee of the branch be appointed to consider the selection of new text books to be introduced into the schools at the commencement of 1915.