THE EDUCATIONAL DISTRICT

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14806, 9 October 1911, Page 5

THE EDUCATIONAL DISTRICT

DIVISION PROPOSAL OPPOSED.

The suggested division of the Auckland educational district is not approved by Mr. C. J. Parr, a former chairman of tho Education Board. Mr. Parr informed a reporter on Saturday that the scheme had been mooted at the Board two years ago, during his chairmanship, when he opposed it strongly. He was still strongly opposed to it.

There was no sound argument for the division of the district, and given efficient officials tho requirements of the counWy districts would always bo better attended to by one board than by having two or three weak boards, with possibly weak officials, said Mr. Parr. The division of the district into two or three areas must prove the deathblow to the proper promotion of teachers, and it would render nugatory to a great extent the excellent scheme of grading which was brought in a year or two back. Mr. Parr said he was satisfied that Parliament was unlikely to sanction a change which would prejudice education so strongly. At the big conference two years ago, which he attended as the Auckland representative, the mind of the conference was entirely in the direction of the abolition of the small districts to make larger ones, and that, he was sure, was the mind of the general public in the matter. •