THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1037, 15 January 1892, Page 35

THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

(PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Christchurch, January 6. The Council of the Educational Institute resumed sitting to-day. The greater part of the morning was taken up by a discussion on the question of recommending the Government to reinstate the vote for Training Colleges. The debate has not concluded. Christchurch, January 7. The session of the "Educational Institute was resumed to-day. The committee on the uniformity of school books reported that as private enterprise In New Zealand aDd England supplies the profession with cheap, varied, and excellent sets of sohool books, there was no necessity at present for an uniform set specially compiled by the Government. Mr Fergusson (Otago) supported the report and -said the Govern.

menfc should not enter into competition with private enterprise. Mr White (Otago) said there would not have been need to dis. cuss the question if the Minister of Educa. tion had not said fa the House he was favourable to Government issuing uniform text-books. He thought the teachers shotfld be consulted as to the text-books for the children, and favoured the Boards of Education drawing up text-books for tbleir respective districts every two or three years. As to the Government issuing books,- he thought the Council should protest emphatically. It would cost from £60,000 to £ LOO,OOO per year, and it was not likely that Parliament would vote that amount for a new series. Mr Wilmot (Marlborough) said they had a lot of boys and girlß growing up. and should encourage local industry in providing books. He did not want to see them importing anything that could be produced here. The report was adopted. Later.

The Council of the Institute to-day made several alterations in the constitution, tho principal being that a Legal Assistance Fund, contributions to which shall be voluntary, be established , and administered by the Council, and that no District Institute bring before the Minister or the Department any matter affecting the Colony as a whole except through theExeoutiveof the New Zealand Institute. The Council decided to submit to the District Institutes for consider tion the proposal of the Secondary Schools Conference to ; extend to pupils of secondary schools the privi eges granted to those who have served as pupil teachers, and those who have attended a training college, and counting a pass in the Junior Scholarship examination toward obtaining a class teacher’s certificate. It was resolved that the Inspeotor-General be requested to cousider the good that would result fjom local inspectors meeting together once a year. The Educational Institute closed its seßBion this afternoon, 'The next meeting is fixed to be held at Wellington on the 10th

January, 1893. Mr Clement Watson, 8.A., was elected president j Mr W. T. GrliUdy, secretary { Mr H, Worthington, treasurer ; and Messrs O. White, T. McMorran, and T. S. Foster the executive. The President invited the delegates to a pionio at the south side of Lyttelton harbour to-morrow.