AUCKLAND EDUCATION BOARD

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1745, 16 August 1905, Page 71

AUCKLAND EDUCATION BOARD

AUCKLAND, August 9. At a meeting of the Board of Education the Wanganui Board's resolution on the basis of payment of teachers was considered.

Tlie, inspectors reported that "the resolution in question is so condensed and obscure that the inspectors have not been able to gain any clear idea of the arrangements it is intended to recommend. There is, however, substantial agreement as to two following points: (1) The grading or classification as at present arranged could not be made to form a satisfactory basis for fixing the salaries of teachers. 125) The inspectors approve fixing a minimum salary for each grade or classification, as a means of checking serious reductions in salary, consequent on declining attendances at particular schools. The proper remedy from the hardship that arises from this cause would be the transfer of the teacher concerned to a larger school, but under the above arrangement his salary would not be reduced below the minimum of his grade while he awaited transfer. The grading should be revised at periodical intervals, for teachers in each grade should have to maintain their skill at the level shown by others placed in = the same grade. Real uniformity of grading would be by no means easy to secure, for the standard applied in testing skill in teaching now varies pretty widely in different parts of the colony, and is likely to continue to do so/’ STATE TIMBER. Mr McKenzie moved "That the Government be asked whether it is in a position to supply seasoned timber from the State sawmill for school buildings/' —The motion was carried. SUPERANNUATION. The chairman proposed that the Educational Isstitute be asked to give an expression of opinion as to the new Superannuation Bill.—Agreed to. BUILDING GRANT. The secretary reported that the building account was overdrawn by .£4904, and the usual quarterly instalment of the Government grant (.£2500) had not yet The annual grant of .£12,000 was not enough to carry on the work of the Board. The amount allocated to Auckland was arrived at in some wonderful way by the Education Committee of the House, and was based on the number of schools. These were largely old wooden buildings which needed renewal. Mr Parr said the Education Committee should be wiped out. It caused more ' trouble than enough. The secretary said the least the Board could work upon was .£20,000 a year, and the vote should be increased to that amount. It was decided that the Government should be asked to increase the subsidy to £:20.000, and that the quarterly grant, which was now overdue, should be forthwith paid. ACCOMMODATION FOR CHILDREN. The report of the Chief Inspector, Mr Petrie, on the infant school accommoda- - tion at the city schools, was before the Board. Mr Hobbs wanted to know why the promise of a .£SOOO grant made to the Board by the Government several months ago had not been given effect to. Mr Greenslade said it was a shame and a scandal that the children should have to be taught in a lavatory for ’want of space. Mr Hobbs moved —"That urgent application be made for special grants for the Nelson, Beresfortt, aim ±\apier street schools, which were overcrowded/' —Carried. DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS. A letter from the Education Department stated that the Inspector-General would be in Auckland shortly, and would confer with the Board in regard to district high schools. Mr Parr said that some months ago the Minister for Education had promised that two high schools would be granted to Auckland city. Mr Luke: We asked for one. and he promised two. Mr Parr said there were dozens of children in Ponsonby clamouring for admission to high schools, and they could no. find entrance because the Grammar School would not take them after the first term. it was decided; to send an urgent telegram to the Minister asking for fulfilment of his promise to declare Richmond road and Newmarket schools district high schools.