EDUCATION MATTERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5603, 1 June 1905, Page 6

EDUCATION MATTERS.

PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, May 31. At a meeting of the Education Board, Mr J. M. Stallworthy moved:—That an agricultural expert should bo forthwith engaged to direct agricultural education >iu the primary schools of country districts. The matter, be said, should bo no longer delayed. Some person of authority should point out what were tho lines upon which agricultural instruction was to be pursued. The chairman thought the matter should bo referred to the Chief Inspector and Director of Technical Education to report on. Mr J. D. McKenzie said people in the country did not appear to want agricultural education. Mr Parr held that the Board should do the work itself, without reference to the department. There was no need to go out oi the colony for an agricultural expert. Mr Bagnall felt sure tho farming community was quite in earnest about it. Farmers felt they should he as liberally treated in regard to technical education as townsmen. It was resolved to refer the matter to the Director of Technical Education and the Chief Inspector to report to next meeting. Tlie Board considered a number of resolutions submitted by the Otago Board. The first—“ That the centralising tendencies of the Education Department are inimical to tho work of education iu New Zealand, and that instead of Parliament diminishing the powers of Education Boards they should bo extended on sound economic lines,” was endorsed; A resolution—“ That better provision should be made for conveying children in sparsely populated districts to central schools,” was also endorsed. The next resolution was—“ That the age limit of fourteen years for qualifying for obtaining free secondary education be extended, so far as tho country districts are concerned.” Air Parr expressed himself rather against the suggestion. Ho held that the Auckland Board could not endorse tho resolution, as it believed that the age of fourteen was a reasonable one. The members concurred, and tho resolution was accordingly not endorsed. The next resolution—“ That adequate encouragement should be given to induce our most capable youths to enter and remain in the teaching profession," was endorsed. A final resolution was endorsed as follows:—“That in order to relieve the department of teachers who have passed their years of usefulness, a superannuation scheme bo passed by Government."