RURAL EDUCATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5730, 27 October 1905, Page 5

RURAL EDUCATION

ACTION BY THE BOARD. INSTRUCTOR TO BE APPOINTED. In pursuance of the motions proposed at previous meetings of tho Education Board by Mr A. W. Hogg, M.H.R., a committee, consisting oi Messrs Buchanan, Hogg, McDonald, and Allan, made a report at yesterday’s meeting of tho Board. The committee recommended that tho salary of an instructor in elementary agriculture should be £3OO, with travelling expenses from Wellington. With regard to the programme of work, two proposals had been considered;— (a) To appoint a supervisor and organiser in elementary agriculture for the whole district, to visit schools and take classes for teachers on Saturdays. Tho money available for this, without drawing on the administration fund, would probably bo £IOO from tho Government grant for the instruction of teachers. Capitation would bo available from tho teachers’ class, and it was behoved the capitation from the school classes would also be required; tile ba.lance of £250 to £3OO would have to come from tho administration fund. (b) To appoint an instructor in elementary agriculture to #work various centres first of all, to hold classes for teachers on Saturdays, and. when time permitted, to visit schools where the work was taken up. A conference had been held with tho Director of tho Technical Board, who considered, if the Board found the ground in Wellington and allowed the Technical Board to use the instructor’s services for one practical lesson and two evening lectures a week, a contribution of £l5O could bo made by the managers towards his salary. As one evening lessen could lie held on the same day as tin practical lesson, this would really moan only one day and one evening a week, and tho instructor would ho free from three and a half to four days in tho week, not including Saturday morning for teachers’ classes. This contribution, with £IOO from the Government gyant, would mean a grant of £250 towards the salary. The centres at which such an instructor could work would bo Levin, Pahiatua, Eketahuna, Mastertpn. Carterton, Greytowu, Foatherston, Hutt (including Petonc and tbo Jfutb Valley) and Wellington. The committee recommended the latter proposal, suggesting that it be left to tlio instructor to visit tho various centres first, and leave him to settle the arrangement of his work. The committee thought tho money would bo well spent •if an instructor wore appointed .'lid a fair trial given. Tho chairman read the report of Mr La Trobe, which had been adopted by the Technical Board the previous evening. Mr La Trobo in this recommended the Technical Board to contribute not more than £l5O to tho salary of the Education Board’s expert, on condition that ho was available for tho Technical Board for one whole day and two evenings in the week. The revenue fyom twenty day and ten evening scholars was estimated at from £l2O to £l6O. Tho chairman said the Technical Board had come to the conclusion it could not go into tho matter alone, but it Was in favour of meeting tho Education Board as far as possible. Mr Vile moved “ That tho report be adopted, ’and that the committee bo

authorised to appoint an instructor as suggested.” This was seconded by Mr Feist, sup, ported by Mr Hogg, and agreed to.