THE EDUCATION ACT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1239, 7 April 1880, Page 2

THE EDUCATION ACT.

Chb.istchdb.ch, April 6

A conference of Chairmen of• rSchool Committees was held this morning, to consider some portions of the Education Act which were deemed-to require amending. Nearly forty were present. The time for the annual election of Committees is very inconvenient, and it was decided to suggest the first Monday in April instead of the first in January. Cumulative voting Was condemned by 94 votes against 12. On the question of the appointment of teachers, it was decided to leave the Act as it stands. There 1 was a discussion on the, subject of how far the use of the Bible was ; allowjed under the secular system, and it .was after a'long: debate, That in the opinion of this meeting. the; Bible should be read without comment during school hours, but 110 child should be compelled to be present at the reading-of the Bible whose parents lor guardians object thereto." The resolutions come to will bp sent the. s3dueq,tipti Boq.rd, by it to bg forwa,tdpd' to'the Government.' ; 1 ■

i •; 4p ril 7. ■ The Education Ootiferefiee, on reassembling, yesterday, move 4 resolutions to the following effect number of holi days during the year to b : e defined by the Boar^dof^Education; the allotment of holidays to'be determined--by committees; that it is inexpedient' that any'member of the ScMbo! Gtimmittee should at the same time, be a-m ember of the Board of Education j that'lltlip qpjnipn of thig meeting Bonuses should" be granted to 'teachers who.-renj^in.five in one sphoqlj.that it; is highly desirable that the constitution of bpArds 'of' edtibation should' bis altered so that members thereof should be representatives ofr locality; that it is desirable fdr the purpose of returning members to the Board,; that.; the country, should; be divided into electoral districts, co-equal with .ejpcfcpi'al (||strigts of the Qrown, each electoral district to return a proportional number of members ; that in the opinion of this Meeting the Board of- Education should appoint a General Auditor to audit' the whole accounts ; that the. compulsory clauses of the Agt be a permanent obligation, not left to the Qoitimittee to enforce or not. During a conversational discussion, an opinion was generally expressed that the Board .of Education conducted its meetings too much in committee and that the public should know the whole of the proceedings,