EDUCATION DISTRICTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16506, 5 October 1915, Page 2

EDUCATION DISTRICTS

PROPOSAL TO REDUCE TO SEVEN

SOUTH CANTERBURY BEING ELIMINATED.

(Feom Oue Own Cobbespondent.) WELLINGTON, October 4.

The Education Boundaries Commission, the report of which was presented to Parliament to-day recommends briefly that education districts be. reduced from 13, as at present, to seven. The commission, which consisted of Messrs A. D. Thomson, G. M. Thomson, G. Hogben, D. Petrie, and J, Strauchon, starting its. tour in April, held seven sittings and [ examined 98 ■witnesses. '

The commission states in-the report that in determining the number of education districts and delimiting their boundaries the following principal considerations were kept in view: —(1) • The provision of \a. sound financial position for the several education districts,. so that the various activities of. tho boards could be .carried on without undto strain. . (2) Convenience of local administration ■ from the centre ,in such matters as the), provision,. maintenance,' and supervision of 'buildings;and the school properties. (3) ' Making ; the districts large enough to allow full provision for- the various branches of technical education bearing on the predominant industries carried on in the several parts of each district, especially for those bearing on such rural industries as dairying, agriculture, _ and general mixed, farming. (4) Association with the most populous centres, which have numerous urban and suburban schools of the highest grades, of correspondingly large rural areas. (5) The provision; as far as possible, of an equally favourable unbroken ladder, of promotion tor the i teachers in all tho education districts, the effect of -which would be to give increased efficiency of. teaching, with benefit to the pupils. ■...'■'•> The Education Act of 1914, the report continues, provides for a dominion grading or classification of teachers, but the appointment of teachers is still in the hands of the Education Boards, and the evidence. renders it highly probable that transfers of teachers Within the single education districts will for a long time_ continue to be the main mode of promotion available for teachers.,. In view of the difficulty in connection with the transfer of meritorious teachers from one district to another, the commission attached very considerable ] weight to the principle that the.hew education , districts should be large enough and should afford sufficient variety in the grades of schools within their borders to secure for their - teachers prospects of continuous promotion as good. as would be offered were the whole dominion treated as a single education district. The commission recommends the smallest' number of districts allowed by the Act — namely. seven, —as follows: —Auckland, Wangarjui, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. , The recommendation involves the incorporation' in the larger district of Westland, Grey/ Marlborough, Taranaki, Nelson, and South Canterbury.' South Canterbury, Nelson,, and Taranaki, the commissioners state, are too small ; to affordi a, reasonable field for the promotion'of teachers or to form., a satisfactory ■ administrative and economic unit, and it is' impossible to add territory in such a 'way as to overcome these difficulties without introducing others equally serious. In particular, as regards South Canterbury, the most feasible suggestion offered, was the addition of- the County of Waitaki in the 'south' and 'of the Counties of Ashburton, Ellesmere, and Selwyn in the. north. This would ignore the principle of the • community of interest. It would bring the boundary within 20 miles of- Christchurch, and detach from the North Canterbury district a large number of people-whose interests are undoubtedly centred in Christchurch. Similarly the southern, extension would include , the town and district of Oamaru, whose, interests are essentially those of Otago, and would reach within 40 miles of Dunedin. The weakest of the proposed districts, 'as measured, by the school population: and, the number of teachers employed, are Southland and Hawke's Bay. These must be retained, as their incorporation tin other districts would involve the reduction 1 of the "total number ; of; education districts below seven; the minimum fixed : by the statute. '.''■"

The proposed new education districts include the following counties, including all' boroughs and town districts within such counties:— "''"_, ' _ ■ . Auckland: Mangonui, Wnangaroa, Hoki? anga, Bay of Islands, Hbbson, Whangarei, Otamatea, Rodney, Waitemata,, Eden, Manukau, Franklin, Coromandel, Great Barrier Island, Thames, Ohinemuri, Woikato', Raglan, Piako, Waipa,. Matamata, Taur-anga, Kawhia, Waitomo .West,. Taupb, and Rotqrua, including Waihek'e and the Little Barrier Islands. . ... Wanganui: Awakino, Ohura, Kaitaeke, Clifton: Whangamomona, Taranaki, Stratford, Waimaorino, Egmont, Eltham, Wai* mate West, Hawera, Patea, , Wsiitomaxa, Wanganui, Rangitikei, Krwitea,_ Manawatu, Oroua, Poharigina, and Kairangi. . .Hawke's Bay: Whakatane, Opotiki, W<uapu, Waikohu, Cook, Wah-oa East, ,Taupo, Hawkes, Waipawa, Waipukurau, Dannevirke, Patangata, Weber, and Woodville. Wellington: !Pahiatua, Akitio, Eketahuna, -Mauriccville, Masterton, Castlopoint, Horowhenua, Waivarapa South, Hutt, Poathercton, Makara, Sounds, Marlborough,,-Awa-tero, Collingwocd, Takaka, Waimea, Buller, Murchison, arid Inangahua., _ Canterbury -. Grey, Westland, Amuri, Kaikoura, Cheviot, Waipara, Tawera, Asfoley, Kowai,; .Rangiora, Oxford, Eyre,_ Malverc.i Paparua, Halswejl, Akaroa, Wairewa, Waimain, Heathcote, Mount' Herbert, Springs, Ellesmere, Selwyn, Ashburton, Geraldine, Levels, Mackenzie, Waimate, and tile Chatham Islands. •. v Otago: Vincent, Waitaki, Maniototo, Waihemo, Waikouaiti, Tnapeka, / Taieri, Peninsula, Bruce, and i Clutha. Southland:. Lake, Fiord, Wallace, Southand Stewart Island. , v There is'no change in the'boundaries of tie Otago and Southland districts.