TRAINING COLLEGES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20962, 27 February 1930, Page 17

TRAINING COLLEGES.

ISSUE OF NEW REGULATIONS. CRITICISM OF MINISTER’S ACTION. (Special to Daily Times.) WELLINGTON, February 26. Dissatisfaction with the action of the Minister of Education (Mr H. Atmorc) in issuing new regulations regarding the training colleges without first referring the matter to the education boards was expressed at to-day’s meeting of the Wellington Education Board. The opinion was generally expressed that the boards were - gradually being deprived of their powers, and one member remarked that he would be better employed pulling the weeds from his garden than attending the board meeting. The chairman (Mr T. Forsyth) said the position was to be regretted, and the board had said so to the Minister and , the Minister had resented it. The promise made by Mr Atmore that the board would be consulted before new regulations were introduced had not been kept, The regulations aimed at restricting the board’s powers very considerably. The board had already made a dignifigfl and reasonable protest. ■ “ I think that in the future Mr Atmore will be known as the promising Minister,” said Mr Forsyth. “He has promised us schools. We have had a number of

unfulfilled promises without the slightest apology for their non-fulfilment. I think it is to be regretted that the Minister, who started out well and, I believe, intended /to do well, has come under the control of the department. The Minister has promised a certain number of rooms, and the department has halved them withI out any *by your leave’ at all. I think the board should protest against anything which tends to deprive it of its powers/' Mr G. T. London said it was regrettable that a body of men set up to control education should be regarded as incapable of making the appointment of suitable teachers. He was afraid tuey had a bureaucratic Government. The boards, and through them the people, were being deprived of their powers, and were being subjected to pin pricks and interferences. He was not one who sought to depreciate the work that, Mr Atmore was. doing, but he thought the Minister was finding , it impossible to honour the promises he was making. He still had great hopes for Mr Atmore in the very responsible duties that he' had undertaken, but he did think that more powers should be placed in the hands of the boards. ■ /

Mr A. W. Hutchings said he thought they should address a letter to the Minister, requesting that when regulations were proposed they should be submitted to the boards before being brought into operation, He moved in that direction. Mr C. H. Nicholls said he did not attach much importance to regulations. They were a guide to the individual and to the employer, and in most cases could be read in two ways. ■ However, he was very , sorry that the Minister had introduced the regulations as he had done, particularly iis they referred to the training colleges. “It seems like a direct slap at this board,” said Mr Nicholls. “From the Minister’s remarks : n the Wairarapa during the last few days I am quite convinced that this board is very much in disfavour with the Minister, and I do not think we are to blame. The men sitting round this table are just as important as members of Parliament, and pur recommendatinos and suggestions should be received with < courtesy. The Minister set out to do the very beat lie could, but I am .satisfied the Education Department will not let him carry out ms ideas. That is my opinion, and 1 am going to stick to it. On a lovely day like this I think that in the circumstances I would be better employed pulling the weeds up out of my garden.” The motion proposed by Mr Hutchings was carried. / • . .