POWERS OF DIRECTOR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22064, 21 September 1933, Page 15

POWERS OF DIRECTOR

GRANTING OF SCHOOL HOLIDAYS NEW REGULATIONS DISCUSSED. “If these, proposals are adopted the Governor-General will not be able to grant a holiday to school children unless the Director of Education approves,” said the secretary (Mr G. W. Carrington) in submitting to the Otago Education Board yesterday a draft of the regulations drawn up by the Education Department fixing school terms and holidays under the authority of the last Education Amendment Act. The proposals were forwarded for the board’s comment. ■

The secretary added that the regulations provided that schools should be opened after holidays on Monday instead of Tuesday as was the case in Otago at present. Power to grant special holidays was solely in the hands of the director of education.

“ What is the objection to the existing regulations 1 ” asked a member. “ They are working very well in Otago,” replied the chairman (Mr J. Wallace),' “and we should not give up the right to open on a Tuesday without a fight. We know the trouble that we had in getting the primary and secondary school holidays synchronised.” He added that in Otago it was desirable, on account of the weather, that the second term holidays should be as late as posible. He considered that the regulations embodied a definite filching of the rights of committees and boards.

MtsW. R. Brugh: If there is an earthquake the schools will have to carry on until the director tells them to stop. “ I take it,” added Mr D. T. Fleming, “that if the Governor-General wishes to grant a half holiday he will have to send an urgent telegram to the director.”

The chairman recalled that the Duke of York, on his visit to Dunedin, asked him to grant a school holiday. In similar circumstances his reply now would have to be, “I will if the director agrees.” He noted, however, the chairman added, that there was no mention of a penalty for a breach of the regulations.

Mr Fleming: Why is the department always interfering? One member wished to protest, but it was pointed out that the department was compelled under the Act to draw up regulations. These had been submitted for comment. It was decided to thank the department for the opportunity of examining the regulations, and the chairman and secretary were asked to write expresing the board’s views.