WEDNESDAY, JULY 23

Otago Witness, Issue 2524, 30 July 1902, Page 30

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23

In the House of Representatives today the Wellington Harbour Beard and Corporation Empowering Bill was thrown out. Notices and replies to questions took up the afternoon sitting. In the evening the House l ejected two bills by private members intended to make some changes in educational affairs. The measures were Mr Willis's School Attendance Act Amendment and Mr Giifedder'3 Inspection of Schools Bills.

SCHOOL INSPECTORS

Mr GILFEDDER moved the second reading of the Inspectors of Schools Bill. Its sole object, he said, was to place inspectors of public fcchools under the control of the Department of Education, and to make them removable from one part of the colony to another. By doing this, the colony would have uniformity in the work of its schools, and would get a better return for the large amount of money expended on education.

Mr HANAN supported the bill.

Mr LAURENSON regarded the bill as a retrograde step, and one likely to injure our education, system.

The Hon. C. H. MILLS counselled the Houso to lea\ c education matters as they were for the present. There was a good de-a.l in the proposed change that he (Mr Mills) approved of personally, but he did not consider the time was opportune for m alteration. With regard to Education Boards, he °aid the Government recognised the good work thee board* had done for the colony. He had consulted the Minister of Kducation, who could not see his way. thi9 session at anyrate, to adopt the bill. He hoped the bill would be withdrawn, and the Government would consider the matter during the icces.=.

Mr FISHER hoped Mr Gilfedder would persist with the bill until he succeeded in having it placed on the Statute Book.

In the course of a, lengthy discussion.

Mr HOGG urged that it would be disastrous to dislocate the education machinery iis (xroposed in this bill. -\fr MEREDITH, in opposing the bill, said lie would rather entrust education in the colony to Education Boards than to a Central Education Department in Wellington

Mr COLLINS thought that, for the present at anyrate, the control of the inspectors .should be "left m the hands of the boardb.

Mr MGriRE supported the bill. He had always advocated putting the inspectorial staff under the Minister of Education.

Mr THOMAS MACKENZIE contended that the experience of the larger Education Boards, at anyr.ite. did not justify the House in departing in one single particular from the present system. He moved as an amendment (hat the bill be read a second time six months' hence.

After furthfr debate.

The Hon. Mr HALL JONES said any danger to the pre-ent education pystetn would come from those who urged the piling up of the expenses of the system to the breaking down point. There was practically no check on the expenditure of Education Foar-L-, and mnnv thing'; had been done in this connection which, if they had been leviovved by the House, would not have been agreed to. Tho <-!ieck which should be, and in course of time would be, was the centralisation o[ the »yiti»m He believed the money was expended by the boards to the best of their judgment, but because the boards could not get all they wanted they complained of the administration of the department. But if they were given all the funds tlioy a-ked for the Central Depart incnt would be" one of the best managed doijartmenK in the public service. The present bill would not l at-s that night, but the time would rome when the inspectorial sv-ioin would be centralised "Mr GILFEDDER explained that he did not aim at the centralisation of the whole system, but he believed that if the inspection wore piai d und< r the control of the Central Department it would be to the advantage of education throughout the colony. He had nothing to say about the present capahihtie- of the Central Department, but they all hoped that a bettci state of things would be brought about. On a division the amendment was earned by 27 to 23, a.nd the bill thus killed.

A NATIONAL SL'RVEY

The question of whether New Zealand -'lould undertake a gpneral t-urvey of the principal l-lauds r>! the c/lony with the object of contributing data for the better dcteraainfctioii of tL'_- e^Avt figure of. tiio

earth is a subject which has frequently beej} dealt with by such authorities as the lata Mr J. T. Thomson, F.R.C.S., Major Palmer, R.E., and Messrs Theophilus Heale and James M'Kerrow, F.R.A.S. The difficulties of such a survey which presented themselves in the early days of the colony have, recording to the Surveyor-general, now disappeared. New Zealand is wealthy and! prosperous. The greatest facilities are afforded for communication. The tedious and expensive process of base measurements have generally been superseded by metallic banks. Theodolites or altazimuth instru* nwnts are lighter, and therefore more portable. We possess a full knowledge of thai whole of the country, and we have capable and energetic officers eager to undertake the work. It is submitted for favourable consideration that a beginning at least mightf be made, so that New Zealand, which stands otherwise prominent in progress and jp-to-date methods, should take its part amon^si the nations and fulfil its obligations to the world by completing an important addition." to the solution of the all-important probleia' of the precise form, or, more strictly speaking, the variations of the form of the earth from that so far accepted.

SLOW TRAINS.

This afternoon Mr Garncrossr asked the Minister of Railways if he would take steps to lessen the time taken by the morning and evening- trains in the journey between/ Mosgiel and Dunedin so that the journey may not take more than 30 minutes. Sir 1 Joseph Ward said the distance was nine and a-half miles, and there was a succession! of heavy grades on the line, and six intermediate stopping places. The time occupied! in the run was 45 minutes, and was tho best that could be done under existing cir-cum'-'fcaiices. He vras sorry lie could not give the hon. member a more favourable reply.

TELEP&

E TO 3

fcIAXAPOURI.

Mr Gilfedder a«ke<l the Postmaster^ general if the Government will, this session, take into favourable consideration the desirability of establishing telephonic communication between Eastern Bush and Mana.-* nouri for the benefit of the settlers in. the YTaiau Valley, and to encourage the tounsia traffic to the" cold lakes district. Sir Joseph; Ward raid the matter would receive consideration when the appropriations for the year were being made.

FJSIIING LICENSES

Major Steward asked the Colonial Secre* tary (1) Whether, in view < f the regulations whereby the Acclimatisation Societies in the southern districts of the colony were! authorised to issue fishing licenses to adults on payment of a fee of £1, it is competeufc to such societies to reduce the license -fee to 10s ; and (2) Whether he will introduce an amending act providing that the amount of the fine 3 recovered for breaches of the 1 fisheries regulations shall be paid over to tho local Acclimatisation Societies. Sii? Joseph Ward said the license fees were fixed by Order-in-Council, and could nofc be altered. In regard to the second part of the question it was proposed to anis-nd the law in the direction indicated.

OLD-AGE PENSIONS

The number of old-age pensions in force on March 31, 1902, inclusive of 1055 granted! to Maoris, was 12,776, representing a yearly payment of £217,192. During the year 169* new pensions were granted, 935 pensioners died, 206 certificates were cancelled, antj 182 pensions lapsed through non-applica-tion for renewal. The total amount paid! in respect of pensions during the year was £207,463. The cost of administration was £2535.