MINISTERIAL VISIT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14535, 21 February 1918, Page 2

MINISTERIAL VISIT.

ARRIVAL OF HON. J. A. HAN AN.

The Hon. J. A. Haiiaft, Minister of Education, accompanied by his iriv.ite secretary, Mr F. AL Sherwood. together with Mi* W. EL Spencer, of the ?.*idu nation Department, Mr G. ;Rocho, chairnrm of ' th» • Hawke's * (Board, and* Major *G. *G^awshawji!;_ecre*^*i*y^' arrived from South by the Arahm-ai to-day. Tho visitors, were met -Messrs G. Wildish and J v . H. - Bull, local mem-bets of the Education Board, who iha,ve .arranged aai itinerary for the' Minister's visit- " •'••"*'•'. ■•''•<

Interviewed by a Herald representative, Mr -Hunan remarked upon the.great development that had -'.take nX place m Gisborne. Although this Avas his firet visit m a Ministerial capacity, he had visited Gisborne a good: many years ago, . then a lad of 19 years. The* district had made great progress, and tlvere.^ras evidence of great, coriimercial afctivltyv'As to the object of his present visit, .Mr Hanaix said he desired to lOokHritb sevbra^ldcal matters affecting" ' his? Depßr_Mlent, to 3 make himself -personally acquainted with, the^ educational ' re^Sfuirenients,- ' anc-Cj-^teo to institute enquiries* as to the general standard of efficiency ;of/edio^tion m this district with thalT obtaininj* m other • parts of the Dominion. . "There wer© some questions that ■ had com© before him, and to deal |with'ithi_htj*on satisfactory lines required "soime local- __ibwledge. He also wanted to familiarise himself with the Native schools m. this .part of the North Island. _& the South Ighjfid * . there were very few Native •sclioolis'. Sir' James Carroll and the; Hon. A. T. Ngata, he went on to'aay; had b^ri urging tain views, with the object of improYlhg education In "Certain d'rebt*x>b*s'-_a't&'g i '_r.i terests of Native school childreit Certain lines of development had been suggested a m the direction, of agricultural education, -with a view* to enabling Natives to become skilled farmery Apaift from this, there had been proposes frioin. other sources, the in*strtutiori* of combined schools, and -tlio doing; away of Nativ-o ■schools, but this was not a proposal that appealed to him. However, fe -desired to make himself personally acquainted with the conditions. IncidehtaH^,:>Mt ,! Hanan • remarked that samples of' tlie* woi*k done m Native school* had been* submitted to him, and he had been favorably impressed. It indicated that tho educations*! work done by tho teachers of -the Native 1 ' sphoOU* was' vtei-y* 1 credit* able. Mr Hanin added that the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald- ' had' beech* urging him for isome time to visit 4hs district. Apart from the portfolio of Education, the Hon. Mr, Hanahjij Minister iri'el&rwe o£ ( Friendly Societies and iii ohai-ge of th© Aliens' Board/ „ ' r / Mr Spencer, Of ithe Educations Hepartmciit. iwho accompauies the ' Ministerial party,: deals -with applications Tfdfc sblibol buildings, sdiool matei-iarahd^booia; -besides carrying- out inspeqfce-^ail work. Both Mr G. H. Roach and 'Maioi* Cr**w.-ai-e well knOwn/ir. local fowling circles, haying - participated: m bowling tournaments. Mr Roach,beltings to Hastings, but ie, making his first visit here as chairman of the Education Board. ■■•■>•;

This afternoon the. visitors -mado >«i_ inspection of the* various town schools, and to-mori-ow thfcy leave iby motor-car for Motuhora, inspecting various Ichoota en route. The question of -providing adequato school accommodation at'Motuhora will be looked into. On^atu-dfty they proceed to Tolaga. Bay and.Tokomaru Bay by.- car, returning to Gisborne early m the week. *■' T