EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2678, 5 January 1900, Page 2

EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE.

(Concluded from yesterday,)

On resuming, the Agenda Paper was again taken up. Southland’s remit regarding holiday fares was withdrawn in favour of the following, which Mr Jeffrey moved and Mr Hughes seconded —“That the Minister of Railways be asked to grant holiday fares to pupil teachers and school inspectors during holidays, tickets to be available at any time during the currency of the holidays, and that the same concession be granted to teachers when travelling on business connected with the various branches of their Institute." Carried without discussion, Mr Parkinson moved Wellington’s remit —“ That a copy of the report of the Council’s Committee on Manual and Technical Instruction be sent to every school, every school committee, and every newspaper in the cotony.”—The motion was altered, omitting school committees, as there are not copies enough, and adding every and new members of Parliament, Mr Gibbs seconded, and the motion was carried as amended. Mr Eudy moved a very hearty vote of thanks to the committee who had drawn up the report, especially to the Wellington members of the committee who practically did all the work—Messrs Watson, Gill, and Grundy.—Carried by acclamation. Mr Grundy replied, and gave Mr Watson the greatest share of the credit for the work done. Mr Ryder moved—“ That the Minister of Education be asked to assist school libraries by establishing distributing centres, and by an annual grant.” He suggested that the school libraries were as much entitled to assistance as the public libraries, for the purchase of books to be distributed and exchanged in parcels among the schools in each education district.—Mr Ambrose seconded. —Mr Gibbs suggested that they were asking for a good deal from the funds of the colony.—Mr Macdonald thought the schools could get good libraries together by a system of self-reliance.—Mr Selby spoke warmly in favour of supplying the pupils with plenty of suitable reading matter—suitable to the children’s tastes. —Mr Tyndall said the country was overwhelmed with literature, and he had not found school libraries made much use of.—Mr Ryder saw no connection between this request and previous ones. He found the children eager for books, and they ought to be encouraged. If any public funds Were to be devoted to public libraries, no better use could be made of a share of it than the assistance of school libraries. —The motion was lost on a division by 19 to 16. The treasurer, Mr T. Hughes, next read the balance-sheet for the past year, audited by Mr Voss. In the ordinary account the year began with a balance In hand of £147 9s 3d ; the net receipts for the year were £9019s 4d; and the net expenditure £65 17s, and £SO was transferred to the legal assistance fund, leaving a credit balance at the end of the year of £ll4 7s lid. The legal assistance fund, commencing with a credit of £217 Bd, received £SO from the general fund and £54 2s from the branch subscriptions; total, £321 10s, and the expenditure during the year was nil. The assets were—Ordinary account £ll4 7s lid ; legal defence fund £321105; arrears due from branches, £3 7s 6d ; total, £439 6s sd; liabilities, £9 9s. Balance, £429 I6s sd. A good deal of discussion took place on one or two items, complained of as not being clear, and Mr Jeffrey pointed out that the difficulty arose entirely from the districts not sending their subscriptions inpropertime. The auditor said that payments had to be booked that morning after they l went out to audit the accounts; they should have a hard and fast rule on the subject,—Mr Tyndall directed attention to the rule already existing. The balance-sheet was then adopted.

Mr Davidson moved Executive bring under the notice of the Minister the conditions under which the 0 certificate may be obtained, with

a view to enable teachers to secure such certificate by taking the subjects singly.” He read a letter from a student explaining the requirement that all three subjects must be passed at once.—Mr Macdonald seconded, and said that if teacher-students were allowed to take one subject at a time many more teachers would become students.—After a general discussion a division was called for, which resulted: for 16, against 19, and the motion was lost.

Mr Jeffrey moved and Mr J. Grant seconded That an opportunity be given to discuss the new regulations for the inspection and examination of schools.”—Lost on the voices. Mr G. Grant moved : That if it be necessary the Education Act 1877 be amended to empower Education Boards to appoint and transfer teachers without having to consult School Committees." He said that Wellington and Southland had for some years had a system approaching this, and the'Chairman of the Otago Board had told them that his Board were approaching it. If that was practicable in two or three districts, it must be practicable in all. He believed that if the appointments were wholly in the hands of the Boards they would be made much more generally on the merits of the applicants.—Carried with one dissentient. Mr Ormiston moved—“ That as an additional means of securing that muchdesired boon—a colonial scale of salaries—this Council urge upon each of its district branches to petition both Houses of Legislature on the question.” Mr Newton seconded, and it was carried unanimously without discussion. Mr Davidson moved—“ That this Council approves of the suggestion to give the children of the colony an opportunity to contribute to a New Zealand children’s patriotic fund, in connection with the Transvaal relief fund.” If each child gave but one penny they would raise over £500; two pennies over £IOOO. He had suggested this to the Otago Board and they took it up warmly, and recommended the suggestion to the favourable consideration of the other Boards.—Mr Stevens seconded, and said the idea had already been carried out in the Auckland province.—Motion carried unanimously, and with applause. ' Mr Ryder moved annually expended on scjiolarships in connection with our primary schools could be used to much greater advantage in increasing the staffs of schools in suitable centres in order to allow greater attention to be paid to pupils in the 7th Standard.” Mr Ryder spoke at some length in support of his motion, condemning the practice by which some pupils were coached for the scholarships, with the result that the most deserving pupils as a rule did not gain these prizes. He advocated an extension of the seventh standard work as an alternative, as better suiting the greater number.

Mr Brock seconded, and mentioned that the Wellington teachers had agreed not to coach scholarship candidates out of school hoars, and he wished Canterbury'teachers would do the same. Mr Parkinson defended the scholarship system as giving an opportunity to many to obtain the High School course who otherwise would be unable to do so. The scholarship fund would not go far in the direction suggested by Mr Kyder, whose proposal was objectionable as increasing the suspicion that the teachers were 100 grasping. Messrs Macdonald, Gibbs, Harkness, and Davidson eulogised the scholarship system for having brought some of the best men in the colony to the front. Mr Kyder replied, and the motion was put and rejected by a large majority. Mr Kyder moved—“ That pupil teachers should, wherever possible, be drawn from the ranks of those who have already undergone a preliminary training at some training college for teachers, and that grants should be made to the Education Boards to enable them to support such colleges.” The president ruled that the reference to grants must be struck out, and the remainder was lost by a large majority. Mr Jeffery moved—“ That in competitive examinations and pupil teachers and teachers examinations the Department and Education Boards should not permit teachers to examine their students In subjects which they teach to those students.”—Carried.

The Council again went into committee on the constitution. A sub-clause was added to clause 4 saving the existence of the existing Waikato District Institute, while prohibiting the duplication of District Institutes in any educational district in future.

A sub-clause Me” was added to clause 6, that the Executive shall present a general report on the year’s work and a duly audited balance sheet. A long discussion took place on the amount of annual subscription of District Institutes to the Central Institute.. The committee suggested 2s 6d, Is to go to the legal assistance fund. The Council finally determined to adopt a subscription of 3s; Is to go to the legal fund, 2s to the general fund. After reporting from committee a resolution was passed that the secretary’s travelling expenses be paid from the general fund. On the motion of the treasurer, £SO was ordered to be transferred from the general to the legal assistance fund, the amount to be placed on deposit. Before adjourning for tea, Mr Howell, chairman of the Education Board, who had been present during the afternoon Bitting, expressed regret that he had been unable to attend the sittings. He was sure that the inhabitants of Timaru must be very pleased that such an important meeting had been held in their midst, and he hoped that this would not be thejlast occasion on'which the Institute would meet at Timaru.

The Council adjourned at 6 p.m. till 7.30, and then resumed consideration of the constitution.

Clause 12.—“ That in cases of emergency, the institute shall, in addition to the contribution set out in Clause 11, have power to levy onithe District Institutes a sum not exceeding 10s per member in’any year.”—Mr Stewart, in moving this clause, referred to certain emergencies which arise in the history of all organisations. An example was found in Victoria, in which the teachers had to spend a large amount of money in defending their salaries from an illegal reduction by a misreading of a regulation. The Executive should have large powers for great emergencies. In reply to a question he said that the executive would have power to sue for the amount of any levy. The clause was adopted. Clause 13 reproduces clause 8 of th§ old rules.

Clause 14 provides for a “ legal assistance fund,” and limits its application to the assistance of members of at least one year’s standing. Some objection was made to this condition, but the clause passed with one dissentient.

Clauses 15 to 20 are definitive. “ Bona fide member” is one who has been properly elected and baa paid all dues to his district institute.

Clause 21 fixes the registered office at .Newtown School, Wellington. Clause 22 providing for federation with an Imperial Institute, was passed with applause. On the motion in Council for the adoption of the constitution as passed in committee, Mr Ryder moved that it be referred to the districts before adoption, on a number of grounds stated. Mr Selby supported this, and several members spoke on the motion, which was carried with two adverse votes.

A vote of thanks was passed to the committee who had prepared the draft of the constitution ; and it was resolved that a copy of the new constitution be forwarded to every certificated teacher in the colony, with a circular showing the expediency or joining the Institute. Wellington was fixed upon as the place for the annual meeting in 1901. The election of officers was then taken. Messrs Eudy and Law proposed that

Mr W. T. Grundy be'president for the ensuing year, and this was carried with much applause. Mr Grundy returned thanks, and was then made the recipient of an address, a silver salver, and a purse of sovereigns, silver serviette rings being also presented to Mrs Grundy. The president, Mr Newton (secretary to the testimonial committee), Mr Stewart (who made the presentation), and Messrs Davidson and Hughes, made highly eulogistic speeches regarding Mr Grundy’s past services and personal qualities. Mr Grundy made a Reeling speech in reply, and the incident was wound up by the Council singing “ For he’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” The following is the text of the address

“ N.Z. Educational Institute, “Timarn,4th Jan., 1900. “ Wm. Thomas Grundy, Esq., “Wellington. “Dear Sir,—On behalf of the various branches of the Institute, we have great pleasure in taking advantage of this opportunity of conveying to you the heartiest thanks of the members for the great and valuable services rendered by yon as its secretary during the past eight years.

“That the steady growth and increased influence of the Institute is very largely due to your efforts is no mere platitude. While we may refer more especially to your arduous labours in connection with the Court of Appeal Act and its amendment by the movement for Freedom of Classification, it is beyond doubt that your personal influence has been of the greatest value to the Institute, and has helped to secure for the teachers of New Zealand most of the benefits granted by the Legislature. To show that the members of the New Zealand Educational Institute in some degree appreciate these earnest and self-denying efforts, we are requested to ask your acceptance of the accompanying silver salver and serviette rings, also of a purse of sovereigns, with the contents of which we trust you will purchase some additional memento of your long official connection with the Council and its executive. (Signed)—John A. Johnson, Thomas Hughes, Ralph D. Stewart, Wm, Davidson, and W. H, Newton," Mr T. Hughes (Christchurch) was reelected treasurer; Mr T. H. Gill (Wellington) was elected secretary; Messrs R. D. Stewart (Auckland), W. Davidson (Otago), and C. Watson (Wellington), members of the Executive; and Mr J. G. L. Scott (Christchurch) auditor. A series of votes of thanks were passed and recorded, and the session of the Council closed about 10 p.m.

THE COUNCIL’S PICNIC* The members of the Edudational Institute Council were to-day the guests of ,the South Canterbury Branch Institute in a drive to Winchester and dinner at Langdon’s Hotel. The party left the post office about 10 a.m. in four drags and expresses, and with a fine day for the purpose they ought have a pleasant trip. Some, of the members will leave for their homes from Winchester by train, the rest will return to Timaru about 5 p.m.