EDUCATION CONFERENCE.

Colonist, Volume XLVII, Issue 11436, 15 September 1905, Page 3

EDUCATION CONFERENCE.

Wellington, September 14. The Education Conference resolved that the attention of the Minister for Education be called to the difficulty of obtaining suitable teachers for small country schools, the need for fixing a minimum salary for teachers of schools under fifteen average attendance, and the need for providing a more liberal grant for the conveyance of children to and f romfschools ; also that in case of small groups of children in isolated places Boards should be authorised by law to make the best arrange ments they can in the direction of conveying children to suitable schools. On the motion of Mr Pirani (Wanganui) it was resolved that section 57 of the Education Act be amended to provide for the transfer or exchange of teachers when such course is considered necessary in the interests of schools affected. It was proposed that in estimating salaries of teachere the chief determining factors should be efficiency in literary qualifications, length of service, and average attendance, and that average attendance should be a small consideration in the matter, The

Inspector-General explained the provisions of the Amending Bill now before Parliament, and he pointed out that if it was admitted to be necessary to classify teachers, it would also be necessary to classify schools. The question of inspection was one which required consideration. To say that "efficiency should be the mark for determining whether or not there should be an increase of salary was something he would be loth to bring about. It seemed to him that the best way was that put forward in the bill, the salary was fixed within the" grade," and in no case was the salary named less than it was before there was any capitation increment. The payment would have to be according to the size of the school, and the staff could 'be adjusted to average attendance, I which would be necessary in determining the size of the school. As to tho matter of the employment of teachers in back blocks, the question was how much was going to be paid for the education of a child, and that was a question of pplicy which he could not discuss. With the con-; sent of the Conference* the motion was then withdrawn pro tern. A motion "that in the opinion of this Conference the Department should creat9 a separate fund for the purpose of rebuilding" was rejected by 16 to 6. A motion that, in view of the rapidly increasing land values of the Colony, this Conference recommends the Government to secure land for sites for new schools in all districts where new schools are likely to be required was negatived on the voices. A motion that when the average attendance has reached any figures from thirty-five to forty, both inclusive, and maintained for six months consecutively, the Boards be authorised, if deemed expedient, to introduce into the staff ' a pupil teacher or assistant, the Board, subsequently, when justified by attendance, to adjust the staff to the Department's scale of staff salaries, " was negatived on the voices