WELLINGTON NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4858, 25 January 1894, Page 1

WELLINGTON NEWS.

«. [FROM 9T38 SP3CIAL COEBESPONKBNT.] WELLINGTON, Ja*. 24. The Premier left this afternoon for Eketahuna, where he stays to-night, going to Pahiatua to-morrow. The Minister of Lands joins him there to-morrow. They are to be entertained by the Burns Club. Both Minister s ; return on Friday. Mr Valentine, the chief dairy expert, is filled with admiration at the fertility of the land which he passed through on hiß recent visit to the West; Coast. He says the luxuriance of the pastures he saw is quite unparalleled in his experience. He suggested to people whom he met that they should use every possible means to properly cool and aerate their milk before sending it on to th9*factories. It would be advisable also-, he thinks, to have refrigerating machinery fitted up at these places. Mr M'Kerrow, Railway Commissioner, Mr Valentine, chief dairy expert, and Mr J. D. Ritchie, Secretary of the Agricultural Department, had a conference to-day with a view to the erection of a cold storage chamber at this port for dairy produce intended for shipment. They also inspected several suggested sites, but no definite conclusion was arrived at. It is intended that the cold storage chambers proposed for the Eeveral leading potts of the colony shall be worked in connection with the railways. Mr Valentine leaves on Monday next, accompanied By Mr Ritchie, on a flying trip through the South Island, one of the objects in view being to make arrangements, 'if possible, foi cold storage chambers at Lyttelton and Dunedin. Mr Sawera, the Government dairy instructor, will join Meßars Valentine and Ritchie at Chrietchnrch next week. Mr Sawera leaves to-night by the Wakatu for Kaikoura, and next week he will join Mx Valentine at Chriatchurch, and accompany him through Canterbury and Otago. j They expect to be away about a fortnight. 1 The firat conference of school inspectors of the colony is to be held in Wellington j next week, commencing on Wednea- j day. The initiative in this movement was taken by the Education Department, and the idea waa promptly concurred in by the various Education Boards. The Minister of Education and the InspectorGeneral of Schools will attend the conference, but the Minister will be present merely as a spectator, and not with the intention of taking asy part in the proceedings. Lists of suggested subjects for discussion have been sent in by Meaata Hill (Hawke'a Bay), Dickinson (Auckland}, Murray (Taranaki), Lee (Wellington), Morton (Westland}, Dr Anderson and Mr Wood (North Canterbury), Petrie and Taylor (Otago) and Brack (Southland). Mr Dickinson suggests the necessity for reducing the number of subjects of instruction in email schools, and the advisability of discontinuing individual examination in large schools. . Mr Murray suggests questions relative to preparatory classes for writing, arithmetic, composition, word derivation and definition, drawing, geometry, and the classification of scholars. Mr Lee wants definition of examinations and standards, a discontinuance of the preßent percentage of passes and tbe inclusion of drawing and singing in subjects for the certificate examination, special certificates to be issued for them and for drill j one pupilteacher system for the colony, and one annual examination; the provision of a New Zealand map up to date and good illustrations of New Zealand's physical feature*, industries, flora, fauna and Maori life suitable for schools. Mr Morton asks whether drawin g should be m ade a class subject, and suggests the question of modifying the syllabus in that Bubjecfc. Dr Anderson suggests questions of control of inspectors, the comparative advantage of "pass" and "class" subjeota of examination; modifications in the syllabus as regards (1) matter or graduation, (2) grouping of subjects as "pass '* or " class" subjects ; how far uniformity of school work may be desirable or can be Becured ; how far a taste for reading may be encouraged ; the best method of dealing with history ; the desirability of recommending the adoption of the decimal system of weights and measures ; how far technical instruction can or should be given in primary schools ; what difference should be made in arranging and testing the work of boys and girls. Dr Anderson is prepared to move — "That the present system of testing instruction in schools mainly by means of individual paaseain standards is fraught with many evile, and should be abandoned j that in an examination the main object of the inspector should be to ascertain and report on the gen^*" 1 quality of the instruction with mo* ■ i according to the size of the scii\.-.- "" *" v " =»kT9ct of history he deeirea to pr^— .. „ „ That history, as taught in our schools, is unsatisfactory and often useless, (b) That to seek provision through the use of historical reading books without further tost tbaa that of comparison would also be unsatisfactory, (c) That, however, in Standard 111. the use of a supplementary reading book containing historical stories be recommended, and that subjects of history presented for ex »mination in that standard may be selected by the teacher from such book, (d) That in Standards IV., V., VI. lessons in history shall be designed to give children some clear knowledge of the growth of empire and of colonial settlements, of parliamentary Government, of the rights and duties of citizens in relation to each other and in relation to the State, of the social and industrial improvements, and generally of such simple matters of New Zealand Eocial economy aa may be moßt easily asßimilated by young minda. (c) That the Government be invited to have the textbooks drawn up in history and social economy for the use of New Zealandschools, following lines sketched out and containing only such portions of British history as are necessary to explain or give a history ot the matters included, and that in the meantime the subjects for a three years' course of lessons be more or lesß clearly defined in the syllabus of instructione, and that tcacherß be required to arrange their leseonß accordingly." Mr Wood suggests the question why the inspection of schools should be undertaken by officers who are under the immediate control of the Education Department, and offers suggestions for improving the present syllabus. Mr Petrie suggests, as a means for seunring reasonable uniformity in examinations throughout the colony, that the Education Department should issue annually to all inspectors sets of examination questions in arithmetic and other subjects convenient to examinations in writing; that the practice of recording passes and failures in standards be abandoned, and that the success of a teachet's work be estimated by the percentage of total passes in pass subjects gained by hia pupils, together with the percentage of marks gained for proficiency in class subjects. Mr Taylor's suggestions are chiefly as to " pass " and "claßs" subjects, while' Mr Brack advocates standard tests for the whole colony being made up by the inspectors, and that a certain number t>f subject leßSona should be giv.en ia the fields, a teaoher taking h^a pupils r.here for that purpoae, and that really affective inetruction be given wiih a view to, coping ! with the emergencies. o£ l,fe» sr,., ambufancc rtovk and swimming for tb.o boys, and cooking and eanitaUon for thp, girls. [Pee Press Association^ I The supply of MartirA-Henry ammuniI tion in the. colony hag run out. A 3upply

has been shipped from Home, but will not reach New Zealand until next month. The Agricultural Department has recently caused a number of cattle suffering from swelling tongue and jaw to be destroyed. The disease is variously known as tuberculosis, cancer and lumpy jaw. Eight cases are known to have occurred on the West Coast in one month. It is infections, and the Department k issuing a leaflet about it. At the Wairarapa Bifle Association's Meeting Lieutenant Eirk, Peton© Bifle Clttbi took the prize for the highest aggregate, but tied with A. Ballinger, of Wellington, for the championship. Upon firing off Kirk won with 17 to 14; A. J. Cameron, of Wairarapa, won the Wairarapa Cup, rifle and medal. The following business will ba brought before the meeting of the New Zealand Amateur Bowing Association on Jan. SI in addition to that already telegraphed :— To receive aa application from the Dunedin 1 Amateur Boating Club to be allowed' to com- 1 pete at a meeting at Ravensbourne, which is not being held under association rules;; to conßider the action of the Queen's Drive Boating Chib, Port Chalmers, in- allowing J its members to compete at the Bluff regatta, not being held under association rules.