SCHOOL COMMITTEES' ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5960, 27 August 1897, Page 1

SCHOOL COMMITTEES' ASSOCIATION.

The quarterly meeting of the North Canterbury School Committees' Association was held*in the Normal School last evening. There was a large attendance. Mr Sandstein presided. He returned thanks for his re-election as president, and congratulated the Association on the number of schools affiliated. Mr H. G. Ell resumed tho discussion held over from the lnst meeting on "Technical Education." and moved — " That this Association desires to draw the attention of Parliament to the necessity that exists for imparting more technical instruction to the youth of both sexes in New Zealand, and would, therefore, urge Parliament to place a larger sum at the disposal of the Education Boards for that purpose. That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to' the Canterbury members, also to the Ministry.' 1 Mr J. M. Douglass seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr J. M'Clea, after speaking upon the question; of the nomination of members of school committees at the annual meetings of householders, proposed a motion suggesting that the Act should be altered so that 'nominations should close one week before the election. Mr A'Court seconded the motion. After considerable discussion the following amendment, moved by Mr W. J. Cresswell, r.nd seconded by Mr Sim, was carried: — "This this meeting suggests that the first clause of Section 9 of the Act should apply only in cases where the required number of nominations are not made under Section .6." Mr H. G. Ell moved in the direction of liaviug one uniform set of school books for the whole of the North Canterbury school district. He said it was a great hardship for parents moving from one district of Canterbury to another to have to provide a new set of books. Mr Hall seconded the motipu aud it was carried. . Mr A'Court moved— " That the Minister of Education be requested to amend the regulation governing the election of the Board of Governors' of Canterbury College, so that nominations shall close not later than the fourteenth day prior to the day of election, and that School" Committees, be allowed to give their vote at an ordinary or special meeting of the committee held at any time between the day 5f nomination and day of election." Mr Sim seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr A'Court referred to the Government's proposed Local Bodies Constitution Kef orm Bill as affecting School Committees. (After some discussion the Secretary was requested to write to the Minister of Education asking that a copy of the Act should be sent to ■each School Committee in North Canterbury and to each delegate of the Association, and, as the subject was an important one, that a special meeting should'be called in a month tp discuss it. A vote of thanks to the Ciiairmari closed the meeting.