OUR SCHOOLS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11927, 9 February 1917, Page 5

OUR SCHOOLS.

ifiCIDENtII ALLGWfIKCES. TO- DAY' S (X) NVER F. X C F.. A conference was held this morning, I at the Chamber of Commerce between j representatives of the Canterbury Edu- j cation Board and district school com- | mittees. to discus- ihe present inade- j quate grant made by Parliament for incidental allowances to school commit-] tees. j Mr C. TI. 0. Onto presided, those on the platform including Br Thacker, M.P-. Mr George Witty. M.P., Mr A. Peveril', chairman of iho School Committees' Association, Mr ,). .Jameson and Air K. !L Andrews. There was a representative attendance. Tho chairman denied emphatically that the present education:*! system of tlio Dominion was ••Godless," or that '•God had' boon driven out of our schools." and declared that the educational system of the Dominion had been largely'responsible for the. high rank attained by .New Xealandors. both in education and moral fibre. The necessary funds for tho upkeep of the schools worf being taken away. Tlio grant of fie CI to .school committee' would, result in an annual loss of C'.'OO to tho board. Mr W. A. Banks moved; "That, in view of the. undoubted increase that had taken place the )a<-t tew years in ; tin.' cost of labour, fuel and material, I this conference strongly urges that the grant to school committees for incidental expenses should be increased, and should not be less than shall, amount for ail committees taken together, to [ 8s per head on the average attendance, ! leaving the 03 per capita grant to eduj cation boards for administration as at [ pro-ami." I Mr K. TT Andrews seconded the moI t-ion. He said that recently some of I the Xaf ivo schools had boon taken over ; from the Department, and the oondi- | tion ot these schools was a disgrace to I the Departmentj Mv Jones (FJmwood) asked Mr j Banks to withdraw his motion in fav- ; our' of iim following : j "That tho Government has rerog- | niscd tlio increased cost of living in all I departments of administration except j in tho provision for local administration of its primary schools, such provision remaining the same a s in the pre-war jvwi'xl, for which period it was j re-all v insufficient, and is'now •utterly I inadequate. This conference, having | full knowledge of the matter, declares ! it impossible, on the sum now granted, j to defray tho necessary administrative i expenses of ihe hoards and with the I balance. ; n maintain the public schools j in a, stale of ordinary cleanliness, onm--1 fort and decency, and therefore de- ! mauds, in iho vita! interest.; of the I children riUcndinc: them, that ilm GoI vernmor.t grant, for ihe above purposes i be increased forthwith to at. least. K-U | per capita on the average at-tend-i a.nce.'-' ; Mr Banks agree/!. The .substituted ; motion was seconded by Mr Joyce, who j advocated the amalgamation or' certain i small .-cbooU with largo-- ones. ! Tho motion was agreed to unani- | mouslv. | M'r*G. Witty, ALP., said that he i had had thirty years' experience of :chool committee work. lie eoula assure f.liein that member.- n; Parliament; ; would see (liar r|tc ineroawi crant was ;-\oted. (Applause.) Tho welfare of

the children would be tlvnr first consideration, Or Th.-teker. M.IV, said that ha realised the importance of education to the nation, and !m would put- Tlio education of children hefnro the war. H!i a)-, hear.) Cle had recently l>een to America, and found Unit Now Zealand iVas twenty year,-. behind the pnmnry school system of the .Siat.es. hlte ■school committees must havo .ample mean 1 -. The health of the teachers innst. lie considered, as well as tfuij- of tlio children. Seine of rite present, arran ecu urn is were rid i-m lons and absurd. He would make ;i better fight for the" schools than lie even had'tor Tronthnm. (Applause, i Mr ('. V. liarvey OYnliham) moved —" That this conference entirely repudiates i.he principle of any tends being rais.ftj local I v for the 'ordinary meessary maintenance expenses or equipment- of i/tihlm schools, whether sums .-o raised be subsidised by the Government or not."' 'The motion was agreed to unanimously. Mr A. IVverili moved---" That other hoards throughout the Dominion having expressed them-e!res in sympathy with the Canterbury Kduoation il-oard's eflor.t to ;,eenre an increased oaniiation allow anee, that, following this meeting, the Canterbury Education Hoard :aul the Tanterinuy School Committee;,' A--sneia.iion be requested to convene a .Dominion conference on Urn matter during the next, session of thirtianient, at which conference all New Zealand Hoards and School O-ommit roes.' Associations shall he representor]." The motion was agreed to. Vtd.es of dumbs wore accorded !> Thaeker a.nd Mr Wipty for Their attendance.