EDUCATION MATTERS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16850, 28 September 1922, Page 7

EDUCATION MATTERS

BOARDS CONFER. (Per Press Association-) WELLINGTON. September 27. At the Education Boards’ conference delegates were present from all districts. Air Caughley, Director of Education. said that he had been able to meet most of the Educational Board.-. Technical and High School Board.*, with a consequent better understanding. There was not likely to be any amending legislation this year. lie mils were passed in favour of the Department supplying boards with details of alterations -before they were gazetted, recommending the Department to divide the school year into three terms Instead of four quarters and to synchronise holidays : that- when scale salaries are again revised special allowances be provided for' remote or inaccessible districts; that when a superannuated teacher is temporarily re-employed the total emolument shall not exceed the salarv he would have received had he not retired ; that honoraria shall be provided for chairmen of education boards. After discussion the conference passed the following motion: “That this conference protests against the increased tendency to govern by regulation that has obtained during recent years, and urges that the Act and regulations be consolidated.” Other resolutions and remits passed were: 4 ‘ That where capitation payments are fixed annually for manual training classes, agriculture, etc., the rate he announced early in the year, in order that boards may be in a position to estimate their revenue and to determine tlieir expenditure accordingly ; that the present practice of the Department in fixing such rates when the year ri practically over is unbusinesslike. unfair, and contrary to the provisions of the regulations, which require rates to be fixed at the beginning of each school'year : that in view of the general increase that has taken place of late years in the cost of all services, the reduction made in grants to education hoards for ordinary purposes was not justified : that the conference respectfully asks the Minister to restore former grants: that when the Department contemplates alterations in regulations dealing with many matters affecting the administration of the Act. copies of the suggested alterations should be supplied to Education Boards before being gazetted, and in time to admit of the boards recommending such modifications as seemed necessary, and that the observance of this practice would strengthen and improve the relations existing between the Department and the several boards ; that any enactment or regulation affecting administration be submitted for consideration to the Education Boards’ Association in reasonable time before adoption ; that the clause in the Act dealing with the payment of subsidies on public voluntary contributions in aid should clearly provide for payment of such subsidies on contributions for the purchase of materials and equipment for recognised school games ; that the requirement that no special grant may he expended until after its receipt by the Education Board is inoperative ; that the requirement that over-expenditure from a specal .fund must he recouped at the end of each rear from the board’s general fund,' and that any saving effected in the same special fund in the succeeding year or years may not be used to repav the general fund is inequitable : that the schedule in connection with the school fund allow- 0 nnce should he on. a minimum basis, but that the allowance should be on a maxlxiards power to adjust in favour of committees encountering special disabilities; that manual and technical funds be amalgamated; that special audit inspectors lx* appointed solely for accounts of education boards, secondary schools and technical schools, and that audit inspection be continuous: that boarding and travelling allowances payable to pupils of secondary departments of district high schools he payable also to pupils of secondary schools and to technical high schools; that the condition resj>ecting payment qf allowances to children riding on horseback to school, that the road must he impassible or dangerous for wheel traffic, without respect to the age or ability of the driver, he relaxed to the extent of making the allowance payable if the road is dangerous for children to drive over : that the buildings maintenance fund be not charged with i lie cost of insolation of sewerage: that the Education Department be urged to pay over to the education Ixiards all moneys as soon as they become moneys as son as they become due; that the Education Department he asked to make ail addition to the regulation providing for payment, of re- , moval expenses of teachers in where it is necessary to effect the transfer of a teacher in the general interest of a school ; that in the opinion of this conference essential school re-, quisites such as copy books, drawing books, exercise books, etc., should be supplied to Education Boards in order that they might sell them to parents at cost price; that in the .opinion of this conference all necessary expenditure in connection with students practising at an associated school should be refunded by the Department) : that tbe conference is of opinion that it would be a retrograde step to place school building works under the control of the Public Works Department. as lias been suggested, as such change could only he made at very great cost ancl without any compe nsafcii i g adva n tages. ’ 5