1.—13 a.

44

[g. d. braik.

Clause 108, Managers : This clause should be altered to place the local control " under Managers or such Committees as the controlling authority shall see fit." Clause 111, Capitation, proviso : The system at present pursued is an absolutely wrong one, especially so far as technical schools are concerned. Payments should be on the basis of classes above a certain minimum, and instructors should be paid all travelling-expenses and not mere railway fare and half coach fares. This is an exceedingly unfair discrimination against country districts of)' the railway-line. Special provision should also be made for the payment of a definite sum for maintenance, cleaning, and rebuilding of technical schools in the same way as in regard to primary schools. In line 10 of the second proviso the words " who does not possess a proficiency certificate " should be added after the word " years," otherwise many pupils who obtain a certificate when under fourteen years will be debarred from going to a technical school until they attain the age of fourteen. Model Schools : There seems to be no provision for extra pay for teachers of model schools. This work is so important, and will benefit the backblocks teachers so much, that the provision in the Bill (clause 75, subclause (9) (a) ) will not be of much use unless some incentive is given to carry out this essential work in a thorough manner. Inspectors' Salaries : As the Chief Inspectors are apparently departmental officers, the proposal to fix the maximum of pay for other Inspectors at £550 and the minimum at £365 is exceedingly unfair, especially so as no house allowance is provided, when it is remembered that a head teacher in a district high school may reach £470 and £50 house allowance, besides having his work limited to a few hours a day, whereas an Inspector outside the Department has frequently to be working at a school during school hours, writing up his notes afterwards, and then travels miles on horseback on a muddy i - to get to the next school. If the work of Boards' Inspectors were compared with that of the Department's Inspectors it would be found that the former's work was infinitely more arduous. Centralization of the Inspectorate : The Board disapproves of this proposal, not because of any loss of prestige that it will suffer, but because it thinks the step retrograde. At present the Inspectors are allowed some power of initiation, of striking out on new and progressive lines, which uniformity. in itself unprogressive, would limit or destroy. The relation between the Board and its Inspectors has heretofore been personal and intimate. When he becomes a public functionary the Inspector may, after his kind, deem it his duty to adopt towards the Board an attitude of indifference or antagonism. Under the new regime the Board's interest in education is bound sooner or later to become mon less formal, and so all that is best in local government will be lost. The Board desires to repudiate two suggestions made when the Bill was introduced : the Board has not at any time or in any way influenced its Inspectors with respect to the issue of educational certificates or reports dealing with applications for new schools. Medical Inspection : The reports of the Medical Officer should be promptly available to the Board and the Committees. It is eighteen months since the first medical examination of school pupils was made in the Wanganui Education District, and the Board has not received a single report on the work yet. School Books and Stationery : It would be true economy if the Bill made provision for the State to supply school material, apparatus, uniform school books, and school stationery, instead of allowing the present haphazard and wasteful system to continue. Teachers' Salaries : The great blots in the scale of teachers' salaries arc the differential treatment of the girls' and infants' schools, the teachers in schools between 15 and 21, and in schools of between 80 and 120. In a mixed school or boys' school of 161-200 the head teacher receives .. 260-310 In an infant or girls' school of the same size the head teacher receives .. 200-250 In a mixed school or boys' school of 201-240 the head teacher receives .. 260-310 In an infants' or girls' school of 201-240 the head teacher receives .. 200-250 In a mixed school of 241-280 the head teacher receives .. . . 320-360 In an infants' or girls' school of 241-280 the head teacher receives . . 200-250 In a mixed school of 281-320 the head teacher receives . . .. 320-360 In an infants' or girls' school of 281-320 the head teacher receives .. 260-310 In a mixed school of 321-360 the head teacher receives .. .. 320-360 In an infants' or girls' school of 321-360 the head teacher receives .. 260-310 In a mixed school of 361-400 the head teacher receives .. . . 320-360 In an infants' or girls' school of 361-400 the head teacher receives .. 260-310 In a mixed school of 401-450 the head teacher receives .. .. 370-400 In an infants' or girls' school of 401-450 the head teacher receives .. 260-310 In a mixed school of 451-500 the head teacher receives .. .. 370-400 In an infants' or girls' school of 451-500 the head teacher receives .. 260-310 Or a difference against the infant-teacher of— Minimum. Maximum. 6 c c IVb .. .. .. .. ..60 60 IVc .. .. .. .. ..60 60 Va .. .. .. .. ..120 110 Vb .. .. .. .. ..60 50 Vc .. .. .. .. ..60 50 Yd .. .. .. .. ..60 50 Vla .. .. .. .. ..110 90 Vlb .. .. .. .. ..110 90