G. HOGBEN.]

111

1.—13 a.

Paragraph (i) : Delete the words " the staffs, salaries, and allowances of teachers and." These matters involve matters that are determined by the Public Service Commissioner, whose powers, however, will be limited by clauses 73 (2) and 75 (10) in the Bill as amended. New Clause. —Teachers in Native schools and in various institutions managed by the Department should be treated as regards salaries and allowances on the same lines as teachers of public schools and other teachers in schools under the Education Act, but being public servants they come under the provisions of the Public Service Act, 1912, but it is found their salaries cannot be fitted into the grades provided for in the Professional Division in the Second Schedule of that Act. The Public Service Commissioner has therefore had to place them in the General Division of the Public Service. There is much inconvenience in this procedure, and indeed the officers concerned make objections to being placed in a division which is certainly not professional in character. After consultation with the Public Service Commissioner I therefore suggest the following clause : — " Notwithstanding anything in the Public Service Act, 1912, the Public Service Commissioner may for the purpose of that Act classify officers of the Public Service who are engaged in the Education service, as defined by the Public Service Classification and Superannuation Act, 1908. in a division to be known as the Educational Division." SCHEDULES. Second Schedule. The witnesses are almost unanimous in recommending that the smaller education districts should be incorporated with other districts so as to reduce the total number of districts. I do not propose to discuss the precise boundaries of this or that district proposed in the Hill, as they do not affect the essential character of the Bill. Fourth Schedule. —Part I, paragraphs 9 and 10 : As has been pointed out, there seems to be no strong reason for allowing the householders in any school district a second chance of electing a School Committee. I therefore suggest that all the words after the word " Board " where it first occurs in paragraph 9 should be deleted down to and including the word " Board " in paragraph 10. Sixth Schedule. —Grade of School —VIIb : To add at the end of column 5 the figure 1, and to omit the figure 1 from" the end of column 6. Paragraph (6) : To omit the word and figure " Subgrade 1," and substitute " Grade 1." Paragraph (c) : To delete the word " teachers " wherever it occurs, and substitute the word " assistant," as in the present Act. Part II : Delete paragraph (d) and substitute therefor the following : — "No separate boys' school or separate girls' school shall be established or maintained with less than 161 children in average attendance, and no separate infants' school shall be established or maintained with less than 121 children in average attendance." A consequential amendment should be made in the table attached to that part of the schedule as follows : — Table (i), Separate Boys' Schools : To add at the end of the table the following : — Column 1. Column 2. Column 3. Column 4i Column 5. Column 6. Column 7. 501-550 VIIa VII 12 6, 5, 4, 3, 3, 3, 2 2, 2, 1, 1, 1 5 and so on, one assistant of Grade I being added for each such grade above Subgrade VIIa. Table (ii), Separate Girls' Schools, and (iii), Separate Infants' Schools : To insert a new line at the beginning of the table : Column 1. Column 2. Column 3. Column 4. Column 5. Column (>. Column 7. 121 160 IVa 111 3 3,2 1 1 Sixth Schedule. —ln column 3 to delete the number 111 where it last occurs, and to insert in lieu thereof the number IV ; and in the same column in the last two lines to delete the number IV and insert in lieu thereof the number V, and to add— Column 1. Column 2. Column 3. Column 4. Column"). Column H. .Column 7. 501-550 VIIa VI 12 5, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2, 1 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 5 and so on, one assistant of Grade I being added for each such grade above Subgrade VIIa. Part IV, paragraph (a) : To delete the words " and being open for not less than eight hours a week on the average " ; also in paragraph (c) to insert after the words " to teach " the words " or travel," and to insert after the word " salary " the words " and allowances." Part V, paragraph (a) : To add the words " provided that his total salary shall not be increased thereby to more than £450 a year." To add a new subparagraph (cc) : — " Grants given under Part VIII of this Act for vocational courses in district high schools may, after due provision has been made for the apparatus and material required for such courses, be paid with the approval of the Minister either to the assistants in the secondary department or to other teachers employed to carry out the vocational courses." This is really the law at present, but experience shows that it is not always understood. It would entirely do away with the objection made to the scale of salaries of the secondary departments of district high schools. Ninth Schedule. —Amendment is required to this schedule as already indicated. Tenth Schedule. —The provisoes in this schedule are to secure more reasonable salaries and efficient staffing for secondary schools. As the Government provides a large part of the money for free pupils it is obvious that it should secure also proficiency in the schools. Some of the schools without any income from endowments would have a difficulty in complying with the provisoes as printed in the Bill. I find on examination of various schools that the hardship is reduced entirely by proviso (vi), and can be removed by its deletion from the Bill.