BOROUGH SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1301, 9 July 1884, Page 2

BOROUGH SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

The usual meeting of the above was hold last evening, when there were present—Messrs Sealy, A. Orr, A. Craighead, F. T. Mayo, VV. Dolma} and Uev E. A. Scott. Mr Sealy, in the absence of Mr St Hill, was voted to the chair. The Chairman said that before proceeding further, he would litre to get the sense of the Committee as to whether the | meeting should be open to the public, as there were several gentlemen present who ■ were not on the Committee. The Hov E, A, Scott understood that it was a fjuostion of law, and that the ' public had a right to be present. > ‘ Mr Orr said ihat he was under the im- J pressjou that the meetings of the Com mittee should be public. The Secretary proceeded to read the Act, and after some further conversation r the Chairman put the question to the | a

Committee, and it was carried unanimously that the public be admitted. The Secretary then read the minutes of the 1 ist ordinary meeting and also of two special meetings, which were confirmed. mi s hakband’s case.

The following letter was read from the Board of Education, dated June 27*h:

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23th inst., and in reply am directed to say that if the Committee wish Miss Harband’s services dispensed with, their proper course is to make a recommendation to the Board, stating fully their reasons for it, and forwarding any reports on which it is founded. The meeting at which such recommendation is to bo proposed must be called in the manner prescribed by section 72 of the Education Act, The resolution (a copy of which is forwarded in your letter) is an announcement that the Committee have dismissed Mbs Harband at three months’ notice from the 25th inst., which they had no power to do, as a teacher’s engagement caa be terminated only by the Board, and only in the manner prescribed by the Act. The resolution is therefore vMra vires and inoperative. With reference to the remark that the

headmaster’s reports upon Miss Harband “ hare been fully borne out by the Inspector’s report,” lam directed to say that the Board is not aware of it, and to ask what report of the Inspector’s is referred to ; as the only report received by the Committee (so far as the Board knows) is that made after the last annual examination, which contains nothing unfavorable to Mias Harband. —I have, etc., J. Y, Colborne Yeel, Secretary.

Mr Mayo pointed out that since the meeting referred to in the letter, the Committee has complied with the Act by calling a special meeting to decide the question. The Secretary said that he had replied to the Board by sending the papers on the case to the Board. A REQUEST. Mr John mpsou wrote asking the Committee to release his daughter of her position in the school, on account of her bad health. —lt was decided to recommend the Board that the request be granted. master’s report.

The following* report was read and adopted : I beg to submit my usual monthly report on the school:—(a) Attendance; The averag attendance for the quarter ending 30th June was —boys 217.4, girls 183 6, total 401; corresponding quarter in 1883, boys 187, girls 164, total 351; correspond ng quarter in 1882, boys 164, girls 156, total 320; highest attendance for past quarter, boys 242, girls 220, total 462. (b)—Number on. Roll: At present, bo s 285, girls 2s!, total 536; corresponding quarter 1883, boys 254, girls 236, total 490; corresponding quarter 1882, boys 234, girls 224, total 458. —(c) Prizes and Holidays : The pnzes we e awarded by Mr Ward, in the absence of the Chairman, on Friday, 27th uft.. and on the same day the school 'broke up for the midwinter holidays, to reassem le on Monday, 2istjuly.—l am, etc., H. Dempsey. — N. B. I beg to recommend Benjamin Williamson as Iha most suitable in the school to fill the p ace vacated by Miss Tully. On the motion of Mr Orr, seconded by MrCraighead. it was resolved that the Board be requested to appoint Benjamin Williamson vice Miss Tully, as recommended by the head master. TH ■ HARGB AGAINST THE CHAIRMAN.

The following letter waa read : Chairman and Members of the Borough School Committee, Ashburton.

d Gentlemen, —I beg to acknowledge tha (. receipt of a communication from you I dated the 2Gth instant, in which you iaa ’ form me “ that a special meeting of the ' Committee waa called for the consideration of ray letter of the 16sh instant,” and q “that hearing the explanation of the Chairman together with the evidence produced, the Committee came to the unanimous conclusion that there was no ir foundation whatever for the charge pre- & -ferred by me.” As it appears both from your letter and l ' the report of the meeting which appeared in the Guardian, that no resolution on the subject was passed, and as I waa un- ** aware that your meetings were open to L * the public, and that I had no intimation " from you officially or otherwise, to attend 0 the meeting either give evidence or explanation, or to bring forward any wit 0 nesses in support of my charge, I have 0 to request from your sense of justice and “ fairness, that! another meeting' for the rey consideration of the matter be held, and 10 an opportunity granted me of giving evi- _ dence (on oath, if necessary) as to the charge made by me.—l am, etc., “ Samuel W. Alcorn. Ashburton, June 30sh, 1884. d The Chairnqian said that lip did not ~ think it would be wise, in the absence of 1 Mr St Sill, to take the matter into conJ, sideration. However, he would leave ■y that to the Committee to decide. > Mr Dolman said that as all the Committee were involved, and not che Ohair0, man alone, the question should be thor roughly ventilated. The Rev E. A. Scott was of opinion ie that every opportunity had been given to h both sides. As Mr Alcorn in the first inir stance had stated his willingness that the ir whole affair should be left in the hands of :• the Committee, that gentleman’s preaened e could not' bear upon the cjuestion. Mr I s A. Orr was also absent from the meeting, S fo that the Committee had f no choice but to decide. Had Mr Orr sent a reason for his absence, and as ced that the matter be i deferred, it would have been a different ■s thing. n 'Mr Orr explained that he did not think ■- the'question would Be discqssed by the y Committee, nor did he consider it likely that Mr Dempsey would be present. The whole discussion appeared to him to be ■■ wrong, as it was one part of the Comraittee sitting in judgment on the other. s For his own part, he would be quite will-' 1 ing to meet Mr Alcorn before the Comg mission of the Board of education, and 5 Jet the question be decided by them. t M r fcept-t Waa glad to have had Mr r Orr’s explanation of his absence, i Mr Craighead moved —“ That the Oom- ; mitteo take no further notice of the : matter, -m I that Mr Aicorn be written to to effect.” The Chairman aqd that ho had from ; the first been of opinion'that the matter should never have been brought before the Committee,' because it was simply asking that body to sit in judgment on itself.' ‘ ■ ‘ Mr Mayo was averse to the question being carried any further, but bethought the Committee acted properly in the first instance, as it was left in their hands to decide. He had great pleasure in seconding Mr Craighead’s motion. The motion waa then put and carried unanimously. ACCOUNTS. The usual ninthly accounts wore , passed for payment. ; VISITING COMMITTEE. , Mr Craighead and the Rev B. A. Scott , TO «re appointed as the Visiting Committee ‘ I"'.,- . -"onth. i for the ensuing SIDE SCHOOL. Mr Scott asked whether the Secretary had heard of anything further being done s in regard to the side school at Trevbrtpn. y The Secretary explained that the Board had replied that owing to want of funds the school could not bo erected, but he had written stating it could be built for about L 270. No answer had yet been received to the last communication. I Mr Mayo moved • that the Secretary r write to the Board, urging the necessity jj of the school being erected. There had been a long delay in thjs matter, and most g bitter complaints were made by those who Jived in the neighborhood. ' After some farther conversation, the motion was carried and the Committee 1 adjourned.