CROMWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 132, 21 May 1872, Page 5

CROMWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

On Thursday evening last an adjourned meetin »of this Committee was held in the Schoolroom. There were present Messrs John Marsh (Chairman), 1. Wright, L>. A. Jolly, J. A. Matthews, ana the acting secretary, Mr D. MacKellar.

The Secretary stated that the audit of accounts had not yet been completed, hut it would be submitted at an early date.

A copy of tie lilucaoiun Bill to bs lad before the General Assembly at its ensuing session was laid on the table by tlu Secretary. The Committee uniinously adopted a resolution expressing their general approval of the principles of the Bill, with the exception of those emlo lied in the clauses referring to aided schools. A circular from the intimation Board, dated 2Sth March, i 67-, and enclosing the ioilnving niemorauduui, was read : "On and after October I, IS7'2, if a vacancy should occur iu the olliec or teacher, the E haution Board will re/a'd Cromvvill School as onW a Side School, umier Regu a ions :i and -A. M uch 21, IST- ; but iu consideration of .«ir MacKe 1 .i 's long and e lic'ent services lie wII retain the status and be paid the salary of a Alain Sjlio.il teacher s > long as the Inspector reports L.vourably of his school.

[ Tlie regulations quoted stipula'e that an average attendance of at least forty pupns is requisite to constitute a Main School, j it having been mentioned tint heretofore no religious instruction of any kind had been imparted to the scholars by the teicher, the Committee agreed that it was JesuaO.e the provisions of the Education Ordinance: rolat've to the reading of the Bible should be complied with ; and a resolution was minuted instruc t : ng the tea:her to cause a portion of the Scriptures to be read iu school dailys- übject, however to the pr >viso that those children whoso parents do rot wish them to receive religious instruction in the sc mol shall be ricrnrf-el to absent themselves dur.ug the time allotted for such iustructio i. The Acting Secretary road a circular from the Coium'tte-i of the Assoei.iti m lato'y organise 1 iu Dunedin for the pram ition of Natimal Indication ; together with copies of peti i ins p op sed to be presented to Until branches of the i_tdo nal Legislature on the same suhj c l -.. The Comniittee, as such, decided not to taßo any action in the uiat.c ; but tim, indivi. u dly expressed their hearty concuneoie in the ob •!< t of the Association, and practically demons ra ed their sympathy wi'.li the niovmumu uy enroll ng themselves as me.nbcis and pa, nig the on liti atioufce(2s. (id. each). ThepeHtfons ww ignd bv all the members of Committer oiesmt, iwu of whom volunteeie I to caavajS for uldit.oual signature-. A vote of thanks to the Chaiimm closed the meeting.

Wc appen I a c >py of th<j petition ad lrefssed to the House nE IJoprusJ'.ibative . Tin other is exactly similar, except that it is addressed to tins Legislative Council :- ■ "To the Honorable the Members <if (he 'louse of lluproseiitatives of the Colony of Nc.v Zcalanl, in Par'iament as«emM«*l : "The I'ctiri hi of the undersigned Inhabitant of the district of Kawainu, in the t'roviin-o of Otag >, in the Colony of New Zealand, —Humbly Shewc L h : "That your petitioners have learned with satisfaction that it is proposal to iu.iM.lucc ;i in ;asure at the approaching session of Parli: me it, for the pin pose of providing for the more extended delusion of i-.hvivm'a-y Instruction, and for the elcvaaouof the standard of Popular Ivlncation through >ut the Colony. They are propared to give their cordial approbation to any mcas'ire which wi'l ousnre to the p-wile r> e V"" p Z 'aland a bvoa I, liberal, and national sytte i of Kdueation. That, your petitioners believe that any legislation on this very import-nut subject s.iouul be such as will enable the advantages of t e I'uldi: Schools to be share 1 by all on e.jual terms, whatever may be their religious creeds or opinions. "Your petitioners are convinced that any scheme which all'ords State aid to Den iminational Sjhools will be u.j.st to the uixpa_ en, as in- ! volviiug a diversion of public funds to sjotirian p irposes, and that in practice i will b ■ attemied b/ many serious evils. It is admitted that in older and more populated c mntrics th : denominational system has not w irked ucil. and uas to a great ex ent failed t> meet their educ itional wants. And your petitioners are lirmly o.' opinion thatxu ha -svs em ispe uliariyuua a; ted t i the circumstances of a young an 1 thinly peopled Colony. " You- po-ir.ion».rs do no*; si 'k tha 1 the mlv.\;t (f the i.iliie in schools should ne eiiuer enjoined or prohibited by the Legis.ature ; but j they are of opinion that the d ci-tinn of that question should l>e 1 ft t > the School Commiti tees, subject to tuc provisin of a timetable conscience cluil-'C.

"Your pc-itrm-TS J'e therefore oppose 1 to any assistance i»fiiv* granted towards biic establishment (if i.)unoniiiiiitin]i.il schools.

"May it therefore pleisc your Honourable Hens-? to pass ouch an education i ill into lavas will establish Com n >n National (•cko >ls o a a comprehensive basis, an 1 prevent the application of public money towards oeuuanan or aenoniin itional teaching. " And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray."