COLLEGE GOVERNORS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 852, 25 June 1910, Page 3

COLLEGE GOVERNORS.

FREE-PLACE PUPILS. A meeting of the Wellington College Board of Governors was held yesterday. There wero present: Mr. A.,do B. Brandon (in the chair), Miss Richmond, the Mayor (Mr. T. M. Wilford. M.P.), Messrs. W. H. Field, M.P., R. Lee, A l . Warburton, and W. F. Ward. A balance of £74 Is. sd. was reported after meeting accounts. "Not much to come and go upon," observed the chairman. It. was explained that fees and rents outstanding, when collccted, would bring up tho amount to £3001 15s. lOd. A discussion took place on the subject of free-place pupils, who remain' only a short time at the colleges. Tho Department refuse's to pay the fees of free-place students, who stay for a less period than five week's. A small proportion of pupils who qualify for free places leave ,the colleges after, a few days or weeks, and it is doubtful whether, in such cases, the'board has a legal claim against the parents. Tho chairman thought that tho board had, a claim, but Mr. Lee and other members doubted if it could sue successfully for a half-term's fees in such cases. opinion was general that free-placo pupils should not be allowed to put tho board to expenso by coming and going as they liked. It was agreed, after considerable discussion", to draw tho attention of the Department to tho position, with a view to legislation, and to tako proceedings against parents in two cases, subject to the approval of the board's solicitor. *