CATHOLIC EDUCATION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2848, 12 August 1916, Page 15

CATHOLIC EDUCATION

——-4- —— ANNUAL MEETING OF LOCAL BOARD "~F - The fourth annual meeting of tlid. Roman Catholic Education Board took place oil Thursday evening at St. Patrick's Hall, His Grace Archbishop O'Shea presiding. ' The annual report and balance-sheet disclosed a very satisfactory position. The fund increased from £1024 18s. 4d. to £1348 2s. Id., the surplus for tha year being £323 3s. 9d. The principal sources of revenue were penny Collections at the elm fell doors on Sundays, £603 lis. 4d., St. Patrick's Day celebrations £115 19s. 9d., Bosing Day £40) combined parishes' "social" £179 Bs,. 2d., interest on investments £67, and'donation from Mr. Martin Ken-, nedy/ £50. The principal items of expenditure were interest on mortgage on school buildings £354 os. 9d., deficiencies in school fees £194 os, 4d., insurance £23 65. Bd., rates £17 14s. 4d., repairs £45 Bs. 9d., cleaning £44 9s. 6d., general maintenance £40 6s. 6d. During the year the board lent on good freehold. security the sum of £450 at 6 per cent.,> making a total of £950 now invested in this form of security. The sum of £400 is now available for investment.

In the last report of the board the' co-operation of tile authorities of each parish was evoked to endeavour to reduce the mortgages on the school buildings, which is costing the board over £350 por annum, and in this connection the board records that the mortgage On the Marist Brothers' residence (Te Aro) will, by a special effort of the Rev. Father Hurley, S.M., be shortly liquidated, -thereby effecting a saving of over £50 a year. -A second application for financial aid was mado to the T. G. Macarthy Board of Trustees, but .the unsatisfactory reply that the board did not come within the meaning of the trust was all that the board received for its trouble. Hence, future applications to that body will bo of no avail. .

• The need for economy and care is again brought before parish school committees. : The - fact that there is an •education fund should riot bo an incentive for committees to authorise any more expenditure than what is absolutely necessary. The object of the board—namely, the acquiring of a fund, the interest from which will provide adequate salaries for the upkeep of the good teachers engaged in. the work of importing religious and secular education to Catholic children in the schools? under the jurisdiction of the'hoard without the necessity for collecting fees from the parents of children attending, is stressed. Considering 'that tho board has only been in existence four years, the balancc of £1348 now in hand is regarded as extremely satisfactory when it is taken into consideration that tho only large donations that have been received sinco the foundation of the board are that of Mrs. H. Sullivan, of Roxburgh Street, and faifiily. who generously donated £500 to the funds, and Sir. Martin Kennedy, whose donations aggregate'£loo.' The remaining £760 has been accumulated by the strenuous efforts of tho board. The assistance of wealthy Catholics would be Welcomed. As mentioned in the last report, the board has received one bequest—a very generous ono—namely, that of tho late Sir. W. E. Keefe, who died last year. By his will, liis property, 115 Grant Iload, .becomes vested in the board, subject to a life interest in it' by his widow. i The schools'under the jurisdiction of the board 1 have had a most successful year per cent, obtaining • proficiency certificates. The board places on record its deep appreciation of tho splendid work performed ,by the Sisters and Marist Brothers, and it hopes to show that appreciation in the very near future by providing them with sufficient financial aid to maintain them comfortably, and to make their work much easier by dispensing with the necessity for collecting school fees from tho children. Archbishop O'Shea, in moving the adoption of the report and balancesheet, impressed on members the importance of using every effort to augment the fund. He was extremely pleased with the result of the year's working, which was much bettor than what he had anticipated. The question of renovating the Boulcotfc Street School was held over pending the settlement of other matters in connection with that school. A-vote of sympathy with Bio. Iracnous, of- the Thorndon Marist Brothers' School, in his illness, was passed, also votes of thanks and appreciation to tho teaching staff of Marist Brothers and Sisters of Mercy for their self-sacrific-ing work in the schools under the jurisdiction of the board, and to the hon. treasurer (Mr. B. Dohorty) and tho hon, secretary (Mr. P. D. Hoskins) for their services. Under the constitution of the board the members retire from office, and meetings of the,parishioners and tho H.A.G.B. Society in each of the four parishes will be held to elect members for the committees, and the latter to elect their representatives on The board, which will hold its lirstmeeting in Ootober.