FEILDING.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 251, 28 April 1896, Page 2

FEILDING.

There were about twenty-five persons at the annual meeting of householders, held in the Feilding Schoolhouse last evening —a very fair attendance considering the unfavorable state of the weather and counter attractions. The Rev. A. Innes Jones was voted to the chair. The report and balance-sheet of the outgoing school committee was read as follows: — Report of the Feilding School Committee for the year ending April 27th, 1896. —When yoor Committee took office on April 22nd, 1895, there was a debit balance of 5s lid and outstanding accounts of £2 2s 6d. On leaving office, owing to the Committee receiving five quarters capitation during the year, they are enabled to leave a credit balance in tbe Bank of £6 19s sd. To enable the committee to give prizes and a treat, a concert was given by the childreu, which realised £17 ls, and, thanks to the tableaux vivants so kindly giveu by the dramatic society, a further sum of j£l2 5s was realised, making total receipts of £29 6s; the expenditure of which has been £28 7s, leaving a crecHfc balance of £5 19s, which sum has been paid into a separate account at the Bank. The children's annual excursion at Wanganui on March 16th was very successful. On the completion of the new building the committee took immediate steps to enforce the compulsory clauses of the Education Act by the appoint ment of Mr C. Lucas as truant inspector, with very satisfactory results. As the remuneration for his services was to be one-half of the capitation grant over three hundred, which is very inadequate for the duties involved in his office, this Committee would recommend their successors to approach the Board on the matter. During their term of office tbe whole of tbe school premises have been renovated aDd are now in a very satisfactory condition. Tbe Committee direct your attention to the result of t_ie examinations ; last year the percentage of passes was 893 and the year before 95*5, giving an average for the two years of 924. These results must be considered extremely satisfactory. Tbis would be the case, even if there had been no drawbacks, but they were obtained in the face of very great disadvantages, notably overcrowded building and many changes in the stafl. The attendance for the four quarters was: First quarter, 281; second, 288; third. 297; fourth, 330. New buildings —Six months ago additions to the buildings were finished. The school had been very much over-crowded previously, even now the infaut department is overcrowded, and after the examination about forty children will be drafted into tiie assistant master's room, which is quite full enough now. The staff — For the past three years tbe school has never been fully officered (according to tbe Board's regulations) ; instead of first, second, and third, assistants and a number of pupil teachers, there have beeu sometimes,three third assistants for a year at a time, now there are two. Besides this, and even more injurious to the school, are the constant changes in the staff. These are made by the Board without consulting either the Committee or the Headmaster, and form tbe greatest obstacle to tbe high efficiency of the school. During the past year, alone, there bave been seven changes among the staff: Messrs Carter, Tompkins, Stewart, Campbell, Watkins, and Misses G. Watts and D. Stevens. In closing this report your Committee desire to thank the Headmaster and teaching staff generally for the efficient manner in which they bave carried out their arduous duties during the past year. — (Signed) H. Worsfold, Chairman. The balance-sheet was read as follows : —

Mr Carthew pointed out that the Committee had received five quarters capitation during the past year, the last having come to hand in April, whereas this one was usually received in May, and the new Committee might only receive three quarters capitation unless | the Board sent the fourth in April of next year as they had done this time, therefore tbe Committee were not in so good a position as the balance-sheet showed. Resolved, That the report and balancesheet be adopted. The election of candidates for membership on the new committee resulted as follows:— W. G. Haybittle, 16; J. Wood, 15 ; Rev. A. Innes Jones, 14 ; W. Carthew, 14 ; R. J. Thompson, 18 ; J. Gould, 11 ; C. Bray, junr., 11 ; W. Spence, 10 ; E. Goodbehere, 10 ; F. Mackenzie, 8 ; W. G. Shearer. 8 ; J. C. Thompson, 7 ; A. W. Parker, 7; H. Worsfold, 6 ; Jas. Williamson, 6; J. Taylor, 6 ; W. Frank-lin-Browne, 5. The first nine gentlemen mentioned were elected. ' Messrs E. G. Wilson and F. Towler acted as scrutineers. This concluded the business at the meeting of householders, and the newlyelected committee met afterwards and elected Mr W. Carthew chairman and Mr W. G. Haybittle secretary.

.Receipts. £ s a Grants for ordinary incidental expenses 51 7 1 Concerts 29 6 0 Total 80 13 1 Expenditure. Dr. balance 5 11 Cleaning schools and outbuildings 28 3 0 Fuel for school use ... 4 10 6 Repairs to outbuildings, fences and furniture 3 5 0 Stationery , 7 11 3 Freight and cartage on goods 7 0 Exchange on cheques and cheque book 5 0 Prizes for children ... 17 14 0 Expenses of concerts ... 5 IB 0 Balance to school treat No. 2 account 5 10 0 School Committee No. 1 account 6 19 5 Total 80 13 1