SCHOOL COMMITTEE’S ASSOCIATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2026, 11 March 1907, Page 1

SCHOOL COMMITTEE’S ASSOCIATION.

AGITATION FOB SEPARATE SCHOOL DISTRICT. A meeting of tho Poverty Bay School Committees’ Association was held on Friday evening for the purpose of considering the advisability of moving to secure a separate Education Board for the districefc. Gentlemen interested in education generally were invited, and there were present: Messrs. J. Somervell (Chairman) J. Brown, AV. J. Barlow (Gisborne), M. McLeod, Grundy (Mangapapa), J. Hyland, H. Rougher (AVaerenga-a-hika), Q. Daron (Tokomaru), AV. L. Filo (Tolaga Bay), and AA'. Morgan. The Seereary '(Mr, Barlow) saicl he would vote for a separate district if he was sure it would be to the advantage of the district.

The Chairman said a great deal of the feeling against the present system had been removed by the appointment of a new secretary to the Education Board and by the appointment of another inspector. In tho formation of the Haiti School district without consulting the Gisborne School Committee the Board'had acted ill a very high-handed manner.

Mr. Grundy said there was great delay while the Board was situated at Napier. The district was still in its infancy, but was going to increase greatly in the next five or ten years. It had been proved that a separate Board would not cost more thin at prosont.

Mr. Darton said the members of the Gisborne School Committee had boon elected pledged to support the movomont for a separate Board. Tho district was represented on tho present Board by Sir, McLernon, but as ho lived in Napier he could not be expected to bo in touch with local requirements. Ho urged that the present ward system should bo given a fair trial before a change was decided on. Tho valid objection was from the teachers, who stated that the district would be so small that, there would not be as efficient teacheers to choose f rom. Against this it had .beep pointed out that when making appointments the Boards dfil not debar applicants f rom other districts. He thought they should stay their hands until tho meeting of thp householdeers of the Gisborne School, who might decide to give the ward system a trial. They were not going to get a separate Board in one or two years—it would be a long job. The secretary said there were only two committees who did not assent to a separate Board.

Mr. Dior; jap quoted official figures showing that expenses were heavy in small districts. Hawke’s Bay was at present second lowest on the list with 4.2 per cent., Marlborough was double that amount, and Greymouth over 10 per cent. The Minister had informed the Committee that lie was against small districts. He hoped the day would come when Education Boards woulcj bp abolished and a largo amount of aministrative expense saved.

Mr. File, representing Tolaga Bay, said the Committee were in favor of a separate district but thought that further consideration should be held over in view of the tacts that the new secretary and the Gisborne representatives were doing their work well.

Mr. Darton moved that the matter be held over till after the householders’ meetings.—Seconded by Mr. Brown.

Mr. Darton said that if the question of bringing the native schools under the Board the district would be large enough.

The motion proposed by Air, Parton was amended as follows and passed :—“That consideration of the question of a separate education district be held over pending the annual meeting of householders, and that Committees be asked to lay thp matter before householders, with a view to a definite expression of opinion.”— A Committee, consisting of Messrs. Grundy, Field, Morgan, and Barlow, was appointed to draw up a statement of the position.