BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1023, 5 October 1877, Page 3

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

A meeting of the Board was held yesterday at 3 p.m., at the Normal School. Present — Messrs J. Inglis (chairman), Hall, Webb, and Duncan. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. WORK HONE BY CHAIRMAN. The business transacted by the chairman since last meeting was approved. AGREEMENT OF CONVEYANCE. The seal of the Board was attached to an agreement of conveyance of site at GHoncairn, signed by Mr John Lewis as attorney for Mr John May, INFANT MISTRESS FOR NORMAL SCHOOL. A letter was read from the Minister of Justice, saying the Grovernment authorised the engagement of a mistress for the infant department of the Normal and Practising School, at a salary of £2OO. It was decided that the secretary write to Mr Kennaway, in England, relative to the appointment ; the lady appointed to come by the Orient, or other steam line of moderate rates, if a steamer is starting immediately; if not, by a sailing vessel. The engagement to be for two years, sis months notice on either side, or salary in lieu of such. DEPUTATION FROM IRWELL. A deputation from residents in the Irwell educational district waited upon the Board to object to the erection of a school on the site purchased two or three years ago. Plans were produced showing that the majority of the ratepayers resided at some distance from this site, and pointing out a more central one. It was stated that there were twenty-five children living three miles and three-quarters from the nearest side school (Springston), and a number of children now attending the school walked two miles and a quarter to it. At present there were thirty children in the immediate neighborhood between the ages of five and fourteen years.

After full consideration, the deputation were asked to send tracing of sections, and the names of|the children mentioned, with their ages, when the Board will communicate with the district school committee, and forward reply. IRWEIL. A letter was read from the chairman of the district school committee enclosing resolution passed at meeting held on 24th ult., asking that two acres should be purchased from Mr Fisher for a school site ; and if not obtainable, the school to be erected on the present site. Mr Fisher was willing to sell the land at £SO per acre. It was decided to postpone consideration of this letter. MAORI CHILDREN. A letter was read from the Native office in reply, saying the Q-overnmcnt would pay the capitation tax of 10s for Maori children attending schools. Parents would have to pay for those children who did not attend school. The Secretary said he had written on this subject to the Port Levy school. WOODEND AND 'WAIKTJKTJ. Satisfactory reports were read from Mr Walker on the proficiency in drill of the children attending these schools. THE JCAIAPOI CASE. The correspondence on this subject between Mr M. Lynskey and the school committee, and which bus already appeared in print, were read, and also the following letters on the same subject written subsequently : From the chairman of the school committee to Mr Lynskey, September 28th — Seeing in the papers that you complain of the teaching in the hoys’ school, I shall he giad it you will attend a meeting of the committee, m the committee room, at eight o’clock tins (Friday) evening, so that the charges can be drawn up in proper form for investigation. Reply from Mr Lynskey, September Loth I have received a note from you as chairman of the school committee, asking me to attend a meeting of the committee this evening, so that any complaints may he drawn up in proper form. I cannot conceive the reason why the committee should ask me to attend any of its meetings, and I shall respectfully decline to do so until 1 find that the promise made by the late chairman is redeemed. I have only to refer you to a lettir which appeared in the Press of ihursday, signed, “ J. Mathews, assistant master, which bears testimony to the correctness of my complaints. Should I have any further complaint to make in reference to the teaching in the school, I shall make it direct to the Board of Education, who will I trust deal with the question impartially.” The following resolution passed by the School Committee on evening of same date, was forwarded to the Board : That the chairman forward to the Board of ; Education the correspondence that lias passed ■ between himself and Sir M. Lynskey in reference

to complaints made by Mr Lynskey in the publ newspapers, as to the teaching of history in the school, and respectfully request the board to make a thorough investigation into the matter of the complaint The committ e feels that under the circumstances, an inquiry made by some person appointed by the Board will be more satisfactory than any investigation made by the committee itself, and trusts that such inquiry may be made, if possible, forthwith. The Secretary told the Board that the deputation who had called at the office had distinctly stated they wished to put aside all the first correspondence, and wished the Board to take action on the last letter published. The Chairman said the question was whether the Board should send anyone up to Kaiapoi to make full inquiries, as requested by the committee. Mr Duncan said the matter should certainly not be allowed to rest, as, even according to Mr Mathews’s own showing in his letter published in the Press, he had gone rather too far in his sectarian teaching. Mr Mathews seemed to blame the inspector inferentially for his interpretation of the history from some defect in this department pointed out by him at an examination. What the Board wanted to attain by sending up was to learn Mr Lynskey’s version and also Mr Mathews’s, and then come to a decision. It was decided that the secretary should visit Kaiapoi, and take notes of the facts for Board’s decision. PETITION FROM AMBEELEY. A petition was read from a number of residents in this district asking that the Board would not allow their difference with the North Kowai school committee to delay the erection of the school. After discussion, the Board decided that as Mr Seager had withdrawn his tender, they would accept Mr Bonn’s tender, THE ALLEGED LOBUEN FLOGGING CASE, The following letters relative to this case were read: — Loburn, 20th September, 1877. The Chairman Board of Education. Sir, —I have the honor to enclose a letter I have received from Mr Howard touching the reported flogging case. I shall make it my business to discover the origin of the rumour, and hope within a few days to send you particulars I have, &c., J. A. Cunningham, Chairman School Committee.

Woodend, September 19, 1877. J. A. Cunningham, Esq. Dear sir, —In answer to yours of yesterday enclosing a copy of letter from the Board of Education re the statements lately made in the “Tablet,” and elsewhere, that a Roman Catholic boy has been flogged in the Lob am School for not reading a Protestant Bible, I beg to say most emphatically that no such occurrence ever took place. At present I can think of no circumstance which throws light on the subject, or that, being presented in the most distorted manner, could be taken as grouivis for such statement. I can but repeat that the report is a gross libel, which I hope will soon be patent. I am, &c., C. S. Howard. The Chairman said the Board could of course take no action itnt.il further particulars had been received from Mr Cunningham. TIMARU. The Board agreed to the appointment of a second mistress at the Timaru School, at a salary of £l2O per annum. STOKE. A letter was read from the Stoke School committee, complaining of the conduct of Mr Piper, schoolmaster there, and saying they had given him notice ; also asking that a day might be appointed for the election to the vacancy on the committee. The Board approved of the committee’s action in giving Mr Piper notice, and appointed next Monday week for the election of the committee man. SALTWATER CREEK. The Board approved of the appointment of Miss Johanna Mclntosh at Saltwater Creek, to come up for examination in January next. ASHBURTON. The Board approved of the appointment of Mr G. Boilleau as assistant master at the Ashburton School. GYMNASTIC CLASSES. The rules of the classes at the Normal School gymnasium were submitted by Mr Walker and approved. After transacting some general business the Board adjourned.