BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1476, 8 November 1878, Page 3

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The nsnal fortnightly meeting of the Board of Education for North Canterbury was held yesterday at 3 p.m. Present —Messrs John highs, W. Montgomery, A. Saunders, H. J. Tancred, C. C. Bowen, E. C J. Stevens, H. R. Webb, and Rev. C Fraser. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. inspector's report. The Inspector reported on the following schools :—German Bay, Akaroa, Little Rakaia, Lakeside, Leeston main school, Leeston side school, German Bay side school, Puvauehelle's Bay, Robinson's Biy, Barry's Bty, French Farm, Little Akaloa, Oka.n's Bay, Selwyn, Lower Heathcoto, &c. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. The following memorandum was read from the Education Department:— Wellington, November sth. The Secretary to the Education Board, Christchurch. In reply to your letter of the 21st nit., enclosing a resolution of your Board respecting the distribution of the grant of 10s per attendance to school committees, I am directed hy the Minister of Education to say that he is unable to see the necessity of a, departure, without further trial, from the existing Order in Conned in this matter. I may mention that the rule admits of very considerable discretionary power on the part of Boards. The fixing of the scale is wholly left to each, and this scale may be to a very large extent graduated and adjnsted to meet the circumstances and the wants of the various classes of sch ols. So long as attendance forms a leading element in the scheme of apportionment, and payments are made according to a predetermined and established principle, so as to avoid as much as possible even the appearance of a partial or purely arbitrary disposal of the pnblic uiouey voted for current requirements, it is very probable that the raising of the scholarships' grant from Is to Is 6'd per attendance, and the enumeration in circulars 14 and 15 of the objects of expenditure, which may be included under "buildings," will leave some portion of your Board und, other than the committees' special grant of 10s, free for distribution amongst the committees according to the Board's judgment of their several necessities.

I venture in this connection to take the opportunity to point out that occasions may not nufrefjiioutly arise when school committees might be reminded with good effect of the provisions of section 80 of the Act, which expressly states that the school fund shall consist not only of moneys granted out of the Board fund, bnt of •'donations," "subscriptions," and other moneys. The Legislature, in passing this section, must, have evidently contemplated and even taken for granted, that the persons interested and benefitted by particular schools would be wiliing to augment the school fund by means of "donations and subscriptions." John llislop. school buildings.

A circular was read from the education department, Wellington, with reference to gr*nts in aid of school buildings. It contaircl the infoiraation that Government had allotted £ 15,000 to the Education Board of North Canterbury out of the voted for the service of the current year. It also stated that £ 100,000 would be availab'e next year for school building purposes, but no pa-t of it would be handed over until the expiration of the 'current financial year. 1 nformation as to the amount devoted to North Canterbury would be sent after farther information had been gained by the Government of the requirements of the various educational districts. The Board was advised to remember that the apportionments might vary from tho.-:e of the present year. The .£15,000 would be paid by monthly instalments. The term "school buildings" includes not merely new schools and teachers' residences with the fencing and suitable conveniences, but also the repairing, enlarging, ant improving of grounds and buildings already in existence; furniture for class-rooms, including map 3 and other educational appliances ; purchase of sites, plans, supervision, and generally all outlay on the buildings and school property of a permanent character, as distinguished from maintenance, under which should be placed all charges for ordinary current requirements, including petty repairs, Ac. The secretary was instructed to ascertain upon what basis the distribution had been made, and also whether the Boa-d would be justified, towards the ond of the year, in entering in o contracts in anticipation of next year's grant. examiners' report. The report of the examiners was read and considered in committee. SCHOOL COMMITTEES. Letters were read and considered from the following places:—Kuikonra, Kowai Puss, Kaiapoi. ACCOUNTS. A number of accounts were passed for payment and sundry applications for money for additions, repairs, &c. to schools were considered and dealt with. NORTH LOBURN. A letter of remonstrance was received, accompanied by a memorial signed by some of the inhabitants of North Loburn, u-ging the Board to reconsider their decision with reference to the site proposed for the school on 9018. The Board aprcd to receive the supgc tionsof the local co mmittco when appointed but would not commit itself to any alteration of the site at preELECTION Or COMMITTEES. The Board passed a resolution conferring on 4-t n rM,m'"man the power of fixing the t mo and 'uJrS*,, -eetings to be held for the election of fiool commi *cw at North Loburn, Willoughbjr, Tinwald and A su burton. WEST "HRISTCHUR^n. A suggestion was contained in a letter from the WestCbri-tchurch .whool committee that* staff of teachers should bfe allowed to attend the Normal School for the purple of hems tausrht drawing and sin gin p. that the/ micrht be qualified afterwards to impirt instruction m tuose branches of education in the Government schools. . f , The consideration of the matter was ctczerrecl. TIMARU INFANT SCHOOL. The following letter was read from Mr Thomr.? Cane: — gi,. _i Be tid herewith a lead weight which was plaecd as a dummy in the ventilating trunks that were intended to ventilate the above building. When the clerk of tho works, Mr J. Blackmore, examined this system of ventilation under ny orders, he found" that, my original work had been tampered wit li in the following manner—The proper wives had been nailed up, and the pulleys and lines connected with this piece of luacl, which was raised up and down instead et Iha flops that were intended to let out the vitiated air. When I commenced this work 1. whs told ti.at my plan would never answer, hat my >■<• in i'.n-'rtnd ahsnred me that it would. The builder, however, it seems, who earned out tho work did, after J had passed it, tamper with theiirransremeiirs for ventilation, to suit the wishes of some persons Interested or feeling themsfclves so, iu opposing all that was ,h.i»e by me for the then existing ( .' I ."* !Jl '; bury Hoard of Education. 1 was muth inortihcclat the time that so much fault coiilil befouudwith my work, 'ni.i until the discovery made should not Lave thonght that nuy person or persons could resort to such mean methods of opposing a Board of gentlemen or an architect. I have the .lonour to be Yours obediently. Ttios. (Jam:. To John In'.'lis, Esq., Chairman Board of Education. HAREWOOD UOAD AND I'APANUI. An application was received for a new school for thin district, Imt'the Boar.! reclined to entertain it, on the, ground of want of funds. After some routine business WU3 transacted, the Board adjourned.