BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1500, 6 December 1878, Page 3

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

—• Thursday, December 5. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Board of Education of North Canterbury was held at three o'clock at the Normal School. Present—Messrs John Inglis (chairman), A. Duncan, IT. B. Webb, W. Montgomery, E. 0. J. Stevens, C. C. Bowen, H. J. Tancred, and Rev. C. Fraser. BUSINESS DONE BY THE CHAIRMAN. The bosines3 done by the chairman since the last meeting was approved. TRIVIAL CORRESPONDENCE. Mr Stevens said it appeared to him that tho Board Bhoukl discourage the Fending of letters referring to matters that could and ought to be dealt with by the various local committees. Circulars should be sent to tho committees to this effect. The Chairman said, as a general rule, matters were dealt with before being sent to the Board. In order to fully carry out Mr Stevens' vsi'-Hf* it would be necessary to send a circular to ,'*?ery person in the province. The matte: Chen dropped. EXAMINATIONS. The Board of Examiners made certain recommendations with regard to examinations, which were approved. inspkctor's retort. The report of the inspector as to tho result of examination of several schools wub laid upon the table. PUBT/TC JJBRARIRS. The following letter was read:— Education Department, Wcllineton, November 27th, 1878. The Secretary of tho Education Board, Christchurch. T mn directed by the Miuistor of Education to inform .you that' t'.e sum of .£SOOO has been voted for Public I ihraries, and thatGoveriunentis prepared to apportion this amount amongst the Pnbhc libraries withjn the respective districts in accordance with the provisions pf the Public Libraries Subsidies Act, 1577. Your Board's propor ion of tho vote, accord. incr to population, is JC9IC 5s 7d, which will be paid in compliance with the following conditions : 1. That the Board intimate to Government its willingness to distribute the money among the several Public Libraries within its district in accordance with the provisions of the Public Libraries Subsidies Act, 1877. 2. That the payments to Public Libraries out of thociurentvote.be made in accordan c with the voluntary subscriptions receiver} by lh in as for the year ending :11st Doeembe", 1878, and exclusive of subs riptions in respect ofwhichany portion of last year's vote was paid. 3. That the Hoard forward for the information of Government :i statement showing the libraries proposed to be subsidised, the amount of voluntary subscriptions received by each, and the repee ive payments proposed to lie made to them by the Board. John Hisr,oi\ BCIEUTI (TIC APPAEATprg. The following letter was read :'— Education Department, Wellington, November 28th. To tho Secretary of the Education Board, Christohui-ch. fi; reply to yimr letter of i\.v '-2SJi ujt., v..imectingthi providing of scientific apparatus, I am directed by the Minister of Education to eefer von to circular No. I>, last paragraph, 1 from which it will be seen tint the cost ol ap- ' paratus and appliances for illustrating lessons in 1 elementary K-ienco, if of a permanent cliavaclcr, 1 may be pai i out of the buildings grant. Government has no funds at its disposal for special expenditure on school apparatus of any kind. JONS Hic.i.OP. I.BTIRINCI ALLOWANCE. Mr Hislopalso wrote : Education Department, Wellington, '4Tih Nhivombrr. The Secretary to tlie'kdttcation P.oard, ChristI church In rooty to your letter of 2tht ult., foriv:u-aiug i an application from Mr Garrett, teacher at i Greenpaik school, for a retiiuig allowance, I an;

directed by the. Minister of Education, to state that Government do not feci warranted in reeognising the claim. Mr Garrett's time of public service extends over eight years only, which is too short to entitle him to special consideration. John Hislor. deputation. Mr Revell, the Chairman of Rakaia Gorge School Committ.ee, waited upon the Board to bring before their notice a question of a master's bouse, and a number of matters of detail connected with the school. The Chairman said the matters referred to should receive favorable consideration, and i the deputation withdrew, saying that ho did | not expect much, and he had got what he ex- | peeled, JfKW MEMBERS. The following gentlemen were elected members of the Board to represent the Ashburton High School —Messrs John Grrigg and John C, Wason. RETIREMENT 01? MR BORTIIWICK. A letter was read from Mr Borthwick, of German Bay, stated that his health was so bad that he must retire from the active management of the school. He asked the Board to recommend the Government to grant him a retiring allowance, as he had been teaching in Government schools for over twelve years, at an average salary of between £l7O and £IBO. Mr Stevens asked what was the rule under such circumstances. Tho Chairman said there was no rule. The Board resolved to recommend Mr Borthwick's application to tho favorable consideration of tho Government. COLOMBO ROAD SCHOOL. Tho committee of this school applied for permission to retain any rent they received for the use of the school, to add to their prize fund. The application was agreed to. AMBIUtLEY. Tho Board resolved to continue a side school at this place. DUNSANDEB. A letter was read from the school committee at this place, asking permission from the Board to purchase apiece of ground consisting of two acres, not being the site resolved upon by tho Board at a former mooting. Tho Board resolved to adhere to its former decision. SOUTH RAKAIA. A letter was read from Mr John Mann, the chairman of the South Rakaia school committee, explaining how it was that the school was closed on tho occasion of the turning of the first sod of the new private railway. This I letter was called forth by a letter from one of the committee. The letter was received. The Board then went into committee to consider the report of tho committee appointed to consider the working of the Normal School, atier which it adjourned. NEW METHODTST FREE CHURCH, BINGSLAND. The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new church and school buildings to be erected at Bingsland, took plape yesterday afternoon at half-past five o'clock. The ceremony was conducted by the Rev. S. Macfarlane, and the foundation stone laid by the Rev. T. R. Fisher, a number of other clergymen taking part in tho proceedings. The ceremony commenced by the Rev. S. Macfarlane giving out the 6GGth hymn, which was sang by the members of the connection and others who were.'prescnt. The Kev. C. Dallaston then read two psalms, the 122nd and the 132nd, after which the Rev. W. Morley engaged in prayer. The Rev. Joseph While next read the following document, being a copy of the original, which was placed within the cavity beneath where tho stone was laid : Copy of document placed in the cavity of tho foundation stone of the New Church, Bingsland —This stone was laid on behalf or the Uuited Methodist Five Church, Bingsland, by l\ov. Thomas R. Fisher, one the founders of Free Methodism in New Zealand, on the sth day of December, A.D. 1878. Enclosed arc copies of the New Zealand Five Methodist, containing a record of the origin and progress of the United Methodist Free Church in New Zealand during the past fifteen years, also the minutes of the last District meeting, the statistics of the district, and the stations of the ministers, there is also enclosed a copy of tho constitution of the Uuited Metiodist Free Churches, and the rules and regulations of the Christchurch Circuit, a Circuit preacher's p an, copies of the "Lyttelton Times " and Peess newspapers. The Christchurch circuit comprises the following churches —St. Asaph street, Addington, JJintrsland, Spreydon, and Colombo road. The ministers of the circuit are the Kev. Samuel Macfarlane, connoxional representative in the colony, and district chairman; Joseph White district secretary, and Thomas Hodgson. The circuit stewards are Emmcrson Clarkson, John Booth. The numerical returns of tho circuit will be found recorded in the statistics of the district r furred to above. The trustees of this building are George Booth, John Caygill, William Fisher, George Lewis, James fatten, William Korr, James Glanville, Matthew Bell, Thomas Dacres, William Tremayhe, Emmerson Clarkson, and John T. Brown, who with the following form the building committee William Parkes, John Glanville, George Poult, John Scott, John Aulesbrooke, William R. Cooke, Charles Wr ly, Thomas Free, —Locke, John Lewis and Wm. Bell. The Bev. J. White is chairman ; Win. Flesher, secretary, and James Patten, treasurer of the committee. Mr W. Widdow.-on is the architect, and Mr J. L. Fleming the builder. The original church was erected in 18G;>, and is now inadequate for the requirements of the Church and faun lay school, it has heen removed to the rear of this building to be converted into a cla-s room. This movement originating in the felt necessity for providing increased facilities for the preaching of the gospel and Sabbath school operations, is hereby most earnestly commended to the blessing of Almighty God, to whom be tho glory for ever and ever. Mr W. Flesher briefly addressed those present, expressing great pleasure at the part that had been allotted to him, that of requesting the Rev. T. R. Fisher to lay the foundation stone of the church about to ho erected, lie said it was ten yeara on the 13th of this month since Mr Fisher had taken part in tho first open-air meeting, and now he was assisting in the commencement of a new era, and he w;i3 sure that all would agree with him that tho committee had acted wisely and appropriately in selecting Mr Macfarlane to perform the ceremony. Mr Flesher then presented Mr Fisher with a beautifully chased silver trowel, with «v peart handle, with which he Fpr;;a;« th<) mortar, and the stone was then lowered into its place. The Rov. T. K. Fisher Kind he fell, indebted for the bono)' that had been done him in asking him to take so prominent a part in such an important proceeding. He thanked those who had asked him to perform the duty for tho affection if showed they bore him. Honour was a good thing, but love was better. Honours might cease, but love never. It was unnecessary for him to make any long'statement, but ho wished them /mod iu the name of the Lord. 11, t , utveci that tho new church might be tho birth place of many immortal souls, who when finally gathered might have cause to remember the good that had been done them by the place of worship. He wished to impress on all who heard him that though bricks, mortar, nails, and timber constituted a church, yet there was another church than tins, and an immortal one, oi which he fervently hoped they woi'.ld all be members. The T\CV. gentleman concluded by invoking a blesuing on tlic work, and oh those who had taker, part'iii it. Tho Rev, T. S. Mnpfarlane then, i» a humourous speech, said that bci'or,. ts;e doxology ami benediction r v collection would bo made in ;."'([ o» the budding fund, Ti.ij waa aVoiiCO responded to in a liberal mannsr, The Rev. Mr Tinsley then pronounced tho doxology, which was sung, and the proceedings terminated with the benediction, Bpokon by the Rev. T. Hodgson. Alter the ceremony was over an adjournment we.a made to'the District schoolroom, where tea vw, - provided i»i a very liberal scale, tabh'a btvb'.g provided by tho following ladies:— Meodanics Shepherd, Kerr, Park, Pearcc, Bouixliy, Atlier, and Mr About 250 sat down to the tables, The tea meeting whs an iimiualitied success. After the tables had been twice server!,, the room was cleared, and the publi,c meeting waft commenced by the chairman, Mr ('<. - ! ,'e. c V«u, giving out' the hymn commonest:, let us join our cheer ,'ul soegs. 4 ' jfrayer was then offered, tv ths Rov, C, I). Marten, and

the secretory, Mr W. Flesher, gave a report of the operations of the building committee up to the present date. The proposed erection with the additional land purchased will cost about£oso, and the commit! ee think it probable that by the time the opening services have been held, at least £650 will have been raised, leaving not more than £3OO debt upon the property. After singing another hymn, the Rev. S. Macfarlane gave an interesting address, congratulating the Bingsland Church on the vigorous action adopted, and making some strictures on certain tendencies of the tim s The church was urficd to the practical exhibition of Methodism in earnest.

Tho Rev. W. Morley, at the call of the chairman, gave an excellent address on the purposes for which churches are built, prefacing liia address by some timely remarks on the exceeding desirability of Methodist union in New Zealand, in the course of which he showed the highly beneficial results which would accrue from the operation of an United Methodist Church in tho colony. The Rev. C. Dallaston then gave a pithy address on the various ways in which true Christianity makes itself manifest in the Church-by steady church membership —by earnest joyous Christian service, and by each finding ins own work and doing that with zeal and liberality.

Mr Leadley spoke briefly and effectively on the desirability for tho earnest spiritual development of our church agencies. The Rev. W. Tinsley by interesting illustrative incidents enforced tho mode of successful working in church life. Tho Rev. T. Hodgson wished God speed to the movement thus auspiciously commenced, and tho meeting terminated with the usual votes of thanks.