KAIAPOI SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1568, 27 February 1879, Page 4

KAIAPOI SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

A special meeting of this committee was held on Monday evening. Present, all the members, Mr Johnston (chairman), presiding. Letters were read ;—From the Board of Education re new standards, the headmaster’s letter claiming payment for tuition of pupil teachers, and Mies Meakes’ application for increase of salary, also returning accounts which the Board would not recognise as having been incurred for improvements to the school being charges, for experiments on ventilation and caretaker’s salary.

The returns for quarter ending December, shewed the average attendance to be 284. A letter was read from Mrs Hiatt, stating that two of her daughters would be willing to accept the position of pupil teachers. Consideration of the letter was adjourned. Offers were made by Mr Wright, secretary to Wesleyan Society, of half-acre, corner of Akaroa and Fuller streets, for master’s house, for £BO, and Messrs Tait and Hall, one acre, in Raven street, for £l5O. The offers wera ordered to be forwarded to the Board, the committee recommending he acceptance of the latter. It was resolved, “ That the chairman ascertain the cost of new fire stoves for the school.” The head master forwarded a return of scholars entitled to certificates for regular attendance, viz , Q-. Revell, W. Hills, J. Hills, and Esther Yoysey. Those who had been absent not less than five times were—F Revell 405, W. Allen 404, H. Johnston 403, F. Unwin 404, and Dora Revell 401.

It was decided that so soon as the illuminated certificates were issued by the Board they would bo awarded. Mr Revell reported that Mr Coup and himself waited as a deputation on the Board, who promised to grant funds to pay the claim for incidentals, but the committee must keep in future within the allowance, and the Board could not be held responsible for either the salaries of the secretary or caretaker. The Board would agree to the cost of alteration to the fire places. After a long dissertation on both sides, it was understood by the deputa tion that the Board was favorably inclined to grant their request for £SO additional towards the teaching staff. With regard to the resignation of the committee, they were advised to seek advice elsewhere. Respecting the claim for tuition of pupil toaohora, that would be paid to December, and the question of Mits Meakes’ claim considered. The Board gave them to understand it would not compel them to mix the school. The certificates and models would probably be provided, but the Board hud no teacher of singing available. They further wished the committee to send a list of the proposed rearrangement of the teaching staff. In reply to the chairman, Mr Coup said that Mr Stevens’ question and answer relative to not forcing the committee to mix the school was correctly reported in the Press. Mr Pashby begged to move —“ This committee is of opinion that the school cannot be satisfactorily carried on by the present staff, and would therefore respectfully request an additional allowance of £IOO a year to increase the present pay for assistant master and assistant mistress, or to allow the committee to rearrange the salaries, so that a more efficient staff may be procured at the same cost as the present one, and to carry out the latter course would prefer that notice be given to the present staff that their services will not bo required after the day of —.” He saw the Board required an opinion, and this would give it. The committee hud no doubt been a source of annoyance to the Board, and it would be better now to conclude the matter for ever. It was impossible to get a second muster for lees than other schools were able to give. Mr Coup seconded the motion. Mr Revell moved an amendment —“That all the words after ‘ or’ bo omitted, and that £SO bo inserted in place of £IOO ” The sum of £SO was what the deputation asked for and agreed with the Board to accept on behalf of the committee, and it was no use attempting to stultify their position.

Mr Burn ham, in seconding the amendment, deprecated any action which would render the deputation or Ilia committee foolish in the eyes of the Board. The deputation had ' taken great pains over the matter, and the committee must endorse its action. | The Chairman observed they wanted £lO9 J by the committee’s former resolution, Mr Coup considered it made very little difference what the deputation said or did, as the Board gave it no direct promise, and he failed to see how they could do with less than £IOO. Mr Revell pointed out it was very little use for a deputation to wait upon the Board if this was to be the outcome. The Board was very patient, and gave the deputation every consideration, and it would be futile to expect more than had been asked for, viz., the £.'>o. The deputation was the mouthpiece of the committee, and the latter must accept the result. If there was a party in the committee which wanted to he rid of the head-master let them say so ; let them lay a charge, but, for goodness sake, he hoped they would be above trying to rid him by a side wind, on the ground of personal feeling. He snould refuse to be a party to such proceedings. Since the 1877 meeting, there had been a disposition in some quarters to attack the master simply out of personal feeling. Mr Pashbj said there was no wish to get rid of the master by a side wind. The committee must have a teaching staff either in one way or another. He did not say that the master’was not worth his salery. He was not worth his salary to them, and the school was not built for a head master. Mr Parnham should really like to see an end of this party feeling, and the committee settle into business. He objected to losing the master, as it was necessary to have a gentleman of his attainments in charge. He, as a teacher, was sharp with the boys, and in the case of his sons he was very well satisfied with Mr Rayner’s teaching. He appealed to the committee to maintain the position of the school. Mr Mathews expressed his intention to vote for the amendment in justice to the de putation, and against the motion because there was no real necessity to dispense with Mr Rayner, Mr Young considered there was too great a disparity between the second master and head master’s salaries. The Chairman looked upon the matter of the £SO suggested by the deputation as the sum which its committee would accept, as not binding. He was glad to see that the Board would not force the mixed school as against the expressed wish of the public. Mr Revell assorted the intention was still to get rid of the master by a side wind. The Chairman thought not. The deputation did not seem to agree about the result of its conference with the Board. Mr Revell said, after this, he should never form one of a deputation again ; in fact, he thought that it would be the better plan for i the Chairman to vacate the chair, and then the row would end. i The Chairman supposed Mr Revell was anxious to fill it. ; Mr Revell asserted he could have had the chair long before the present Chairman was i thought of. The Chairman —Question, i Mr Revell submitted there was no question i about it. He desired to know if the Ohair- . man had seen the resolutions before they > were submitted to the recent public meeting, > The Chairman considered this an immaterial , question. Mr Revell observed it was perhaps hard on s person to be found out in his little tricks. > He complained of the way in which matters ■ were cut and dried outside. The amendment was here put and lost, three only voting for it. The motion was 3 passed, three voting against it. 3 Mr Parnham now wanted to know what the s committee intended to do till the change was p made, Mr Revell pointed out that, but for the 3 obstructiveness shown, they might have had a second master appointed some months ago. He moved—“ That the secretary write to Mr ■ Grant, asking if he was in a position to accept E the appointment, and if so, he be recommended for appointment.” , Mr Pashby urged that three days’ notice of motion must be given, Mr Revell hoped they would hang the master, and have done with the cause of the di ser sion at once. 3 The Chairman urged the blame lay with } the Board in not allowing enough for salaries. Mr Parnham remarked the Board could £ not exceed its means. Through the delay in appointing teachers, who had offered to come, ’ a section of the committee, he urged, was allowing the school to drift to ruin. He r seconded the motion. | After a further acrimonious discussion, during which Mr Mathews said he considered ’ it strange that the members should be bemoaning the state of the school when they bad it in their power to appoint a second ’ master, it was decided to hold a special meetr ing on Friday to recommend the appointJ ment. Mr Revell gave notice to move —" That the caretaker receive notice that his services would no longer be required, on the ground that the amount allowed for the school was ’ insufficient to pay such an officer.” The committee then adjourned.