BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2155, 21 January 1881, Page 3

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The usual bi-monthly meeting of the Board of Education for the District of North Canterbury was held yesterday afternoon, at 3 o’clock. Thera were present—Mr Inglis (chairman), and Messrs Cunningham, Tancred, O. O. Bowen, Kev. Chas. Fraser. The s»cretary read a statement of the business done by the chairman since last meeting, being a list of appointments made and expenditure authorised, which the Board passed as approved. Beports of inspectors on various schools in the district were laid on the table. Mr E. T. Missen, jun., wrote resigning his situation at the Akaroa school. It appeared that ho had failed to pass at last examination. The resignation was accepted. Miss Bligh (of East Christchurch) asked leave to resign her position, as her family were going to Dunedin. The application was favourably received. Applications from Mrs Clifton and another lady were agreed to, on certain conditions. From Mr T. B. Kay a letter was read in reference to a former application of his for a retiring allowance, and requesting that tho whole of the papers on the subject be forwarded to the Government. The Board resolved to forward the papers as requested to tho Government, with a recommendation from the Board for their favorable consideration. A letter was

received from the Government enclosing a circular copy of regulation! regarding the i further employment of pupil teaohere. It , was resolved to advise the school committees on the subject. In discussing an application from Mr Wilson, of the Styx, for his expenses in attending lectures at the College, Mr Bowen suggested that they were exceeding their powers in encouraging teachers to leave their schools. The funds at their disposal were voted for the promotion of primary education, and he questioned the advisability of the Board going out of its way to enable teachers to take degrees at the Canterbury University, It became the more necessary for them to be careful in such matters, seeing that their expenditure would be very closely scrutinised in the forthcoming session of Parliament. The chairman pointed out that teachers under the Board in the town could attend the College without reference to the Board, and it seemed hard that those in the country should not have the same privileges. Mr Bowen—Yea ; but have wo any right to encourage them by paying their expenses out of funds expressly granted for primary education. The subject was here allowed to drop, it being understood that the chairman would again refer to it in committee in connection with a statement he had to make, _ A letter was read from the Government, intimating that Sir W, Pox proposed to give valuable prizes to pupils in Government schools for proficiency in knowledge of a I work on temperance. It was decided to defer consideration of the matter till the Board have seen the book in question. Tenders wore opened for the erection of a school at Little Biver, and that of Mr Hughes (£687) accepted. A report by the health officer to the Local Board of Health was read in reference to the Papanui school, The matter was referred to the school committee, the Board granting a necessary sum to disinfect the school. A considerable amount of routine business wag transacted, and the Board considered other matters in committee.