THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1869.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 594, 6 November 1869, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1869.

The Westland Education Board met on Thursday evening at Hokitika, and proceeded to deliberate as to the manner in which the available moneys should be distributed in order to advance the interests of education. During the last six months the vote of £2000 for educational purposes lapsed, but a sum of ,£SOO was reserved from the collapse for distribution among schools, on the Denominational system, until the National system was properly introduced. In addition to this the County Council voted the sum of £2000 for the current six months, to be spent by the Board on educational purposes. But, at the meeting held on Thursday evening, a general expression of opinion was given that as no mouey had actually been placed to the credit of the Board for distribution among the existing schools it would be unwise to proceed with the allocation. It was then resolved to communicate with the County Chairman by telegraph, and the meeting was adjourned until an answer was received. Yesterday, a message was sent to the County Chairman, who happens to be in Greymouth at present, asking whether the £500 could be considered available., and when it would be paid. The answer was, that the money could be allocated, and accordingly, at the adjourned meeting held at noon yesterday, the Board proceeded to allocate the £500, which resulted in the following distribution : — Hokitika, All Saints' School, £'05 ; Hoki-

tika Academy, £65 ; St Mary's School, £65. Greymouth, Father Royer's School, £60; Mrs Johnston's School, £40. Okarito, £50 ; Stafford Town, ; Waimea, .£35 ; Kanieri, i2O ; and Ross, £65. There were a number of fresh applications examined and read for subsidies, but none of them were favorably entertained — the Board adhering to the old applications. As regards the £2000 which was voted by the last session of the County Council for educational purposes, and which the West land Education Board was supposed to have nothing to do but to distribute, there appeared to be so very little hope of obtaining a penny of it before December, when the vote would again lapse, that the Board resolved to have nothing whatever to do with it, and, consequently, did not in the slightest enter upon the discuss on of the propriety of fostering the National system. They were quite ready to do so whenever they saw their way, but at present there does not seem to be any hope of the funds being available during the current six months, therefore the question was left in abeyance and attention confined, as we have said, to the allocation cf the LSOO. We may, consequently, make up our minds to hear nothing further of the National system until the County Council meets again, and some better understanding is arrived at as to the voting of thousands of pounds for purposes for which it is not available. We understand that the fault lies more with the General Government, in neglecting to forward the income due to the County. It is high time that something was done by our County legislators to see that their proceedings in the Council are not rendered nugatory, and almost reduced to a farce, by the withholding of the available revenue due to the County by the General Government. Still, this is no excuse for the supineness of the citizens in the matter of the election of a Local School Committee. This is a step absolutely necessary to the proper working of the National system, whenever the funds are available, and ought not to be longer overlooked.