WESTLAND EDUCATION BOARD.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 999, 9 October 1871, Page 2

WESTLAND EDUCATION BOARD.

A meeting of the Board of Education was held on Thursday evening, at the office of the Chairman, Hokitika. The members present were — S. M. South, Esq. (in the chair), and Messrs Barft, Moss, and Crerar. The minutes of the previous meeting were read, but as there was not a quorum present, they were only provisionally confirmed. The Chairman gave a detailed account of the proceedings since the last Board meeting, stating the communications he had received from schools claiming assistance, and also the interviews he had had with the County Chairman and Mrßonar in reference to the Hokatika Academy. In respect to the latter, a sum of L 25 hvd been reserved out of the subsidy from the County Council, but its appropriation was a question for the Board to determine. There had been, since received from the County Treasurer a sum of L 250 to be distributed amongst the schools claiming aid, and in considering its apportionment the question arose whether any, and what sum, Bhould be appropriated to the. Hokitika Academy, taking into consideration the fact that the school had ceased to exist. The question was entirely one for the Board to decide. He had suggested to the gentlemen who took an interest in the establishment of the school in question that they should send a deputation to the Board to explain the position ©f the school, and the grounds upon which they claimed to share in the Government subsidy. Messrs Mueller, Jack, and Scott were then introduced to the Board, and explained the position of the school. It had been closed in consequence of the master leaving, and had not been reopened because its committee had given its adhesion to the system of national education which the public and the County Council had deemed desirable to establish in Hokitika. The committee of the school had given their adherence to a requisition sent to them from the County Chairman, expressing their willingness to place the school ou a national basis, but no result had' followed. A public meeting was held on the subject, and a committee was formed, but nothing followed from that either. The Presbyterian body had therefore taken the matter in hand, had engaged a first-clas3 master, and had entered into engagements for the enlargement of the school building and for its removal from the Church reserve, so that there might bo no difficulty in the way of handing the school over to the Government or to any competent authority when required. The deputation having withdrawn, a discussion took place, in the course, of which the membera of the Board present, while expressing their unanimous opinion that the Hokitika Academy should receive encouragement, considered that no decision could possibly be arrived at in the absence of a quorum. Mr Moss suggested that the sum which would have been appropriated to the school had it continued in existence, should be reserved until a quorum of the Board could be assembled, and that in the meanwhile the subsidy Bhould be apportioned, so that the schools should not be deprived of the aid they so mush need. The other members of the Board acquiesced in that course being adopted. The question of apportionment being then brought under consideration, the Chairman mentioned five additional schools which he considered, from the returns sent in to him, were entitled to aid. These were, Goldsborough, Greenstone, Maori Gully, Blue Spur, and Okarito. After some considerable discussion, Mr Moss moved, and Mr Barff seconded — "That the Chairman be authorised to distribute the following sums to the various schools* viz. :-*v-All Saints\ School, Hokitika, L2O ; St Mary's, L2O ; Hoki, tika Acadeiry (reserved), L2O ; National •School, Stafford, Ll7 103 ; Lucas's, LlO ; Thomas's School, Greymouth, L2O ; St. Patrick's, L2O ; Neil's School, Ross, L2O ; St Patrick's, Lls ; Kaniei School, L 1 0;

South Spit, L 10; Goldsborough, L 1 0; Blue Spur, L 7 10s; Greenstone, LI 5 ; Maori Gully, LlO ; Okarito, L 10." The motion was carried, and the Board ad< journed. .