CANTERBURY EDUCATION BOARD.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1928, Page 4

CANTERBURY EDUCATION BOARD.

'I lie Canterbury Kdiiral inn Board met ;<t Christchurch on I*’riil;ty. 1 1 rosi'iil .Messrs ('. ;s. Thompson (i-nair-man). W. A. Banks. (!. \V. Armitage. V,'. 11. Winsor. .1. (!. Gow. E. 11. Aminovs, I!. Wild, T. Hollies and W. I’. Spencer. Apologies fur absence wore received from M essrs ,1. Mazo ami 11. .1. liignell. Appointments made included (ho followmg : Who Spur. Mr (I. 11. .Maxwell, solo I curlier. llolsilika. Miss M. IT 8011, assis. laid, mistress. Baron. Mr I!. 11. Allon, head maslor. Howanni, Miss IC. Malpass, soli' I oaohor. Mr Maokav (attendance nflioor. West Coast) roportod having visited live soliools, noiilied seven parents and interviewed live during the month. GRANTS TO HOARDS. Air 0. \V. Armitage congratulated the Department upon its desire to economise, lint he deplored its action in reducing the Board’s grunt from filli.OCO to £13,000. It was essential Unit, the Board's buildings should he properly maintained, and the Board was just as anxious to economise as ,vas the Department. In fact, he loped that the Department would unfit liy the good example of the Canerluiry ICdueation Board, “T, too, deplore the necessity for he reduction of grants,” said Air Strong (Director of ICdueation) who vas present, “hut T may say that the amount of money placed on the estimates is not controlled by the desires of the officers of tlie Department. All the same, J‘in quite prepared to shoulder the responsibility for my recommendations to the Minister.” Referring to economy, Air Strong said he would draw Mr Armitagc s attention to the fact that the Depart- 1 ment at Wellington did not have the palatial ofliees possessed by the Canterbury Board. “It often happens that we are ashamed of our bumble ollices,” be said, “especially when we have visitors from overseas. Economy is practised rigidly in the Public Service.” lu reply to a question, Air Strong said he did not know whether the re- ) duetion in the grant, would be continued next year. It was impossible to ■say what would happen, although the primary industries wore much brighter than was the ease iast year. NOT INVITED. Although the Canterbury Education Board operates in the West Coast district. it, has not been invited to attend the Greymoutli jubilee celebrations. Indignation was expressed by members, it being pointed out that County Councils in Canterbury laid received invitations. The chairman (Air C. S. Thompson) | said that while small local bodies in the Canterbury district had been invited to the Greymouth jubilee, the Canterbury Education Board had been overlooked. It seemed as though the Hoard was ol less importance than, say. County Councils, some of which had been invited. The position was less understandable when one remembered tiie work ot the Board in the A\ est Coast, especially for the children. |he County Councils had done iractieallv nothing for the Coast. “I don’t see why we should have leen ignored.’’ he said. “There are nembers ot the Board who come from he Coast, and they have not been in•ited.” Air It. 11. Wild : I have heard no-

tiling nbout it! The chairman; I can't understand it. Air AV. If. Winsor said that t!io Hoard war, more important to Grcynioutli than, for instance, the AVaimairi Council. Tii fact, the Board was really a local body of the West t oast. | “Excuse me Mr Winsor.” said Mr W. P. Spemer, who is a member of the Waimairi County Council, “Waimairi is much more important than tlie Education Board.” (Laughter)'. Air E. H. Andrews: That was a big bite. There was no further discussion. It was decided to grant the request of the Greymouth Jubilee Committee that schools in that town be granted a week’s holiday during the celebrations,