CANTERBURY EDUCATION BOARD.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 July 1930, Page 3

CANTERBURY EDUCATION BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Canterbury Education Hoard was held at Christchurch on Friday morning. Those present were Messrs It. Wild (chairman), H. J. Bignell, W. P. Spencer, T. Hughes, W. H. Winsor. E. H. Andrews, J. G. ,Gow, G. AA. Armitage, J. AA’. Preen, W. A. Banks, and C. S. Thompson. Appointments confirmed included:— Arahura road, Mr A. L. Ferguson, headmaster. ' Christchurch West, Mr L. F. de Berry, headmaster. COST OF EDUCATION. Only a little short of £500,000 is spent annually on the schools in this province under the control of the Canterbury Education Board. Figures revealing this fact and furnishing a comparison between the years ending June 30th, 1929, and June 30th, 1930, were quoted by Mr R. Wild, the chairman. He said the expenditure for the year just ended showed only a very small increase on that in the preceding twelve months. The figures- were: 1928-29, £484,533: 1929-30, £492,250. The increase was thus £7727, of which £6817 was accounted for in greater expenditure on salaries. Conveyance of pupils was rosponsile for an increase of £1555, hut £ll3O less had been spent on new buildings and maintenance. Tim figures for the two Years were remarkably similar. EDUCATION REPORT. “Are we going to accept the recommendations of the Education Committed without any consideration?” asked Mir C. S. Thompson. Members agreed that the report should be given a close scrutiny. The chairman (Mr R. Wild) and Messrs W. A. Banks, F. H. Andrews, and T. Hughes were appointed a subcommittee to consider tlie report and bring down their findings at next meeting. APPOINTMENTS COM Ml TTEE. The Appointments Committee reported : Interview of pupils by police: A letter was received from the Canterbury School Committees’ Association asking the Board to make a rule to prevent this practice. It was resolved to ask the local Superintendent of Police to give consideration to the Association’s request. Mr’ C. S. Thompson said the Board should be careful before it took the proposed action to see whether the practice had been in force. He had been assured by responsible police officers that it had not. Tf an enquiry was necessary they went to the head master, and the pupil concerned was , called into the latter’s room and interviewed there. This was not such an objectionably practice. Before the Board took the matter up with the -olice the School Committees’ Association should be asked for specific instances. Air R. Wild (chairman) said it was not desirable that a uniformed policeman should go to a school at all. Was not the practice outlined by Air Thompson an objectionable one? In any case it was proposed only to refer the matter to the local police for consideration. Air Thompson said school committees sometimes had to invoke the aid of the police, because of happenings in the playgrounds. Air AV. H. Winsor *said he could not see any objection to the practice explained by Air Thompson. There is no keeper of the peace equal to the man in blue,” said Air Winsor. ‘ The very fact that a man calls at a school in uniform has a beneficial effect on discipline, and makes for respect for the law in the eyes of the children. Air Thompson said they could . not ask the police to take different action when they had taken none of the kind which was the subject of complaint. An amendment,- moved by Messrs Thompson and AVinsor- that the Board withhold action until specific instances w'ere given was carried.

GENERAL. “It is not fair for the Minister for Education and the Department to ask us to alter the order of urgency of our work,” said Mr W. H. Winsor. “It was not right for them to ask us to decide on the order in the first place, and we have found it very difficult to group them.” Contending that it was not in the best interests of North Canterbury that it should be joined with Westland to form one of the Board's districts, the Rangiora School Committee asked hy letter that an additional ward be constituted. The Board decided to reply that it had no power to adop,t'the course suggested. The Appointments Committee stated in reference to the retirement of the chairman (Mr T. Hughes) that it had resolved to place on record its appreciation of his long service tc education, and particularly of the care and eorfsidoration shown to his duties during.his occupancy of the chair at the Appointments Committee meetings Mr A. McNeil, senior inspector, expressed the deep regret of the inspec T,orate at Mr Hughes pending re tirement. Mr Hughes suitably ac knowledged the compliments paid t< him, and thanked members for then < sunnort during the many years h< had been on the Board.