CANTERBURY EDUCATION BOARD.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1930, Page 3

CANTERBURY EDUCATION BOARD.

The monthly meeting of tlie Board was held at 'Christchurch on Friday. There were present -—Messrs W. A. .Banks (chairman), G." W. Armitage, R. Wild, H. J. Bignell, S. R, Evison, J. G. Gow, J. J. Hurley, J. IV. Preen, S. ■ Smith, W.P. Spencer, and GV S. •Thompson/ An apology for absence was received from Mr A. W. Jonson. Appointments confirmed included:— Greymouth—Mr C. R. Rollison, assistant master; Taylorville—Mr T. G. McCullough, headmaster; Wallis Siding— Mrs J. M. Milne, sole teacher.

Resignations accepted included: — Timaru West, Mr C. R. Rollinson.

A circular memorandum was received From the Education Department asking the hoard to agree to a proposal that its manual instructors be employed to supervise the November examinations with a view to effecting an economy in this, direction. It was resolved to consent to the suggestion, but to point out that the board did not consider the .proposal advisable. In connection with, schools for which committees had not : been elected, the following arrangements were approved :—Etlieltpn, .Mv„J|£= ~C. .de Lambert was appointed as commsisioner; Newlarnl, sole remaining member of the committee was asked to advise the board of four other persons willing to act; Okuku, Mr It. Phillpott was appointed commissioner ; Okufu, Mr W. D. Nolan was appointed commissioner. In connection with a proposal to establish a district high school at Blackball, it wins resolved to obtain a list of the: guaranteed'-pupils from Ngahere and Blackball. EDUCATION REPORT. The sub-commttee of ! three CMessrs R, Wild, W. A. Banks, and C. S. Thompson) set up to consider the recommendations presented its report, covering throe foolscap pages. There the recommendations were dealt with seriatum and the' sub-committee’s decision on these appended. It was when the Board was called oil to .adopt these decisions as its own, to reject them or to qualify them, that the confusion began. Before discussing them, Mr Thompson said that the : only way of combating the report, was by arousing public opinion. This could be done before dr after the conference of Education Boards in 'Wellington, but he wanted to see the school committees of the West Coast, .of South Canterbury and of Mid-Canterbury called together separately and Tlie- significance of the recommendations explained to them. that the centralisnthe accomplishlnqfrt' ni :r v|hat the- Department';had beep; .striving“after for years. -; . Mr ,T. W. : 14 you take’away local you destroy local dnterMr r-vUiOmpson’s. proposal was, agreed to -ilisr : ■ Board started in on the suh-eprnmittee’<s. report; :and its'‘findings on the first four recommendations #ere endorsed. case for the bulsdrv system as against the present system of awarding scholarships.'’ Mr Banks said lie was all in favour of the bursary kvstem, find therefore of the' recommendation in the .report. - Others-were not sure just 'what was involved, and it was moved that decisions on this clause he deferred. Mr H. J. Ftignell held that consideration on the whole report should he deferred. Every member should have the right to express his opinion, and to'know for what tie was voting. He himself was not familiar with the report. The Chairman (Mr AV. A. Banks): Tf we defer discussion it might be too late. • ,

.The play .was.most cxbilirating and close in the first spell, because it was fluctuating. Powerful .wings 3 would have given New South Wales the lead. Ford’s try was a, grand one. He out inside Aar void, and was tackled by Bassett three yards from the lihe.-.Only Ford’s strength enabled liiiii to cross the line to score;carrying'the British full-back over with him. The best movements of the match were towards the end. One that was tvpicnl of, New Zealand play was wh<jn six of .the .British forwards handled the hall in a movement straight down the field, beating the demoralised defence for Hodgson,to score a try. Earlier, Reeve had fielded a high- cross mint from Bowcott at full 'pace,, giving Grossman no chance. > 1 r The British forwards in this game were all English and Irish. Beamish, Farrell and Wilkinson particularly impressed. ■ 1 .- > ; : • THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM. I _ ... . s ; FOR, SATURDAY’S TEST. SYDNEY, Aug. 24. The Australian team to play, Britain net Saturday, is as .follows :—; ' • • Full-back :■ Ross. 1 p-Three-quarters:;? McGhie, Towers, King and Crossman. - Five-eighths: Lawton and Malcolm. T- T nlf: Tliomeso'n. • = • ” Forwards: Bonis, CVrutti, Finlay. Storey,; Breckenridge, J. Ford, Palfreyman. SYDNEY, Aug. 25. Tn the New South Wales.team, Malcolm was-captain.- Egan was omitted and Storey included among the fori wards. . .. . . The “Sunday Press” declares the Britishers eomnlotel’v overwhelmed New South Wales and prtv a tribute to their clever handling, running arid all-round superiority, although the first spell provided many thrills. ' ’

It then transpired that several members had not seen the report, that the Board had only two copies, of which one liad been sent to the chairman. It ■#as also pdinted out'that if representatives of the Board had to go to Wellington to discuss the report, they should know tlie Board’s .attitude before they went. MINISTER’S TELEGRAM. The secretary (Mr (Jims. ivii’K) reported that his telegram to the Minister (the Hon. Li. Atmore) stressing the need for additional copies of tlie report, had brought forth the lollowing reply : The Board’s protest is quite uncalled for, as it should not he .difficult to understand that oniy a,.limited number of copies off tlie firse section of tlie report would l.e printed, and it is impossible to send /a larger number co "Boards at tlie present time. When the next section is presented to the House the report will be in one binding and then further'copies will be sent As a matter of courtesy the chairman received the only copy available at that time. If possible, a few more copies will lie sent. Jt was then decided to suspend judgment on the remainder of the subcommittee's report, and if the eoulevened was to be held in Wellington liefore the next ordinary meeting, to call a special one, so that the Board could define its attitude.

Mr C. S. Thompson: We have had two copies of the report for five weeks, why couldn’t we have had a special meeting of the Board to discuss the report.*' The chairman: You can’t blame the officers of‘the Board.

Mr Thompson: 1 don’t. I blame the members.

Mr R. Wild said that Mr Thompson should not infer' that* lie had liilcl' tlie chairman’s copy all the time. ' Mr Thompson : T never meant to.

Messrs Banks (chairman), Thompson and the ' secretary were appointed to represent the conference of Education Boards in AAellington.

CLAUSES DEALT AVITH. The four following recommendations in the Select Committee’s report were dealt with:— 1. That the termination of the primary school course he at 11 plus or after passing Standard IV.. - , It was resolved-to endorse this- ; recommendation. • 2. That the age to which thje education of a child is required by law, be raised from 14 to 15 years, with provision for exemption in cases of hardship. It was. resolved to endorse this recommendation with the addition of the words “or qualification for a leaving certificate.”

3. That intermediate classes should form part of the education system, and that the types of schools or classes, as suggested' by Air Garrard, be recommended to the Government as a basis. ' It was resolved to endorse this recommendation.

4. The committee therefore recommends; further consolidation of schools and classes where practicable, so as to, ensure an adequate education, particularly for children in ' rural districts,/. It Was resolved : to endorse. the recommendation provided the whole, cost is found by the Government. CobdenA memorandum was received from the Hon. Minister enclose ing copy of letter received from the N'.Z. Returned Soldiers- Association; regarding the renting of the Cobdenschool building for. public functions;. The Minister pointed out that in accordance ’ with sub-Section 7 of Section 49 of the Act, the school building could be used outside of school hours upon such terms as the Committee might prescribe, but such use must be subject to the by-laws of the Board, ft was resolved to inform’the Minister that this matter had already been investigated by the Board and the mein, hers felt that those applying for the use of the school building for small functions would not be likely to engage the private hall owing to the fact that profits would be lessened by the higher rental required.

Evan’s Creek:—Mr H. S. Bignell reported that, subject to the Board’s approval, he had authorised the Committee to expend the sum of £5 on the removal of the barb wire fence oil Northern boundary of school site and the construction of a plain wire fence along Southern bank of Evan’s Creek, to enable pupils to obtain access to an adjacent leVel piece of playing ground owned by the - Westland County. confirmed. . Humphreys :—On the recomendation of Mr H. J. Bignell it was resolved to sanction the provision of a wash-house and fuel shed at the residence, at a cost of £27 10s. -• ' • *

Ngahere :—The Committee wrote recording its appreciation of the tious manner in which its, requests for erection of a shelter shed, tool shed and a new front fence had ■been dealt with. ; \-

It was resolved-to-state, in responso. to an application 1 for the erectionof a teacher’s residence, that the proposal would be included in the list of •urgent works for the current financial fyear. Arahura Road Authority given for provision of modern windows in botli class rooms to improve lighting and ventilation ; the Committee to be advised that in present financial curcum-. stances the Board is unable to sanction the installation of a folding partition inplhce of the existing movables screens (cost £45.)