KING COUNTRY SCHOOLS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 564, 3 May 1913, Page 5

KING COUNTRY SCHOOLS.

UNDER AUCKLAND BOARD. REPORT BY CHAIRMAN. At the meeting of the Board of Education on Wednesday the following report was read by the chairman,Mr Garland, as the result of a visit of inspection he had paid to the King Country schools in company with the architect, Mr J. Farrell.

Matiere. —The chairman, Mr Taylor, received roe. and I inspected the school grounds and'building. The committee asked that the board shoull make a special grant for the purpose of completing the enclosure of the five acres. I recommend the board to make a grant of £5 accordingly. Re the old cottage left on the ground by previous occupier: I recommend that the cottage Bhould be given to the committee, and that they be instructed to sell it for removal and devote the money to I improvements to the school ground. The committee spoke to me about the closing of the Whenuakura school, and asked when that achool is closed to have the desks removed to the Matiere school, where they can be used. Mr Farrell will report regarding repairs and addition to school. The boundaries of the Matiere and Niho Niho districts have aleady been laid before the board in a plan supplied by Mr Taylor, chairman, and he suggests that the board should gazette the boundaries as stated by his committee.

Niho Niho.—Mr C. A. Manning is the local manager. He has given the board one and a quarter acres, and it is a verv nice level site and the land is very good, authorised two and a half chains of fencing to divide the school playground from the paddock where the horses ire kept, as a large number of children have to ride to school. The cost would be £2 ss. W8 aIBO authorised the flooring of the shelter shed and a new tank, to cost approximately £4 ss.

These things, in my opinion, were absolutely essential, and sjould have been attended to before. Mr Manning asks that this school district should be separated from the Matiere school distict, but after I had explained to him that the settlerß in his district could attend tke meeting of _ householders and get some of their own people on the committee he seemed to be more satisfied, and promised that he would see the parents of the children attending the school and endeavour to get them to attend the meeting of householders and if possible obviate the necessity for two school districts. It seems that the people of Niho Niho have spent over £42 in cash on the building, and they are very anxious now to have the school made full time. The school is only part time, having four days per week,-and the Turoto road school two days per week. From my observation I consider that it is a reasonable request, and if possible I recommend the board to grant it. For last month, I was informed, the average was 22. Ohura Mr W. IC. Williams, chairman met me and we looked over the school, which is a credit not only to the teacher, but to the committee and the board. There were sundry requirements, which the architect, who was present, gave instructions should be attended to. In regard to the front gate, Mr Williams promised to give two large gate posts, which would be worth at least £l, if the board would grant £3 103 for a new gats, and the committee would put the posts in and erect the gates themselvps. I agreed that I would recommend the board to make a rgant for that purpose. The committee want a grant for fencing at the north - west end of the school grounds. The estimated cost is £6, and I recommend the board to grant that suuj for the purpose. There are also two other sections of land—one of a quarter acre and one of one acre. Both these sections should be fenced, and to accomplish this it will cost approximately £l7. The children attending the school ride very long distances gome of them as much as six miles every day and in order that their horses should have some accommodation I am strongly of opinion that the board should make this grant to enclose the property for the benefit of the children who are so anxious to come long distances to school. It is thought that if the chairman of board were" to see the Commissioner of Crown Lands another acre of land might be secured which lies alongside the acre which has already been granted. This I propose to undertake at my earliest convenience. The fencing of the extra acre would only cost another £3. That can come on later when I make the report as to whether we can obtain the extra acre from the Crown Lands Department. The committee are hard working and painstak-

ing, and deserve the best that the board can bestow upon them, as the cause of edudcation is deep-rooted in their minds. Turoto Road. — Mr Carrie is the local manager of the Turoto road halftime school. There are five children in attendance. The sohool is taught half-time with the Niho Nihu school. I informed Mr Carrie that in my opinion the Turoto road school should be closed, and I informed him that the only thing the board could do would be to establish a "household" school. He said he would endeavour to secure the services of a young man now in the employ of Mr Manning, of Niho Niho. I recommended that this matter should stand over until written communications are obtained from

Mr Carrie. Tokirima Road.—l met Mr Ramsay, chairman, and discussed the various matters connected with his school. The district is a really fine one, but the settlers are far apart. What the board has done has been in the right direction. There are many things required, and I informed the chairman that I would recommend the board to make a grant of £5 for the purpose of enclosing the school ground to accommodate the horses of the children attending the school from long distances. There is a five-acre j section. The architect will also make

a report regarding the building and the requirements in the school. The report also dealt with Taumarunui and Taringamutu schools, and the matter of establishing a school at Okahukara.

On the motion of Mr Greenslade the whole of the recommendations were adopted.