LOCAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Kumara Times, Issue 1774, 8 June 1882, Page 2

LOCAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the Local School Committee was held on Monday evening last; present—Air Cain (in the chair), Messrs Campbell, Davies, Stanton, and Voysey. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The outward correspondence was read and approved of, and the inward read and received. It was resolved that forms of the third schedule of the Education Act be filled in with the names of parents or guardians of children not attending schools ; said form to be signed by the Secretary to the Committee and then given to the police to serve such notices in conformity with the “ Regulations of Police Department for Enforcement of Compulsory Clauses of the Education Act, 1877.” The following is a copy of Third Schedule of the Education Act referred to : To A.B. You are hereby required to send your child C.D., between the ages of seven and thirteen years' to a public school; and if you fail to do so you will be summoned before two Justices of the Peace to answer for such neglect. If your said child is (1) under efficient instruction otherwise than at a public school, or (2) if it is prevented from attending school by sickness or unavoidable cause, or (;>) if the road between the child’s residence and the nearest public school is not sufficiently passable for your child, or (4) if you have obtained a certificate in writing from a Government Inspector of Schools or the master of any public school that your child has reached the standard of education prescribed by the Regulations, and if you satisfy the School Committee of any of these facts, you will receive a certificate exempting you from sending your child to school. ° The Regulations of the Police Department for Enforcement of the < !ompulsory Clauses of the Education Act, 1877. are as follow ; Ihe Police will cautiously ascertain if on their beats, patrols, or sections, there are any children over seven and under thirteen years of age not attending school, in contravention of the law ; and, if so, they will make a note of the facts, taking the names of the parents, or guardians, at the same time (if necessary) explaining to them the law relative to school attendance. In cases where the law is being contravened, reports thereof are to bo made so that the School Committee, or Clerk thereto, may issue notices as provided by the Act, Third Schedule. If, after the service of these notices, the contraventions still continue, reports are again to be. made, so that the School Committee, or Clerk, may institute proceedings. J. he Police will serve both notices and summonses ; attend Court to prove cases; and render such assistance as they can to the Education Committees in enforcing ! the compulsory clauses of the Act. lu icply to an application the Committee notify that they still adhere to

theii former resolution re grant to teachers for cleaning their schools and finding firewood for same.

The Report of the Visiting Committee for the last month was received and adopted. The following is the report: Repost of the Visiting Committee to the Kumara Education Committee.

Gentlemen—We visited the Kumara School on the 20th May, and found the work of the school going on smoothly. We found that Mrs Williams the head female teacher had been absent some days through illness. All the other teachers were busily at work. But it was quite otherwise with a large number of pupils. On making inquiry from Mr Woodward! as to the, cause of so many children, especially in the higher standards, being absent, we were informed that it has become a regular practice with a large number of parents to keep their larger boys at home on Friday afternoons to chop firewood, &c. We requested Mr Woodward to furnish the committee with a list of the most irregular attendants. We would strongly recommend this committee to try and find some means of personally remonstrating with the parents of such irregular attendants prior to putting the law in force. If it is not found convenient to interview the parents, we think the next best plan would be to call a public meeting re education matters generally. The deplorable state of the finances for educational purposes in Westland wants looking into, and the people want rousing from their careless attitude. At such a meeting the head teacher and the committee could urge upon parents the importance of their children regularly attending school, and it is high time the people were made acquainted with the treatment we receive from the Central. Board, and expressed an opinion thereon.' F. Barrowman, Thos. C. Cain. It was resolved that Mr M'Whirter’s notice be drawn to the dangerous holes at Kumara School, and to the state of the playground. Also that he be asked to supply a bead frame for the use of the Westbrook School. The Secretary was instructed to write to Mr B. J, Seddon, M.H.R., requesting him to co-operate with the other members of the House of Representatives, and do all in his power to get an increased allowance for School Committees. The Secretary was also requested to get prices for the lining of the Westbrook School, and get it done without delay. Tlu-ee months’ leave of absence was giimted to Mr R. J. Seddon, member of the Local School Comraitteee, It was resolved that the Schools be granted two weeks holiday in midwinter. The Secretary was authorised to order firewood for the Kumara School. It was resolved that, a public meeting be held to discuss educational matter? ; said meeting to be held with the consent of his Worship the Mayor, in the Town Hall, on Monday, 12th inst., at 8 o’clock in the evening; and that Mr E. Rae, of Hokitika, be invited to attend. The Secretary reported having received the sum of £4 from the Circus Company for. the use of the school ground. This concluded the business of the meeting.