EDUCATION BOARD OF THE WESTLAND DISTRICT.

Kumara Times, Issue 2602, 8 January 1885, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD OF THE WESTLAND DISTRICT.

The first meeting of the new Education Board of the District of Westlaud was held in the County Council Chambers, Hokitika, on Tuesday evening, the 6th inst., at 8 p.m.; presentMessrs R. J. Seddoo, M'L. W. Jack, H. R Rae, R. C. Reid, F. Dale,. G. Mueller. The following report of the proceedings is from the West Coast Times:— Mr Jack briefly proposed Mr Rae as Chairman of the Board. That gentleman had borne the heat and burden of the day in getting the Act passed. Mr Dale seconded. Mr Rae said that there were other gentlemen on the Board more qualified than he was for the position. The County work had much increased aud the work of the Board would interfere with his duties as County Clerk. He must beg to decline the position. Mr Reid was sorry Mr Rae had declined. He, however, would propose Mr Mueller, who had done good service in former Boards. Mr Seddon seconded the motion. Mr Mueller declined the honor. Mr Rae proposed and Mr Dale seconded that Mr Seddon be Chairman of the Board. Mr Jack supported the motion, but Mr Seddon did not live near the Board's offices, aud was away a great portion of the year. [Mr M'Whirter took his seat at this stage of the proceedings.] Mr Seddon said he hoped Mr Rae would have taken the position. He was on the spot and not likely to be away. However, he (Mr Seddon) was willing to accept the position temporarily. The motion was then put and carried. Mr Seddon took the chair and thanked the Board for the honor conferred. He laid before them a return showing that the Board's income be stated roughly at £5300. There would be very little left for admistrative expenses. He might say that as regarded the larger schools there might be a small profit, but the smaller schools were often carried on at a loss. It would be wrong for the Board to provide school accessories free. Then the expenditure in connection with the hook depot should be done away with. The teachers should be allowed to supply books under the supervision of the Board. In the past the Board had also lost money through the manner in which registers were kept. The teachers now were not the teachers of the Board, and would have to be reappointed. A saving might be effected by reducing the number of teachers in some of the schools. The Board nii«ht appoiut one person to act as Secretary and Inspector. Hitherto Westland's administrative expenditure had been high. In Marlborough they borrowed an Inspector from the Nelson district. The Board might lend their Inspector to the Grey district. If they advertised for an Inspector it would cause loss of time, and a report would have to be sent in by March. The late Inspector, Mr Smith, was a man of ability and experience. The first business would be to adopt Standiug Orders. Mr M'Whirter moved and Mr Mueller seconded the adoption of the Standing Orders in force under the old Board.—Carried. Mr Jack moved and Mr Dale seconded that Mr Duncan be appointed secretary pro tem. Mr Reid did not know whether Mr Duncan would accept the appointment. He would suggest that Mr South be' appointed. He would like to see Mr South or someoue permanently appointed. After some further discussion, Mr Rae consented to take the minutes until the question was decided. Several telegrams and letters from Mr Hislop (Secretary of Education), were read and received. A letter was received from Mr Smith, offering to act as Inspector of Schools, or Inspector aud Secretary. Received. Letter from Secretary Education Board, Greymouth, forwarding list of books, &c, belonging to the Westland Board. It was resolved that the election of School Committees take place on Monday, 26th inst., at S p.m., and the first meetings take place on Wednesday, 28th January; also that the regula' tions of election of the old Board be adopted. It was then resolved to ballot out two members as provided by the Act. A ballot resulted in the balloting out of Messrs Dale and M'Whirter. A discussion took place as to the appointment of a secretary and inspector. The Chairman at length supported tlifiappoiitt.iuc.il?. ..f V.-.- -mMi, as inspector and secretary. Jio moved, that

Mr Smith receive the appointment of Secretary and Inspector, at £3OO a year. Mr Reid seconded the motion. He did not think the appointment of Mr Smith could be improved upon. Mr Rae felt very sore at the conduct of Mr Smith. He moved an amendment that applications for the appointment of Inspector and Secretary at a salary of £3OO a year, be invited. Mr Jack seconded the amendment. The Board would get a larger selection if they gave publicity to their requirements. No one dreamt the Board were going to decide on the appointments to-night. Mr M'Whirter said the drawback was the loss of time involved if it were carried. Speaking of Mr Smith, he did not see that gentleman had ever been a partisan. Mr Dale said the Board knew Mr Sale was an applicant for the office, and it would bo unfair to fill it that evening. But a month's delay was too long; under the circumstances he would oppose the amendment. The amendment was lost. Mr Jack referred to the repeated eulogies of Mr Smith by the Chairman. Applications should be called, if only local ones. He did not care about a hole-aDd-corner way of doing things. He moved another amendment that the consideration of this question be held over till Friday next, and in the meantime applications for the appointment ba called for. It was strange after the abuse of the Grey Board, this new Board should take up one of their instruments. Mr Mueller seconded ihe amendment, as by outsiders it would be construed as rather strange to make the appointment suddenly without calling for applications for it. Mr M'Whirter supported the amendment, which was carried on a division, Messrs Reid and the Chairman voting in the negative. On the motion of Mr Jack, seconded by Mr Dale, it was resolved to ask Mr Duncan to act as secretary, pro tern, Mr .South, who was asked, declining to act temporarily. The thanks of the Board were passed to Mr South, Returning Officer, for the manner in which he had carried out the election. The Chairman, Messrs Rae, Mueller, and Reid were appointed a finance committee, to report to the Board on Friday. The meeting then adjourned until Friday, at 7.30 p.m.