SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1037, 10 December 1912, Page 3

SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL.

A GENEROUS DONATION

At last night’s Council meeting a letter was read from Mr Hornblow, chairman of the school committee, asking for some financial assistance in connectr'i with the carrying out of ground improvements at the local school, and in connection with the application the Mayor introduced a deputation consisting of Messrs Hornblow and Jackson. The Mayor said that he felt sure that the application would be favourably received by the Council. ' The school grounds were a credit to the town and district and it was the duty of the Council to give the school committee all the help in their power.

Mr Hornblow said that it was the first time that the committee had approached the Council for any assistance, and he therefore hoped the application would be favourably considered. The school ground improvements had already cost the committee a large sum of money and they had recently incurred another liability amounting to for further levelling the ground. A sum of ,£IOB had beeu granted by the Education Board towards the cost of improving the grounds ou condition that a further or was provided by the committee. Their finances at present were iu a parlous condition, as they had liabilities of about and they also required a further In order to supplement their funds an entertainment had been arranged for the 18th instant, and the assistance they asked from the Council was that the hall should be given them free of charge and also half a programme of pictures the other part of the programme being provided by the scholars at the school.

Mr Jackson said that in previous years the whole programme was provided by the children and the teachers would have been only too pleased to have done the same this year, but on account of the lateness of the examinations and sickness among the teachers they had had great difficulty in raising the first part. The deputation then withdrew.

The Mayor said that i£ the Council granted the free use of the hall and portion of a picture programme it would be opening up a very big question and establishing a precedent, the result of which would be further similar applications from various bodies and societies. He would like to see it finally laid down that the free, use of the hall would not be granted except for charitable purposes and perhaps the local school. The school committee had all his sympathy in their efforts to improve the grounds etc,, and perhaps the best way to deal with the matter would be to inform them that an application for a donation would be favourably considered. Cr Coley said perhaps it would be better to grant a donation out of the Town Hall Fund, He asked if this would be legal.

The Tovvu Clerk said that donations could only be made from the general laud, in which ,£SO was allowed for “ unauthorised expenditure.” Cr Coley said he would like to see a donation granted straight out —a substantial one, a pound or two was no good. Cr Speirs agreed that the best way would be to give a donation. Cr Whibley said that there was no doubt that the work being done by the Committee was deserving of encouragment and he favoured giving a donation and letting the Committee pay for the hall.

Cr Chrystall moved and Cr Speirs seconded that the Borough Council grant a donation of £5 towards the school funds. The mover said that although it was a deserving object, they must be just before they were generous, and he thought was as much as they could afford. Cr Coley said that was uot enough and he wouldn’t support the motion unless the amount was altered to ,£lO. Cr Speirs said he seconded the motion because all the Committee asked for was the free use of the hall and half a picture programme. The rent of the hall would uot amount to and no doubt the Council would write to Messrs Fuller and Sons and endeavour to get the pictures free of cost.

Cr Hannah said he would favour making the donation £s, provided they could get the pictures free, and if they had to pay for the pictures then the donation could be made a little bigger. Cr Richmond said he would favour a ,£lO donation and let the Committee pay for the hall and pictures, Cr Whibley said he would sooner give £lO and be done with it. The object was a worthy one, as the school grounds were a credit, not only to the Committee and teachers, but also to the children themselves and their efforts were deserving of every encouragement. The Mayor did not think £5 was enough. He agreed with Cr Whibley that the grounds were a credit to the children, teachers and Committee. It the mover would agree to having the amount of the donation altered to he would support it. Cr Chrystall said he was not in favour of increasing the amount. It they had a good concert the proceeds would be sufficient for their requirements, as they only wanted £25. As an amendment Cr Richmond moved and Cr Whibley seconded that a donation of ,£lO be granted the School Committee for their

ground fund, and that they be informed that the Council cannot grant the free use of the hall. On being put to the meeting the amendment was carried.