NASEBY DISTRICT SCHOOL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 379, 16 June 1876, Page 3

NASEBY DISTRICT SCHOOL.

{To the Editor of the Mount Ida Cheonicle. Sir,—l have been credibly informed that only one meeting of the Naseby District. School Committee has taken place since the present Committee took office iu January last. If this be true, and I have no reason to doubt it, there must be mismanagement somewhere, and an injustice is being, done to the public generally, and to the teachers and pupils particularly. It was only by great exertion on the part of some of the members of Committee that a muster took place on the first Monday of April. _ All were present, and, with one exception, were exceedingly anxious to go on with the business; but, instead of this being done, an hour was spent listening to tlie.Clerk frantically declaiming against some imaginary grievance. He drew to a close by declaring the meeting illegal, as it had not besn duly called, in terms of the Education Ordnance, 18SA, which says, the " Clerk shall convene all meetings of the Committee, by causing three days' previous notice to be given to each member." One member, evidently desirous of peace and quietness, proposed that the meeting adjourn. This was seconded and carried, and may now be looked upon as one of the minute book cunosities. The same thing took place on the 2nd March, 1874 (see ' Chronicle,' 6th March, 1874), with this difference, that on the more recent occasion}-the Clerk himself drew the attention ofuihe Committee to his own omission, and for this neglect he was asked to resign, but declined. The JSTaseby school is a large one, aud if only one meet ing has been held this year who is to blame? I saw no financial statement for the year 1875—why? The Ordinance' says, "Accounts of Treasurer shall be rendered to, and audited by, every Committee, previous to their retiring from office." Is the present Committee a legally constituted one ? Some of the Committee will probably answer the question. I have no desire .to quibble, but wish, with your permission, to state ' a few facts, and ask a few questions. Did the Clerk again get up a meeting of. Committee on Monday last, and transact business, without giving due notice to each member? If so, the Clerk, is to blame, and the members who were present should not have constituted themselves a meeting, and, whatever may again be entered in the minute book, can only be looked upon as another " minute book curiosity." Eour members were absent on Monday evening. Probably they met somewhere else, and transacted school business, in which case some of our speculative tradesmen may soon be doing a roaring trade in skullcrackers. This public institution, Mr. Editor, seems to take care of itself very much, and the good intentions of the majority of the Committee are frequently thwarted by the spite and animosity of a private nature of teachers and individuals who should be above such contemptible conduct. There can be no doubt that a strict adherence trt the provisions of the Education Ordiuance would prevent a great deal of the petty ill-feeling which exists between teachers and certain members of Committee. No teacher has the least cause to be ridden roughshod over, and the Committee's duty is to adhere to the Ordinance themselves, and take care that the teachers do so. All this can be done pleasantly.—l am, &c., iEoLUS.