Education Board.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 123, 29 April 1885, Page 2

Education Board.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Wanganui Education Board was held yesterday. Present — Messrs Watt (chair), Sanson, Bridge, Carson, Baker, Bate, Fry, and Rev. Mr Ross. Mr John Stevens took his seat as a new member. Mr Brown being indisposed, Mr Vereker Bindon acted as Secretary. Appoinments Committee. — Stoney Creek — Miss Poberts was appointed as pupil teacher. Palmerston — Resolved that Miss Schofield be appointed third assistant at Palmerston. Minutes. — The minutes of the previous meeting were amended in the way of stating that Mrs Harvey be offered the post of assistant at Terrace End school. Parawanui. — On the question of securing a title to a section of land at Parawanui, a discussion ensued. — Mr Stevens , said that Mr McKelvie would be quite willing to grant a transfer as soon as possible, and he was taking steps to have this executed at once. I Playgrounds. — The Feilding committee asked the Board to reconsider the question of purchasing the vacant section next to the school. — Mr Sanson moveed that the Board offer MO towards the purchase of the section, and let the Committee make the best arrangement they can for purchasing it. The parents should be expected to contribute towards the purchasing money. He believed it could be bought for £80. It was absolutely necessary that a play-ground should be available. — Mr Fry seconded the proposal. He considered the children needed a play-ground. He considered, too, that the parents should assist in purchasing the ground. — Mr Baker would move an amendment. A better argument than any put forward was that Bulls had had money for a ! play-ground, but in the present circumstances the Board could not afford to find play -grounds. If the parents wanted their children to have room to play, they should find the money for the land. He moved that the Board do not offer i-50. — Mr Carson pointed out that this was a direct negative. — Rev. Mr Ross said that some of their had . been very badly placed for play-grounds. In Marton they had purchased half an acre for a play-ground. In Bulls they had to get a play-ground. At Feilding the position was such that he should be inclined to get a ground if possible. He thought that a committee, consisting of Messrs Sanson, Fry, and Stevens should visit Feilding and report, or else the Inspector could give them his opinion. — Mr Bridge did not think the Board should spend money on school sites. The funds of the Board were sufficiently \ strained already. — The chairman said the position of the Board was peculiar, as they had in the past given money for play-grounds. They had granted grounds here and there, and he thoughtjit would be difficult in a few years to secure playgrounds. He considered that MSO might be given. — Mr Carson thought it would have been all right to have grannted this if they had had money to spare. It was a question now whether they had a right to do this under the present circumstances. They should not overstep the mark, nor get into the mess that the Napier Board were in. Play-grounds would not be a very good excuse for such a trouble. — Mr Sanson having replied, the motion was put and carried, Messrs Sanson, Stevens, Ross, and Fry j voting in favor of it. Finance. — Mr Fry thought it would be as well if the state of the finances was reported at the beginning of each meeting of the Board. He moved that it be read after the minutes of each meeting. — Mr Stevens thought it desirable that the members and the public should be aware of the state of the finances, and he saw no reason why the same state of things should exist with regard to the Board as existed with other public bodies. If they wished to retain the confidence of the public, they should let the public know exactly what was done with the Board's|money ; it was public money, and the public had the right to know what was done with its money. — The Chairman thought it would be adding to the work of the Board's Secretary. — Messrs Carson and Bridge could not see that it would do this. — Mr Bate thought it would not take him five minutes to get it ready and read. — The resolution was put and earned. Mangaone. — The committee wrote asking for or £2 ) to clear the school section. . The work was urgent. The lobby of the schoolhouse acquired closing a little. — The Inspector said he had visited the place a week ago, and thought the ground needed attention. — Mr Sanson moved that the Board grant £ for £ up to ilO for clearing and fencing the section, the committee to be informed that in small matters the committee | must find the money themselves.