EDUCATION COMMITTEE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 26, 31 January 1881, Page 2

EDUCATION COMMITTEE.

LOWER MOUTERE. The election of a School Coriimittee for the Lower Moutere district took place on Monday evening, when a larger number of householders attended than haa heen the case before. Mr H. Tarrant was appointed Chairman, and as Chairman and clerk of the late Committee read the following report:— tl Your Committee hate met monthly throughout the year for the transaction of ordinary business, and have also held two special meetings. Your Committee are glad to be in a position to congratulate the householders upon the continued satisfactory teaching of the school, as shown by the Inspector's late report, the number of children in the aggregate who passed the three higher Standards IV., V., and VI. being greater than in any of the other country schools. All those presented for the highest Standard, No. VI, having passed, shows tbat the teaching power of the school is as high as is required. Your Committee have also to congratulate the publio upon the erection of a master's new house, which, in addition to housing the master and bis family comfortably, is also an ornament to the district, but in doing co have to regret the refusal of the Education Board (from some unexplained cause) to grant a sufficient amount for fencing and improving the ground around the school in such manner as the Committee were desirous of having it done, this refusal being the more unaccountable after a member of the Board (afc the Board's request) having inspcted the place, and reported in favor of Committee's application. The erection of the new house has enabled your Committee to throw one room of the old one into the schoolroom, thus increasing the school accommodation and making the teaching less irksome and more efficient, but to do this an amount has had to be advanced out of the Committee's contingent fund. Additional desks and forms are absolutely necessary, but hitherto the Committee have been unable to obtain funds from the Education Board to supply this want " The balance sheet was then read Bhowing a balance of jE4 17s to the, credit of the Committee with liabilities to nearly that amount. The report and balance sheet were adopted, and a vote of thanks to the retiring Committee was unanimously carried. The meeting then proceeded to the election of a new Committee, three of the retiring members declining to be . re-elected. Messrs, Edelsten and Deck were appointed scrutineers, and the election was declared to have fallen on Messrs H.A. Tarrant, W. A. Herrick, J. S. Edelsten, J. Drummond junr., A. R. Edwards, W. Cresswell, and, J. Jamieson. , A long discussion ensued as to the desirability of the compulsory sections of the Education Act being enforced to compel the attendance of all children of school age, the mover in tbe matter pointing out tbat no children from one family iv the district ever attended school. The following resolution was ultimately carried: — " That the Chairman of the meeting visit the father of the family referred to and endeavour to induce him to send his children to school, and that in the event (after such visit) of such children nofc attending, this meeting recommends the School^ Committee to enforce the compulsory sections of the Education Acfc 1877." The meeting having concluded with a vote of thanks to the Chairman, tho newly elected Committee met and appointed Mr H. A. Tarrant Chairman and Clerk for the ensuing year, and requested him to renew the amplication of the late Committee to the Education Board for a sufficient amount for obtaining the desks and forms required for the school,

It is estimated (says the lnangahua Times) that during the late "holiday days in Reeiton, fully jSloeO was diverted from the ordinary ChanUels of business to purposes incident to the season. The inevitable "Art Union," has of course, once more opened its ponderous jaws and taken the largest hite from the public pocket. Then there has been the customary but far more legitimate round oi bazaars, picnics, and school outings, besides entertainments of various kinds. There is no doubt that all this is in a measure significant of the general well-being of the community, bufc as far as regards the destination of the bulk of the money thus expended or lavished, it becomes a ripe question as to how far this annual jerking afc the purse-strings of the people is permissible or even consistent with a healthy condition of private life. We refer now more particularly to what are termed " Art Unions.*" It was only tbe other •uay that a rhan in Reefton endeavored fco "Art Union " a horse and cart and a cow. It would be difficult to say what particular denomination of " Art " a spavined horse or kicking cow fall under, but the effort, for a wonder, did not succeed, tear by year these so called " Art Unions " are becoming more and thore intolerable, and a great blessing would be conferred upon the community if some effort was made to suppress them. They are at the best of times unwholesome exactione uj-on the people, and owiDg to the dazzling and seductive dress with which they come before the publio, they' mop una heap of money wbich otherwise might find its Way to a long suffering butcher, baker, or storekeeper. We have the authority of the Patea May for stating that an action for alleged breach of promise of marriage by Mr J. B. Fisher, M.H.R., is soon to afford fun for those ladies whose hearts haven't been broken, and for those swains who have not had tbe courage to make a promise yet. The jilted plaintifl in this case lays her damages at two thousand pounds. Her heart must have been river beyond the power of love's medicine to heal when nothing less than two thousand poundf will compensate for a husband who had nol tbe virtue of constancy. Actions of this sori are a mistake. If a man cannot or will no' perform his pledge, or if a woman is equally insincere, ifc is better for both parties that £ bad bargain has fallen through in time tc prevent life-long misery. The Chicago Daily News of December 2( sa yg ._ The doctors are puzzled and interested by a peculiar Case on the West Side A fourteen-year-old son of Wm. Crawford captain of a tug boat, bas for seveu years been sweating blood at times, and lately hai had severe attacks which alarmed his parents His infirmity comes on him usually aftei taking cold. Great black patches appear ot his body, from which blood drops, the size of a pinhead, exude. Blood flows from hii mouth, nose, ears) stomach, and even fron his bladder and kidneys. No pain accompanies these discharges, but they make hi. blood thin and weaken him. Sudden frighi or excitement will easily check the flow. He ie mentally bright, and Ills father, mother brothers and sisters are strong and healthy Tbe physicians, wbo bave taken an interest in bis case, propose sending him to Edinburgh and London, for examination by the Academj of Surgeons. An English bachelor saw a handsomelydressed young lady on a Boston street and was told that she was the daughter of t wealthy merchant. He became acquainted and tbe girl, knowing the woman whe watched the interests of a an elegant house whose owners were at the seashore, was permitted hy her to receive him there. She also gave bim dinners there, hiring waiters She told him that her parents were ir Europe. He proposed, was accepted, anc found that the wife he had wou was a shop girl. rl Cooper & Bailey'a baby elephant, whict has been tbe great card of their season, now tips the beam at 1,000 pounds, and is growing too fast to continue a novelty. Cooper has just sold out his share in the circus foi 45,000 dollars to Bailey, who will soon shij bis show to England. A Wellington tradesman, Mr G. Thomas advertises in the Post that he has been com pelled to remove his corn store from Hunterstreet into Featherston-streefc, " on accouut of the rats." Able-bodied cats and Scotch terriers are said to be in brisk demand in the Empire City.