EDUCATION BOARD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue XVI, 3 November 1881, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD.

Tbe Board met at 10 o'clock this morning. Present: Meters Btrnieoat (chairman), Rout, Shephard, Graham, Deacker, Campbell, and tbe Rev J. C. Andrew. Mr Deck was appointed master of the Pangatotara school at from tbe Ist October. Mr Burrell was appointed master of tke Central Buller school to take office oa tho Ist December ntxt. Mr Langford wss appointed master of the Dovedale school to take office on .tk« Ist December next. Mrs Suiafed was appointed mistress af tha Charleston Girls' Sshool from the Ist inst. House allowance of £2i per annam tc be made. Miss Alexandsr was appointed probationer at Motueka school from Ist October. A letter was received from Mr Boyes, of Motupipi re the fencing and lease of land, and his offer was accepted. I A letter was read from the Committee calling attention to certain repairs and improvements that are required. Con sideration deferred until the next meeting of the Board. , An application tor an assistant teacher at Appleby was refused, on the ground that the average attendance was not up to the required number. An application for an assistant teacher at Lower Wakefield was received, and tbe consideration deferred until the return of the Inspector. On the question of leave to the Secretary to go to the front coming under consideration, Mr Ellis said that he asked Mr Barnicoat and Mr Rout for leave to go, considering that he was compelled to do so. Capt. Bunny came in at the time and asked if he was going and hs said. "Yea," when Captain Brinnyi replied, "All right, but if not I can get a substitute for yon," and went on U say that ha thought he could get Mr Richardson. Upon hearing this Mr Barnicoat acd Mr Rout said they thought he should hot go, and that if he did so it would "be without leave.— Mr Barnicoat said tbat he gathered from Mr Ellis that he did not wish to go aDd it was only necessary for him (Mr B.) to express a desire that hs should not go to settle the matter, and therefore he did so. Learning from Captain Bunny that it was not absolutely necessary for Kr Ellit to go ha fait that he was doing hit duty to the Boari in sxprening a wish that he ihoskl not go, though he did not thiak that anything he could say coald alter the result, fer if it was voluntary, Mr Ellis' evident with would settle it ; if compulsory, nothing that he could say could stop his goiDg.— Mr Ellis : That ia exactly how the matter stood. If compulsory I should be obliged to go ; if not I did not care to go jußt for the sake of going.— Mr Shephard :Mr Ellis, whether intentionally or not, conveys the imprestion to my mind tbat Captain Bunny wanted to get rid of him in order to substitute Mr Richardson; iv fact, that he would prefer that he did not go. — Mr Rout : That's just what I thought, and that Captain Bunny was puttiDg questions leading up to that point.— Mr Dencker thought it would have been better if many heads of families bad used their discretion in the matter. — Mr Rout looked upon the whole thing as illegal and irregular. The proclamation at the time of the Volunteers going, even if signed, was not published, and it was simply a ruse on the part of Ministers to get the Volunteers out That tbeir attendance was not compulsory waa shown by Col. Reader's telegram. He did not think that any public men ought to have gone to the detriment of the public service. He blamed the Press Association, Major Pitt, and the Evening Mail for tbe whole thing.— Mr Barnicoat : I have told you exactly what I did. If you think I am deserving of being held up to public soorn and execration for what I taid, you had better pass a yote to that effect. [Members: No, no."]— Mr Graham: I nnflsrstand tbat Mr Ellis gaye Mr Barnicoat distinctly to

I understand that he did not wish to go, and that in accordance with that wish be expressed his opinion. [A mixed conversation here ensued which it was impossible to follow ] Mr Ellis: it seems to be thought that I did cot go because I was afraid, bo I apply for leave now.— Mr Shephard: Nobody has attributed tvant of courage to Mr Ellis. The explanation affordud ha 3 made everything clear, and I think we had now better let the matter drop. — Mr Ellis tben insisted upon pressing bis application.—Mr Shephard : Then 1 move that he hays leave. —Mr Andrew: I second it.— Mr Rout: I oppose it as no public man ought to be allowed td 1 go masquerading at the front. — Mr Graham: 1 There is no occasion for all this bother just for tbe purpose of giving Mr Ellis an opportunity of showing his bravery. —Mr Campbell moved ss an amendment, That the Board did not consider it necessary for Mr > Ellis to go its the Government bad expressed an opinion that they already bad a sufficient 1 force— Mr Dencker here made a vigorous 1 speech attacking the native policy of the Government.— Mr Sheptiard :We are rot ' here to discuss the Government policy, but to deal with Mr Ellis' case. It appears that Mr Ellis thought it prudent to remain at home. There was no imputation on bis courage, but tiow a chauge has come over him ; his soul is in arms and be is eager to , rush into the fray. By all means let him go. — Mr Barnicoat: When he spoke to me i he clearly did not wish to go,- and I thought that, as a man with a family, he was right. [ Now it seems he has changed bis mihd, and i so I say let bim go. It requires more courage to stay at hotria now than to go to the front— Mr Graham j .Mr Ellis bad better withdraw his application acd I move that he be allowed to do so. — Mr Shephard: Not a bit i of it; he put it in, let bim sick to h — Mr Graham: Very well. I don't believe there is nny reasonable prospect of danger now, but if Mr Ellis wishes to Bhow his bravery by taking a trip to Opunake, why let him .- go.— Mr Ellis: I withdraw my application, seeing tbat the Board is against it.— Mr Shephard: We muat not be played with in this way. The Board i 3 acting in perfect good faith, as I hope it always does, and if Mr Ellis applies to withdraw bis rr quest thf application must bo quite unqualified.— Mr Elis: Iwiihdraw it altogether— Mr Shf.p- --| hard: If any emergeccv arises, as it is quitf possible it may do, Mr Ellis will be compelled to go, acd he may be sure there wiil not be au adverse vote on the Board —Mr Andrew: If such ao emergency does arise he may well go without leave, and leave it to the Board to condone it.— The matter then dropped. A letter was received from Miss Buckeridge, assistant teacher at Mr Sunley's, complaining that though ehe had passed the neceasary examinations two years ago, she had not received any preferment. Resolved, Tbat any application from her will receive the same attention es those from other teachers. An application from the Sherry Com mittee for £15 for erectiDg a verandah and painting the building was granted. (Continued on Third Pjge.)