DISTRICT SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 45, 29 December 1864, Page 2

DISTRICT SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the above committee was held on 22nd inst at Mr Ward's office. Present— Messrs Gibbs (in the chair), Ashcroft, Bain, Sumpter, Pinkerton, Ingram, Waddell and Smith. Mr Paradise, the district schoolmaster, also attended. A letter was read from the Secretary to the Education Board making enquiries as to the time when the teacher took possession of his house, and stating that £100 had been secured for fencing and enclosing the school grounds, which would be handed over to the committe« when they satisfied the Board that that sum had been expended ; and proposing then to hand over the premises to the committee, to be then accepted by them as complete. It was moved by Mr Ashcroft, seconded by Mr Sumpter "That the visiting committee be requested to prepare and present at the next meeting a plan of the proposed fencing, and an approximate estimate of cost." Carried. In terms of previous notice, it was moved bv Mr Ingram, seconded by Mr Smith,— "That the fees cf last year be adopted as the scale of fees for the current terra, viz., 7s 6d, 10s, and 12s 6d." Notice of amendment had been given by Mr Grenfell, seconded bv Mr Waddell,—" That the fees be the same as the original, at the opening of the school, viz., 5s, 7b 6d, and 10s. After some discussion, Mr Waddell withdrew tbe amendment on reference being made to the committee's estimate of receipts and expenditure, showing th.it the fees were estimated according to present rates. Thfl motion therefore was carried unanimously. Mr Paradirt was requested to intimate to the parents of tli3 two children at present on the free list, that at the end of the quarter their fees would be required to be peid at the same rates as other children. Some applications for the situation of female teacher and relative testimonials were then severally considered. The committee remitted two of these to Mr Hislop. with the request that he would give his opinion thereon. The Committee agreed that a fortnight* b school holidays be given, commencing on 26th inst. The school consequently next meets on Monday, 8th January, 1865. In regard to rewards for merit, it was moved by Mr Pinkerton, seconded by Mr Sumpter,—" That Mr Paradise be authorised to make a suitable selection of prizes when tn Dunedin, to an amount not exc-.'ediug £5."— Carried. The number of children in attendance during the last quarter was 54, as appealed from the return of marks, Ac. "With regard to the applications for voluntary subscriptions, issued by the committee, the Clerk reported that the returns were coming in slowly. Some conversation ensued on the nibject, when, it being doubted whether it was fully understood, it was stated tint the following are the annual values on which assessment* are allowed to be imposed by the Education Ordinanceuncultivated rural land, 2s an acre ; cultivated rural land, £1 an acre ; Town lands and property, full annual value, rate of assessment 4d per pound. It vras agreed that a person be employed to collect the subscription papers in the town. The meeting adjourned till Thursday, 12th January proz.