BOARD OF EDUCATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4567, 9 November 1875, Page 2

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

A meeting of the Wellington Education Board was held yesterday morning at 11 o’clock. Present—Mr. Pharazyn (chairman), and Messrs. Gisborne, Beetham, and Bunny. Mr. Inspector of Schools, was in attendance. ' The minutes of last meeting were not read, the: present being an adjourned meeting. COLLECTORS. A letter was received from the Wellington Country Districts Board notifying the appointment of certain collectors, and recommending them to the Education Board. It was agreed to adopt the recommendation, and to make Mr. Solomon Levy head collector for the whole district. ' THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BUSINESS, Further correspondence was received with regard to the terms of agreement between the Board and Catholic Committee. The question has been for some time under discussion, having arisen during the existence of the old Board. The Secretary read the following letter, received from Bishop Redwood : Wellington, October 29,1875. Sir, —In reply to a communication of the Education Board, dated the 27th instant, I beg to refer you to a letter of the 15th instant, written by me to the Roman Catholic Committee on Educational Matters, and stating a number of grave reasons for our objecting to accept the “ Terrace school” as a central Roman Catholic school, and as a fit substitute for our two present schools. That letter was (through a delay which-I regret very much) not communicated to the Education Board before its last meeting. Yesterday it was given to the Chairman of the Education Board, and I trust it will have the advantage of altering, or at least considerably modifying, the decision arrived at on the Board’s last meeting.—l am, etc., t Francis Redwood. The Chairman Education Board.

The Secretary explained that the letter referred to in the above communication, and containing the Bishop’s reasons for disagreeing with the offer of the Education Board, had only been received after the last sitting of the Board, and hence members wore in ignorance of its contents. The letter was to the following effect : Wellington, October 15, 1875. Sin,—l have perused the communication from the Education Board, in date of the 11th inst., to your committee. I feel much gratified to find, that in their offer to build a Homan Catholic central school, they have accepted in principle the direction of the Christian or teaching brothers, subject, of course, to the disciplinary arrangements prevailing in other schools under the Board's management. Concerning the further information of the Board being now in negotiations for the purchase of the old grammar school os our central school, I feel obliged, after much reflection on the subiect, and attentive inspection of the spot both by myself and others, to say that, despite my good-will and sincere desire, I cannot, for the following reasons, deem it suitable to our purpose:— 1. The old grammar school stands on a site very high up the hill. 2 It is very difficult of access, not to say almost inapproachable, particularly for younger children; and in wet weather for all. 3. The selection of a site so far from To Aro Hat, where the bulk of Catholics live, would frustrate the Board's purpose of erecting a central school for the benefit of Homan Catholics, and would cause groat dissatisfaction in the whole Roman Catholic community. ~ , „ „ , . 4 Convenience would require the Brothers residence to bo near the school, while the town section on which we have proposed to have it, is a long way from tho old grammar-school. 5 When the Education Board first made the offer to your committee of building a central school for Roman Catholics, we selected and purchased from the Sisters of Mercy a site which is really central, and of easy access from all parts of tho town. I mean the site In Bouloott street, a lease of which the Education Board asked us to give. Your committee will duly weigh our motives, and will not fail, I presume, to appreciate them, and submit them as early as possible to the Education Board, They will, I feel confident, perceive their gravity, give up their projected appropriation of the old grammar school lor ns, and return to their original proposal, for tho speedy realisation of which we took the first stops by tho purchase of a site reckoned most convenient by aU parties.—l remain, &0., t Francis Redwood. The Chairman Roman Catholic Committee on Educational Matters. Received by the Chairman of tho Board on 29 th October, 1876. At the request of Mr. Gisborne, the Secretary then read other correspondence of an earlier date, in order to make the subject more clear. A letter written by Mr. Graham,- on October 11, by direction of the Board, was as follows: —“The Chairman Roman Catholic Committee on Educational Matters. —Sir, —In further reference to your letter of Ist July, I have the honor to inform you that the Boai’d cannot consent to give the control of tho proposed school exclusively to the Christian Brothers, hut that these gentlemen must bo regarded solely in the light of any other certificated masters. I have further to inform you that the Board are now in negotiation for the purchase of the grammar school on the Terrace, and that if they aro successful, they propose substituting this school for the two present schools in Hill and Boulcott streets, which are now manifestly unequal to their requirements.” Writing again on the same subject, m a letter dated October 27, Mr. Graham said:— « The Board having completed the purchase of the old grammar school, it is proposed to open it immediately under the charge of Mr. Hurley, now of Boulcott-street school, so soon as sundry necessary repairs can he effected.

As this school, hereafter to he called the Terrace school, will necessitate the closing of (die two present schools, the Board propose to place Mr. Newlya in charge of their new school in Buckle-street; which school, however, null be under the supervision of a local committee, to he elected by the ratepayers of the district and parents of children attending the same.” . A telegram from Mr. Ross, member of the Board, was read. He regretted the action taken by the Board, and requested that the matter might be left in abeyance until next general meeting. Mr. Gisborne said the Board were practically carrying out the directions of the late Board, and which had received the concurrence of Mr. Boss and the other members ; but he would not object to a postponement of the matter. Mr. Bunny deprecated delay on the ground of Mr. Rosa’s letter; that gentleman might not be there at next meeting. The Secretary (at the request of Mr. Beetham) read the amended agreement between the Catholic Committee and the Board for regulating the Catholic school. It was to the effect that half an hour should be devoted to religious instruction of the Catholic pupils, a room to be set apart for tH?t purpose; and secondly, that the agreemenlrmight terminate at the expiration of six months’ notice, to be given by either side. The Chairman said it was evident that that agreement would not apply under the altered circumstances of the case, the grammar school being the freehold property of the Board, whereas the old school was the property of the Catholic Committee. Mr. Bunny suggested that he should see Mr. Johnson and Bishop Redwood, with a view of coming to some arrangement. Agreed to. Mr. Beetham gave notice that he would move at next meeting,—“ That inasmuch as the Terrace school is the property of ' the Board, the class-rooms, other. than those specially used for Roman Catholic religious instruction, be placed at the disposal of other denominations for religious' instruction ; and that, in the event of the Roman Catholic Committee declining to accede to this, six months’ notice be given for the termination of the agreement, in terms of clause 13.” inspector’s report. . : The Inspector submitted his report, in which were a number of suggestions with regard to dismissal of certain teachers and transferring others from present situations. He stated that there were no charges of a grave nature to make against those whom he proposed to dismiss, the only fault being incompetence. ‘ The majority of the items contained in.the report were postponed for the consideration of a full meeting. One or two minor suggestions with regard. to the appointing of assistant teachers were at once adopted.

A COMPLAINT. A letter was received from a lady at Wairarapa, complaining that Mr. Peterson, a teacher, had got into her debt to the extent of £l6 some odd shillings, and that he would not pay, stating that if she only knew how illustrious his family was, she would never presume to ask him for money. ADDITIONAL TEACHERS. The secretary read the following letter from Mr. Haughton, Immigration Office : —“ In reply to your letter of the 19th instant, I have the honor to inform you that the AgentGeneral has been instructed to send out a few trained and certificated teachers to this province, having due regard to careful selection; and his consideration has been specially directed to the particular case of Mr. Johnson, mentioned by you.” This concluded tbe business.