BOARD OF EDUCATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5219, 13 December 1877, Page 2

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

A meeting of the Board of Education was held yesterday. Present—Messrs. Pharazyn (in the chair), Gisborne (M.H.R.), Bunny (M.H.R.), Toomath, Beetham, Dalrymple, and Eev. Mr. Ross. FINANCE. The bank account was as follows : Old account overdrawn, £1732 Is. Bd.; new account credit, £3688 13 s. 5d.; present credit balance, £1956 11s. 9d. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. The following letter was read from the master of the Terrace school ; Terrace school, Dec. C>, 1877. Dear Sir, —I beg to report to you that I have this day dismissed a boy, Joseph Moran, aged 15, under the following circumstances; —Yesterday I ordered him up to my desk in consequence of reports which X had heard of cruelty on bis part to the little children, notably to Paterson, son of the Eev. J. Paterson. I was proceeding to inquire into th» matter when Moian was grossly insolent, for which X punished him with six or seven stripes on the back. This morning the father and mother came to the school, and after indulging in very violent language to me, the woman assaulted me with a stick. lof course put them out at once, and forbade them ever to come near the school again.. The above took place in the presence of the puplis. As such conduct, if permitted, would be subversive of all discipline, I have dismissed the boy from the school I have been informed that the boy was expelled from schools in Auckland, and was sent on board the training ship, where he was whipped several times. About a fortnight ago he was caught robbing a garden, and it is reported that be has been in the habit of singing filthy songs on the playground.—l am, Ac., J. Youno. C. C. Graham, Esq. The father of the boy stated to the Board that. his son had been severely beaten, and there were several contusions on his back, produced apparently by blows inflicted with a stick. Mr. Moran produced the words of a song sung by the youth, of a nautical, but not, as it appeared, filthy description, and in answer to Mr. Toomath, admitted that Mrs. Moran did hit Mr. Young with a twig in presence of the pupils attending the school. The Board decided that Mr. Young was, justified in the course he had taken. THE NEW EDUCATION ACT. Some discussion ensued as to the position of the Board in reference to the new Education Act; but as only four copies of the Act were available, and as it was considered desirable that each member should have a copy, so that they might go carefully over it and give it due consideration, it being considered in many respects complicated, the Board resolved, on the motion of Mr. Bdnnt, to adjourn until next morning, at quarter-past 11 o’clock, in order that the secretary might obtain the requisite number of copies and other information. The chairman and Messrs. Bunny, Beetham, and Gisborne were appointed a committee to wait upon the Government as soon as possible, in order so elicit all the information procurable on the matter, and to report to the meeting to be held next morning. Messrs. Toomath, Gisborne, Beetham, Dalrymple, and the Eev, Mr. Ross were appointed a committee to go over the Act in the evening, and to report to the meeting next morning. MISCELLANEOUS. . Mr. Graham, the secretary, said that he desired to make an application for the Town Clerkship of Wellington, and if he were the successful candidate he would have to enter upon the duties of the office on the Ist January, and in such case it would be necessary to Appoint a new secretary to the Board, to whom he (Mr. Graham) would give all the assistance he could, and he would take care in the meantime that no hitch occurred in the conduct of the business.

The Board intimated that they should not oppose Mr. Graham putting in an application for the Town Clerkship. It was agreed to have plans and specifications made out for enlarging the schoolhouse at the Upper Hutt, which had now an average attendance of 120 children, and was overcrowded. It was agreed that a testimonial should be given to, Mr. Levy, the collector to the Board, who was about to apply for a similar situation under the Corporation, the Board expressing itself highly of Mr. Levy’s merits. The Board then adjourned until a quarterpast 11 o'clock this morning.