TRAVELLING EXPENSES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26630, 28 November 1947, Page 6

TRAVELLING EXPENSES

SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS

REQUEST FROM ASSOCIATION

A decision to approach the Education Board with a view to obtaining travelling expenses for consolidated school committee members was made at the quarterly meeting of the School Committees’ Association of Otago, held yesterday. The distances travelled by some committeemen at their own cost were stressed, and Mr W. J. Leathley reported cases of members travelling 12 or 14 miles in the course of their activities. It was decided, on the motion of Mr Leathley, to refer the matter to the board with a request that expenses be allowed for all members travelling more than five miles on official duties. Mr J. A. Evans presided at the meeting. “ The Minister is evidently not aware of the facts,’’ commented members after the secretary, Mr J. V. Riach, had read a letter concerning the school building programme from the Minister of Education. Mr McCombs, to Mr P. G. Connolly, M.P. The Minister’s statements showed that he was not well acquainted with conditions, it was stated, and in view of the serious position it was decided, on the motion of Mr E. J. Anderson, to forward to Mr McCombs copies of the association’s statement and a newspaper article on the subject. The Education Board advised that it was endeavouring to . promote parliamentary legislation which would include Peninsula schools in the Dunedin urban area. Attention was drawn by Mr Riach to the amount of material lying out of use in closed country schools. These buildings, after their abandonment by the Education Department, were left open to the public as meeting halls. In several cases, however, they were very rarely used. It was decided to frame a remit for presentation at the conference of the Dominion Federation to the effect that material lying in buildings seldom used for education purposes should be utilised for new works.

The meeting was addressed by Mr W. T. O. Kaye, headmaster of the Mosgiel District High School, who dealt comprehensively with rural education at his school. Mr Kaye emphasised the need for greater efficiency in farm management. The modern farmer must be an agricultural scientist, artisan, tradesman, and business manager. The vocation should demand a higher standard of education than in the past: The speaker detailed the work being carried out at Mosgiel and the success so far achieved. He concluded by requesting the support of the association towards obtaining a bus to transport pupils to \)arious farms on the Taieri Plain. At present, Mr Kaye stated, the school was served with a Road Service vehicle, which was available for only two days of the week, between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Mr Riach proposed that the Mosgiel School Committee should send a deputation to the board, with the association’s full support. The motion was carried. Mr Leathley moved a vote of thanks to the speaker.