Education Board.

Patea Mail, 2 October 1880, Page 3

Education Board.

The monthly meeting of the Education Board for this district was held at Wanganui on Wednesday. I’ATEA SCHOOL. The resignation of Miss Williams was accepted. Resolved that the Board advertise for assistant teacher at Patea, and that Miss Grace’s letter be forwarded to the Committee. WAVERLEV. Letter that a reserve of four acres had been set apart as a playground for the children attending the school, and applying for the sura of £l3 for fencing the same. Agreed to. NORMANBY. Resolved that the local committee be empowered to lease the old school site for seven j 7 ears, and that the addition to the school would be considered as soon as the Board was in a position to undertake the work. WIIAKAMARA. The Secretary was instructed to forward school apparatus for the school, and that the desks must be made in the district, subject to the supervision of Mr McGregor. PETITION FROM SCHOOLMASTERS. Mr Snelson said he had been requested to lay before the Board a petition from a number of schoolmasters complaining of the reduction in salaries. The larger schools outside Wanganui had been treated with great severity. He thought that il would have been better if the Finance Committee had made a uniform reduction

instead of preparing a new scale. Much dissatisfaction had been caused among the teachers.

DISCUSSION ON SALARIES

Mr Sanson moved (hat the new scale of salaries be reconsidered at a special sitting of the Board. From a newspaper report he had noticed that £SOO had been taken off the gross amount of teachers’ salaries. By the petition sent up it was shown that 18 out of the 50 teachers contributed £475 of the amount. This was too sweeping a reduction.

Mr Snelson seconded. He thought that before the next meeting the Board might ascertain what reductions had been made in other districts.

Tho Chairman did not think any good would be done in re-opening the question. Mr Notman pointed out that the Government made their reduction commence from Ist August, and the Board were compelled to do the same. Mr Baker deprecated the taking away of the whole of the capitation allowance from Committees.

Mr Coutts believed the scale had been most carefully drawn up, and although he felt deeply for some of the teachers, yet the welfare of the whole body was the first consideration. He could not see how the three months’ notice could be given in the face of the intimation from the Government that the reduction would cake effect from the Ist AugustSir Wm. Fox said he had learned a good deal from the discussion, and the impression on his mind that the new scale was unfair had been to a great extent removed. He thought that if the teachers who had petitioned wore made aware of the position of the Board and the reasons in favor of the new scale, thoy would withdraw their claims.

Mr Sanson withdrew his motion, and moved, “That the Finance Committee prepare a report on the new scale of salaries, and submit same to a special meeting of (bo Board." Carried.