WANGANUI EDUCATION BOARD.

Patea Mail, 27 September 1882, Page 3

WANGANUI EDUCATION BOARD.

The Wanganui Education Board met on Tuesday. Present, Messrs W. H. Watt, M.H.R. (chairman), H. Sanson, J. W. Baker, D. Coutts, Q. S. Bridge, J. Notman, G. M. Snelson, and Rev. J. Ross. TEACHERS’. APPOINTMENT COMMITTEE. On recommendation of the appointment committee it was agreed that Mr Sfceedraan, second master of the Wanganui Boys’ High School, should be relieved from the duty forthwith, and receive three months’ salary in lieu of notice. Mr Canavan’s resignation of appointment at Okoia was received, the secretary to inform him that he cannot be removed in the meantime. Mr Ellis, of Taranaki, was appointed to the vacancy, which takes place in December next, subject to the Committee’s approval. Miss Hay’s application for throe weeks’ salary, at £2 per week, for the Manutahi school, was agreed to. The account of Mr T. Thomas, Manutahi, for hotel board expenses, £l, was also agreed to. The following rates of salary for teachers at the Wanganui Boys’ High School were agreed to: Head master, £400; second master, £250 ; third master, £2OO ; fourth master, £l5O ; and two pupil teachers at £SO per annum each. MANAIA. Letter from the School Committee, re the mistake made in connection with the school site. The present site is to be conveyed to the Education Board by the Town Board. WAINGONGOBO. Letter from Wuingongoro, applying for permission to erect a new school district to be called the Waingongoro school district. There were 37 children already living in the proposed district, who could get no schooling unless a new school was erected, Other families are shortly expected in the district. Mr Coutts thought the district was not in a good position for the creation of a school, as it was almost all uncleared country, and the children would have great difficulty in finding their way to the school through the bush track.

This had been found to be the case with the Ngaire school children. The chairman thought, as the board was often misled as to the number of children likely to attend the proposed new schools, it might be well to protect themselves by asking for a guarantee. The secretary was instructed to write to Mr March ant to the effect that the board would entertain the application on receiving a guarantee of the attendance of 30 children. PATEA SCHOOL ADDITIONS. Letter from Mr Kenworthy, hon. secretary of the School Committee, forwarding a number of resolutions passed at a recent meeting of the committee in favor of certain additional accommodation and improvements.—Resolved that the necessary desks, gate, &c., be supplied.

Messrs Coutts and Notman urged that the additional accommodation was required, owing to tho large attendance of children.

Mr Ross hoped that in the erection of future buildings some effort would be made to avoid the “ echo ” which was so common in tho schools. He further thought that in every school of the Board galleries should be provided.

Mr Coutts moved that tenders bo called for the necessary additions, tenders to be opened at next meeting. Mr Sanson seconded the motion, as a vote of £IOO,OOO having passed Parliament for building purposes, the Board would receive its proportion before any demand was made upon it.

The Chairman thought it would be better to refer the matter to the Building Committee to call tenders for the most urgent works, and; that a Jlist be laid upon the table of all other applications by next meeting.

After further discussion, it was decided that the Building Committee should call tenders for the Patea additions only, and that the Secretary prepare a list of all the applications received by the Board for buildings and additions, tho list to be reviewed in committee.

Further letter from the Patea committee, calling ‘attention to the necessity for increased capitation, as the committee were over £lB in debt, a considerable portion of which was left over by previous committee.

It was decided to increase the capitation to school committees by Is 6d per head from Ist July, but the Board would not otherwise entertain the application from Patea.

Mr Coutts explained that the previous committee went into office free of debt, apparently did nothing, and left behind them a largo amount of debt.

The question of appointing a travelling truant inspector at a salary of £IOO per year is to be considered at next meeting. Reply from the Education Department intimated that the Government would be unable, to obtain a special vote of money for school buildings on Waimate Plains. The board agreed to pass over from the general to the building fund a sum of £434 15s 3d. This was an amount which had been passed to the credit of the board in excess of the ordinary capitation grant. The Inspector-General applied to know the number of candidates intending to compete for the prizes offered by Sir W. Fox in connection with Dr Eichardson’s Temperance Lesson Book. Abridged from Wang, report. •