Education Board.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 982, 28 September 1881, Page 1 (Supplement)

Education Board.

-.The following items, interesting to our local readers, were discussed at a recent meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board: — The following correspondence was read: — From the Rev. S. Williams, offering a site opposite the Gisborne school for the erection of another school provided that the building should be also used for am Church of England Sunday School. —The Secretary explained that an extension of the existing school was urgently required, and it could not be managed on the present site without spoiling the play-ground. If Mr. Williams’ offer were accepted the school would be divided, and the new building would be used for the lower classes, without additional teaching staff. He (the Secretary) had seen Mr. Cotterill, tjje Board’s solicitor, who said that he could not see his way to prepare a legal * deed containing the condition for which Mr. Williams stipulated. It would really be a leasehold, and the Board could not build on it. —The Chairman said that all would agree that Mr. Williams’ offer was a liberal one,- and was made in good faith, but he did not see how the Board could accept the condition as to a Sunday school. Parliament might next session decide that all public school buildings should be used for secular purposes only, and how would the Board stand then ?— After some further discussion the Secretary was directed to write to Mr. Williams pointing out the difficulty which presented itself, and asking him to modify his offer so as to permit of its acceptance. From the Matawhero Committee, complaining ’ that one member, Mr. Wright, had made himself obnoxious to all the other members of the Committee, and that they had, therefore, adopted the “ extreme course ” of meeting privately and unknown to Mr. Wright. The Committee asked for some suggestion as to the course best calculated to overcome the difficulty. — The Secretary was instructed to reply tflat the Board regretted they could not see their way to assist the Committee in the matter. From the Matawhero Committee, reporting that the owner of the Waerenga-a-hika school-house would give twelve months’ rent if Mr. Ingpen would accept the mastership ; also from Mr. Ingpen, accepting the position. —Appointment approved. PAYMENTS TO MASTERS FOB PUPIL TEACHERS. The Scholarships Committee also presented a report upon the payments to masters for training pupil teachers. They recommended that the scale should be £lO for the first pupil teacher, and £5 for each one additional, half the money to be paid in December upon the production of a certificate from the Chairman of the School Committee to the effect that the prescribed instruction had been given, and the balance after the pupil teachers’ examination, contingent upon the candidate gaining 50 per cent, of the total marks obtainable, and 25 per c nt. in each subject. This was agreed to,’ but a second clause, expressing an opinion that the Syllabus prescribed by the Hawke’s Bay Board was unnecessarily difficult, was negatived. SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND THEIR EXPENDITURE. In accordance with notice given, Mr. Tanner moved that any expenditure by School Committees outside the purposes provided for by the regulations furnished to each Committee be disallowed ; also, that the Inspector, at his visits of inspection, examine the books of each Committee and report on any improper expenditure. He urged that in some instances the Committee’s funds had been used for the purchase of prizes and for ojher purposes not contemplated by the regulations, and then the Committee had to •apply to the Board to do every trivial thing needed. The other day one Committee actually applied to the Board for three screws with which to fix the plate of a door handle, the old screws being loose. Mr. Sutton opposed the motion, saying he thought the Committees could not find a better way of expending any surplus funds than in purchasing prizes for the children. As to the inspection clause, that would be imposidrie, as the Chairman generally kept the books, and he would often not be ar hand when the Inspector was visiting the school. Ultimately the first part of the mo

tion was carried, but that relating to the inspection of the books was negatived.