TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 75, 26 October 1916, Page 3

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

At the monthly meeting of the Taranaki Education Board yesterday, there wore present: Messrs it. Masteas (chairman), E, T. Trimble, S. G. Smith, E. Dixon, C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., and Rev. A. B. Chappell. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The chairman reported inter alia: With Mr Wilkinson several schools wore visited in the district recently taken over from the Wangauui Board, and I have been impressed with the argent necessity of attending to the repairs needed to the school buildings, more particularly the outbuild; ings. From the point of view of expediency, it might be well to allow these repairs to stand over until such time as' the committees make application for them to be attended to. This, to my mind, in the present instance is not a sound policy, both from the financial aspect and also in regard to the health of the children; and this alone calls for the board's earnest consideration. In these abnormal times the shortage of labour presents certain difficulties; but the health of the, children attending our schools must be of paramount importance. With the object of concentrating the whole of our building and painting staff on maintenance work it would, he wise,, instead of keeping them employed several months in the year erecting new schools, to call for tenders for any new work, and at least for a time concentrate on putting all the schools in good repair. I would recommend that the hoard's overseer be instructed to call tenders for any new work and keep the permanent staff on repair work until such time as the whole has been attended to. With the object of carrying out the work as economically as possible, the' staff should be stationed in cetftres from time to time and attend to all work required to be done in those particular areas. The board should not: fail to expend the whole of the maintenance grant for the coming year, that is, of course, after setting aside the necessary proportion for the rebuilding of old schools. In making this recommendation I feci that the ultimate result will be that our maintenance -and rebuilding fund will be the stronger. I would therefore,make the following recommendations :— (I) That the board call tenders for the erection of any new buildings within the next six months; '2) that the overseer be instructed to keep his staff attending to maintenance work alone; (3) that if the overseer thinks it advisable he be allowed to call tenders for repair work; (4) that the schools be taken in a face and be'put in a good state of repair irrespective of.any application having been made by the committee or not; Co) that in view of the heavy ..alls likely to be made on the board's funds for repairs during the coming year, the committees be circularised asking them to curtail, as much as possible, their requests for grants. Overseer's Salary.—l would recommend that the board increase the salary of the overseer to £312 per annum. TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION. In accordance with instructions, Mr A. Gray, Director of Technical Instruction, presented proposals for the working of the enlarged district. Eltham.—At this centre I think U>v the present we shall have to continue somewhat on the same lines as at present. The great difficulty is to obtain suitable instructors for classes 'other than commercial and dressmaking. Some motor-car engineering has been taught, end the class was a good one; but unfortunately the instructor's services are not now available. Next year, however, I shall arrange for an instructor from the college here to take engineering work at Eltham Tt ought also l.e possible to have a, -rood building e.ins'ruction class at this centre. If the class warrants it T can provide an instructor in this subject; 1 recommend that Mi Lightbourne, who has had elm-go of the classes np to now, be offered the position of supervisor.. TECHNICAL WORK. Mr Gray rcivnted as follows: Stratford.—'Tic- plumbing class at this centre Is a healthy one, with ten • indent,". M'- 11. Smart, of New Plymouth, if-' the instructor. The other classes at. Stratford are all working well and good work is being done. OVERSEER'S REPORT. Mr Moore reported as follows : Stanley: New School.—We have ,h foundation completed ready for rh framing, and also erected the shellc shed. Owing to some of the timb" not coming to band we have had t< delay the work for a while. At th< t

same time this allows the concrete i piles to harden. Stratford: Technical and Woodwork Building.—The whole of these buildings have been painted outside. INSPECTOR'S REPORT. Mr Morton, senior inspector, reported as follows: The Tokirima School will be visited before next board meeting aid a report can then be presented. THE NEW DISTRICT'S. The report of the committee appointed to confer with the Wanganui Hoard relative to the adjustment of accounts, chiefly with regard to the Wanganui Board's liability for reinstalment of worn-out buildings, was submitted. In moving the adoption of the report, The chairman' stated that Ibe estimates of the overseer of the am'ouilt to be claimed for the Wanganui Board (£4100) was based on the present price of materials and labor. Whereas the departmental grant had been made on the basis of prices at the time of the erection of the buddings, .so that the committee lw.l 8greed to accept £2OOO. Mr Trimble objected not only to .''o basis adopted, but to t-he extruded time of payment. After some discussion, in which ,t was. suggested that the adjustment. should, be finally settled, by vhe d-. • pnrtnient., -the report was adopvd, Messrs. Trimble and Smith licencing. ~|. : ,;..■•■. The .Rev. A. B. Chappell rn.>vel, "That, the Department be asked to furnish the board with a statement of the Wanganui Board's Kabdity with regard to the re-buuding of schools taken over by the Tar.mei-.i Board." The motion was carried. GENERAL. "We are not ,-seriously affeeied by the War Regulations," remarked Mr Masters. "Only six or seven schools are concerned, and notices dispensing with the services of the temporary male assistants of these schools have been sent out." The Stratford Chamber of Commerce sought the Board's support to the extension of the telephone line from Tahora Jn./Tatu.— It was resolved to support the Chamber's «'ish and to, write, to. the Postmaster-Gen-eral on thy subject. The Board discussed the sub-com-mittee's report regarding the conveyance of the Board's agriculture instructors in the district.—lt wa R resolved that the question of disposing of the overseer's waggon and the purchase of a motor-car be referred to the Rev. A. B. Chappell and Mr S. G. Smith for a* report. Tn pursuance of a legal opinion received from the Board's solicitors, it was decided to fill vacancies on all teaching staffs of the district schools by transfers where possible.