TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 196, 13 September 1900, Page 2

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

The Education Board met on Monday. Present: Mr. Mc&llum (Chairman), Miss Haywood, Messrs. Adlam, Wade, Allswortb, Mackay, Kennedy, and Faull.

Leave of absence was granted Mr. Hignett. i A .letter from the Salisbury Road I Committee relative to a defective and i dangerous chimney was referred to Mr. i Mackay to report upon. A further ! letter re residence was referred to Messrs. Mackay and Kennedy. An order was given forthe immediate repairs to out-offices at Midbirst, On themotion of Mr. Wade, seconded by Mr. Faull, a resolution was passed complimenting Dr. McArthur on the papers set for the pupil teachers' examination and for his able report thereon. An honorarium of .£26 5s was voted to Dr. McArthur for his services. The Kent Bead Committee are to be informed that the question of painting the upper school has been entered on list of urgent works to be considered at the the next building grant. An application by the Denbigh Roac Committee for a grant towards erecting a fence and for some grass-seed for the places lately burnt was referred to Mr. Maekay with power to act. The Pukearuhe Committee is to be informed that the Board are unable to grant further assistance. A grant of <£3 was voted te the Central School Library. The Architect reported the reductions he proposed in relation to the new infant school at Stratford. After considerable discussion it was decided that the Architect call for fresh tenders for building the school and lay the same , before the next meeting of the Board. An application by Mr. Condon for a ' lease of section 6, block 2, Waitara, ' was referred to the School Sites Com- , mittee.

The Stratford Committee applied for nine copies of the Board's regulations. They are to be informed that such copies can be obtained on payment of 6d each for the regulations, 3d each for the scale of capitation and teacher's salaries—the amount to be enclosed in the application. A letter from Mr. Eastwood was ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Kennedy was empowered to procure a notice board for section 113, block 2, Ngaire, warning off trespassers. The Teacher's Selection Committee recommended the names of the following candidates to be submitted to the Warea Committee: —Miss D. Taylor, Miss J. N. Tillie, Mr. S. M. Scott, and Miss Aitken. —The report was adopted. Mr. Marchant, Banger, reported on the state of the grounds at the following schools: —Dudley Road, Egmont Road, Albert Road, Upper Kent Road, Kent Road, and the East Road school site. A copy of his remarks is to be sent to the Oommittees concerned.

Mr. Mackay's action relative to gravelling at Cardiff school, was confirmed.

i Mr. Mackay reported the result of the interview by the deputation appointed at the recent conference %t Wanganui with the Minister for Education relative to the proposed scheme for utilising the revenue derived from the Opaku Reserve. [Details have already appeared in a previous issue], Mr. Allswortb, in moving that the report be received and that the thanks of the Board be tendered to Mr. Mackay for bis services, said the result was very gratifying and a satisfactory outcome of the conference. Another point that was also satisfactory was the stand taken up by the Minister in seconding the Board's efforts to enable children of this district to be taken step by step right up to the University. He had at one time feared that the present scheme would not come within the meaning of the term higher education, but tince the Victoria College Act had defined ''higher education" and included scholarships as coming withio the scope of that definition, he foresaw that the Opaku Reserve could be made to bo of immense benefit to the children of the settlers in Taranaki. He was, therefore, pleased to find that the Minister had taken so decided a view on the scholarship question, and the matter now seemed on a very satisfactory footing. Mr. Faull seconded the motion, and said he quite agreed with Mr. Allswortb. He considered Mr. Mackay had safeguarded the interests of the Board, and that had the original idea regarding the reserve been strictly adhered to there would have been no educational stepping stone. Mr. Kennedy, in supporting Ihe motion, said that as one of tho delegates who went to tho Ha\v< ra Confer-1 ence lie was much gratified at the satisfactory outcome of tho business. | The Chairman said that there could \ be no doubt that the result of the i negotiations was very satisfactory. Ati the same time, he would like to men- j tion that the credit was not all due to to Mr. Mackay, as Mr. Allsworth had done a large share of the preliminary work, and was entitled to participate in the credit for the success attained.

Mr. Mackay said that objections had baen raised by Mr. Hogben, the In-spector-General, chit fly as to the meaning of higher education, but, ia reply, it was pointed out that before the reserve could be dealt with a special Act was required, and the definition could bo altered by that Act. To this the Minister agreed, recognis- | ing the position of the Board and the I object ifc had in view. He (Mr. Mackay) stated that he had interviewed all the Ministers except Mr. Duncan and | Mr. McGowan, and two-thirds of tho I members of the House, all of whom 'agreed with the proposals submitted. He regretted that tho Victcria Oo1'o«p authorities were not rept'esonfe!, and that they had sent a deputation to interview the Inepeo'tTGeneral and lay th.-ir views b Toro I im —a courso of action he thought might have been differently pursued.

The motion was then carried uuani mously.

! The Chairman stated tho . Finance Committee had bom going into the questions of jspitation allowance to the 'Jentral School Committee and »p-----pointment of a Truant Insp'ctor, but were not in a position to malio any ewmmerdatims at present, On the quosti >u of passing account, Mr, Ifaul! drew attention to tho charges

for books and stationery. Some die- > cussion ensued and eventually the Chairman with Messrs. Allsworfch ani 5 Maekay were appointed a committee; confer with the Inspector on the ques tionof obtaining tenders for books anc stationery.

The School Sites Committee reportec recommending that Mr. 0. 0. McKoj be granted a lease for 10 years of th< school site at Tongaporutu at £2 pei annum subject to a condition that th< Board have power to, resume possession of a part or the whole if required for school purposes, and to conditions for fencing and keeping the ground clear of noxious weeds. The report was adopted. A letter from Mr. Gatfcon relative to the Punewhakau School site was referred to Mr, Kennedy with powei to act. . ' Mr, AUswortb, pursuant to notice, moved^n^ha^tt^jOT^o^^^b^set well discussed at the last meeting. Iw was desirable that the Board should possess plans of the various school buildings and grounds and a suggestion had been made that the children Should be encouraged to draw plans of the schools they attended. The motion was framed to give effect to this idea and to set apart a sum of money for the purpose. In the larger school the amount assigned allowed of two or three prizes, but he would be glad to hare suggestions from the members as to any other way of dividing up the money which was not for prizes, as the Board could make such a grant, but for the plans. Mr. Wade, in seconding the motion, said he was quite in accord with the proposal, but was doubtful if it would not be better to make the sum for the larger schools <£2. After some further discussion the motion was carried. The Board rose.