TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 246, 13 December 1900, Page 2

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

Thb Education Board met on Wednesday. Present: Mr. MoAllum (Chairman), Mils Heywood, Messrs. ,Adlam, Wade, Allsworth, Mackay, Kennedy, fawll, and Hignett. j The question of alterations tj the Norfolk Road residence was deferred till the allocation of the next building grant.

The question of the delay by the eontrattors (Messrs. Miles and Spence) in the work at Tututawa School was considered. It was decided that if the contractors pushed on as rapidly as possible, the Beard would consider the advisability or otherwise of remitting | the penalties,

The Stratford Committee are to be informed that the work is to be pushed on with all possible speed. A letter from Mr. Tyrer, headmaster at the Stratford High School, relative to a bonus or extra grant on account of the work at the school, was | referred to the Finance Oammittee.

The Chairman's action in permitting the teacher of the Ngariki School to close for the holidays on December 4, and re-open on January 8, was confirmed.

Miss M. J. Taylor wrote explaining that the omiision to send formal application to the Chairman of the Kent Road Committee for temporary'leave of obsenca was unintentional, and that she had rectified the omission as soon as it had been brought to her notice. The explanation was accepted. In response to Miss Jordan's application, the sum of 15s was granted to her on acosunt of extra expenses incurred in getting to Mangorei School. The Cardiff Committee forwarded' a resolution drawing attention to the poor results of the past examination. They expressed an opinion that the Inspeotor had been too severe. The Committee are to be referred to the resolution passed at the last meeting of the Board.

The attention of the Stanley Road Committee is to be called to the Board's letter of August 14th, relative to the unsatisfactory state of the school, and that the matter will be dealt with on the receipt of their reply. Tenders are to be called for the work required at the Stratford residence, the Chairman bsing empowered to accept same.

Messrs, McAllum, AUswortb, and Hignett, were appointed a committee to open and accept the tenders for painting and repairs.

Mr, McMahon waited on tho Board. He submitted a petition from several parents, asking that the present teacher at Wortley Road be retained. He said the petitioners thought the Board had dealt unreasonably with tho teacher, at sufficient allowance had not been made in the Inspector's report for irregular attendance. Several children had ,t« ; ,cross padlocks torgjtrto the sehdoly and others % T>y way of muddy reads, whioh at times were for children on average attendance possible 431. H 4 Jmought "tho Board should take into consideration the bad attendance, as the teacher could not be expected to adhieve good results under the circumstances.

Mr. Allsworth pointed out that tlio Committee were in aocord with tho Board's action in matter,,and that at other Softools where circumstances were similar, satisfactory results had been obtained.

In jeply to' Mr. Madkay, Mr. McMahon said he" could give no reason why thflf Committee did not sign the petition. '■■■' Mr. McMahon thaiiked'the' Board 1 and withdrew.

•,. .The matter wasdigcussedYand ifewSs d&cidei that the be" informed that the Board, haying couipleted its arrangements for the transfer of the teacher, cannot re-open the ' "A letter from the Bell Block Committee, relative to the falling off in attendance as it affected the retention of the pupil teacher, was referred to the Inspector for his report, An application by S. J. Allan for permission to transfer his interest in section 4, block 12, Waitara, to E. Julian, was referred to the Reserves Committee.

A letter from the Nelson Board, relative to engaging the police to act as truant inspectors, was referred to the Finance Committee.

The Inspector submitted the following memo, in relation to the letter of explamation sent to the Board by the teacher of the Bird Road School: " If, in view of the fact that Mr. Dowling was dismissed from the Central on the reports of my predecessor, and has done consistently inferior work since I have bean inspecting here, the Board considers the time spent over an enquiry would be productive of any satisfactory results, I urn quite prepared to go on with it."

! Mr. Allgworth said he was not satisfied with the tcne of the Inspector's 'eport; at the famo time, there were so ne of the teichers who had bad reports from year to year, and when kalled upon for explanations laid the fault on the Inspector's method of examination, leaving the Board to decide be'.ween the teachar and the Inspector. If any teacher considered the Inspector was too hard, there was the alternative i open to him to go where the' e was an easier Inspector, So long, however, as the Board bad confidence in their Inspector, he should bn supported, and teachers made to understand that they mus r . conform to his requirements. On the motion of Mr. Wade, it w;s decided that Mr. Dowling be informed that the Board, having every confidence in its Inspector, expr-cts that Mr. Dowling will cany out tbe Inspector's instructions and profi' by his suggestions.

The Ressrvog Ooramifctes recommended compliance on ceriain conditions with the appliotion by the Stratford Borough Council foi \xx exchange of part of the Stratford Cemetery Re«rve for fection 113, block 2, Ngaioe. The report wa;. adopted.

Tiie Finance Own mi'to* recoiomended that applications she'iM ininvited for tho position of Truant Officer on the came terms as last ad wtised. Ther pngges'od that the question of drawing classes should be n;f«rr d b.ek with power to the oommitt«e'o c.in<tid<ir the bearing <9i tlie repeats Aut dwlipji; with Tccbm-

cal Education. They further recommended that the circular from the Department re swimming be forwardud to the Teachers' Institute with a suggestion that a Taranaki District Schoals Swimming Association be formed, and that the Institute take the matter up, and make suggestions as to the distribution of the subsidy, the | Board to apply for a share of the sum voted. The report was adopted. - Mr. Hignett, pursuant to notice, moved: That in view ef the probable establishment in the future of a school on the east side of the Waitura river, and of the removal of the residence of the Waihi teaoher, the Commissioners be asked to set aside block 48, Waitara Bast, as a sohoel site. The motion was oarried.

Accounts were passed and the Board rose.