TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 281, 28 November 1901, Page 2

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

The Board met on Wednesday. ( Present: Mr McAllum (chairmin), j M's« Ileywood, Me9Bre Adhm, Wade, ii....»..rth, Kennedy, F.uil. Tno architect, Mr Saoderson, reported that the Puhokura School building ' was practically completed; that about 400 feet of pipes were required for the Stratford School drabage. In reply to Mr Allsworth, the architect said that a portion of the drainage at Stratfoid could go into the town drain in J uliafc street, but that from 1 the Infant School would have to go the other way.

Mr Alkworih moved that the matter of Stratford School drainage be referred 10 the architect, with power to act, as soon as the town drainage schsme isj arranged. The advantage of this would be th«e a proper and effectual system of drainage at the school would be effected.

Mr Faull was opposed to giving the architect unlimited power. He considered the matter should be brought up again before the Board, when the town scheme was decided on.

Mr Eenoedy seconded the motion which he considered met the case. The motion was carried. Messrs Mackay and Hignett were granted leive of absence. The Ngaire Committee applied for black-boards for art teaching, also for paper for the kitchen of the teacher's residence.

Mr AUswor.h raised the point as to whether the Board proposed to depart from its usual custom relative to tongued and grooved lined rooms not being papered, as it the Board once started papering euch roams, tbey would lequire keeping up. Mi' F..u1l also objec ei to the proposed papering. it was dou.ddd that the question of blackbjaids be referred to the inspector, and that the requns; for wr 11 paper be referred to the architect for his reT/ie Woitley-road Oomuut'ee applied for lepdis to thi iesiJt n oe They ara to be informed that as the Board contemplates shifting the school house to another sit-, no action be taken.

The chairman's action in appointing Misses i. F. Tuck and L. Stewart second year pupil teachers at the Oeotial School was confirmed.

Misses L. Reed, Inglewood, and Daisy Taylor, Waiea, were granted leave of absence owing to illness. The chairman reported what had transpired relative to the proposed transfer of Mr Hill tj Huirangi. It appeared ttiat explications had arisen, Mr Hill having failed to take up bis duties on the date arranged, and directly after a further arrangement had been made, a lotttr was received from the Committee declining Mr Hill's services. Under these circumstances, i Mr Hill had been called upon to rebign, but as he declined to do so, he had ! been suspended. Subsequently, during the chairman's abs nee from town, a vacancy had MidJtnly taken place at Bitd-road School, and on the authority of two members of the Board, Mr Hll had b sen empurarily appointed thereto. The chairman's action in suspending Mr Hill was oanfirmed, and three months' notice of dismissal is to be given to this teacher.

The Purangi Committee's request' for a fence and gate to the school pad- i dock was deferred in order to obtain further par: iculars as to the site. The matter regarding the transfer of a teacher at Waiea and an assistant at the Geutral was left in the chairman's hands to deal with. The Staoley-ro.d Committee are to be informed that the question of teacher's residence and painting the school has been entered ou the list of urgent works. Toe chairman of the Stanley-road Committee (Mr S. Carleton) wrote complaining tbat correspondence between his committee and the Board had been shown to eveiy "Tom, Dick aud flirry who may chance to call at the office." It was decided that Mr Carleton be requested to state the grounds upon which he makes the charge against the Board's secretary. The New Plymouth Committee wro e urging that the contemplated additions to the West Infants schools be started during the vacation. Alsj requesting additional desks to be pio ' vided.

Mr Mcintosh's resignation from Okato school as from February 28th ndxt was KCcepted, and the usual steps are to be takjn to fill the vacancy. The chairman's action in rdlation to the examination of Okata school was confirmed.

The secretory was granted leive of absence to attend the Cooference of Secretaries to be held at Wellington on ilth December. Oa this account it was resolved that the Hoard meet next on tliH 17th December. The chairman ot' the public meeting held at: Okato, forwarded resolutions as already reported. The Inspector a!so wrote in reference to the mattor, sating that some of the child reu had hud to wiiiu the notices c.nveuiog the public meeting. It was resolved th.t a copy of tha iuspect'- r's letter bu seat to the Okato Com mitt e. The Stratford Borougb Council wrote that it was prepared at any time to place at iha Board's disposal a bite for a dairy and technical schiol. The letter was referred to the Furnace Committee, who are to confix with the Inspector und arohttec", for their rtport. A letter from Mr Eitock, *iv>ng proposed boundarits of the Kabui r>>aj school dissricr, wis referred lothe Rahotu ani Pungir.hu Committees for their repoits. Leave of absence wast grau'el to Misses Hogg acd Piggford and Mr Johnson, on condition that th y provide subsitutes, to oubl* them to attend the summer school at iu January, 1902. M ; so Hevwood submitted a report on the question of sewing, which was received, and Messrs Faull and AlUwor.h ware appointed to act in conjunction with her to bring down a final repm-fc on the matter.

Mr Kennedy submitted a roporc on the Punewhakau, Taihore, snd Browerro.id sohool sites, which was received, *a follows:—He found nothing morn had been done in the matter of rearing the Punewhakau cite, and seV.lrrs low wished the school built on the Ta horeroitd, about two mil«« aud a quarter north of Punuwhaku. This would su ; t. the children better, though he could not tell wnat tha future requirements might be. Tiie Board would also have to considfr whether tha Goverumeut grant could be transfoirtd. H» r.v commeudbd that a nuall building be erected on the road sat-, which would suit present requirements. Accommodation for ibe teacher would als,> be available her.-, bu f uofc a'. Puoewhakau. Wi:h regard to Brewu-. oul Mr Kennedy believtd a school was

needed there, as there would shortly bea number of settlers comiog to the district. He recommended that the Lands Department be aaked to lay off a sohool site, and that | the Minister for Ed uo it ion be asked for a special grant to eiect a school and I residence. He bad suggested that th* Settlers should provide a temporary | room in the meantime, and he recomj mended that if this be done the Board should give them a teacher. float* famillei had been in the district few or five years, and some cbildre* had) reachei an age when under ordinary circumstances they would be leavfeag school.

Petitions were also read from thesettlers interested.

The Truant Inspector reported that he had visited all schools in the district, except Pukearuhe, and found the attendance fair in view of the amount of sickness that was p-evalent. A number of notices bad sent to parents, and ssvdral summoned for failing to send children to school. He then referred to a cats in which he had summoned Mr F. Joiner, and at the hearing Mrs Joiner stated the child was over 14 yens of age, and the case was dismissed. He had commuoiotted with the Registrar of Births at Hawera, and found the child was regis* tared as being born on Ist February, 1890, and was consequently only 11 years and 10 months old. The Inspector askel th* Board's permission to apply for a re-hearing, or, failing that, to appeal against the magistrate's decision.

The report was received, and the inspector's request granted. I A sum of £3 was granted to the Omata Committee towards the school library, Accounts were pissed, totalling: General account, 2956 Ks 3d; school buildings, .£135 6s 9d. The Boud wtjourced.