SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 100, 29 April 1902, Page 2

SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS.

NEW PLYMOUTH. Thk annual meeting of householders in the Now Plymouth school district was held on Monday evening at the Town Hall. There wnd A fair attendance, and Mr N. K. MacDiarmid was! voted to the chair.

After reading the notice convening the meating, the chairman called upon the secretary to read the annual report of the outgoing committee, which was briefly as follows :

On March 31 si last on the Central and Oourtenay street rolls there were 333 boys and 310 girls ; on the VtTest Infanta 78 boys and 71 girls, an aggregate of 792, against 663 last year. Average attendance was nearly 92 per cent, a 6 the Central and 94 ai the West Infants'. The committee tha«,ked iVlesdam«s Copland, Martin, Mits Evans, the Mayor, and Messrs Cullis, Ooik, A very, Bayn ■-, Derapsey, Johnsiii, amh the Nuw Zealand Clothing Factory for donating prizes to thn Cantral School. Considerable attention is d voted to calistheiiics and drill; ami the cadets take great interest in their militaiy evolutions. The report stated at some length what had transpired ! r ktive to the committer's attempts to induce the Education Board to reiert to the old cipitatiou grant. The improvements effect id were mentioned, and praise accotded to the teachers and all those who assisted in raising funds therefor In relation to endeavours to baco the Central School declared a district high school • hey reported that nothing could be done till next session. They had also failed to advance the prospects of the establishment of a technical school. The balance-)-heet show d a credit of £27 Is 8d on March 31st, whica amount with £\2 10s, tha Boird's subsidy in connection with the Coui't«nay-street shelter shed, not than received, was nearly abs 'rbed by outstinding liabilities.

Mr W. A. Oollis, the outgoing chairman, move-i the adoption of the report. —Seconded by Mr (JUukrodger.

Mr Boberts asked if the committee ware responsible in the case of accident to their caretaker.

The Secretary siid the committee's employees were not insured, and Mr Bellringer pointed out that the com mitten now hid no employees. Mr Oolli:! pointed out that the balance of £27 oid shown was for the 31st March, and it had been paid out for work completed since that date. Mr Carter asked if, the Botrd having taken over the management of the school, the committee now received no capitation.

Mr Collis said that wa? so, as the work at the school absorbed all the capitation. The liability for these worlw, minor repairs, etc, had been the bone of contention between Board and committee. The Board had been fortunate during the past six months in having the cheapest half of the year to work o-s, haviug no fuel to buy, and also having a considerably increased attendance. The fuel account for the coming winter would probably amount to £l2 or £l4. Members of the committee had always been willing to de all they could to promote the welfare of the children, but tlxy did not feel equal to rendering themselves liable for works required, and for which they had no funds.

The report; and balance-sheet were then adopted. Mr Gaukrodger moved, That in the opinion of this meeting the present system of administering education matters in New Zealand is unsatisfactory, and that school boards, elected by the popular vote, take the place of Education Boards and school committee's, He said there was not work enough for the two bodies now existing here, ttach of them was quita able to do the work. He advocated the inauguration of school boards, elected by the ratepayers, who were the ones interested' in tha education of the children. Then as to finance. The amount of capitation to the committee was £136. And to the members of the Board there was paid last year £2OB iu travelling allowances! It was ivally a waste of public money, and would | not occur if matters were simply administered by a local committee. In referring to a recent disagreement between Board and committee over the appointment of tsaehers, he considered that a local commitkee w»s better able to judge of the requirements of teachers for their particular school than a Board of members drawn from all over the present large district. Mr Asher seconded. He asked what was the use of a committee? Their chief work was consideration of finances and perhaps the appointment of teachers. As the Board had now taken finances out of the committee's hands there was really no use foe the committee.

Mr Collis said there was important work for the committee in the appointment of teachers.

Messrs P. While and 0. 1. Bellringer also spoke in support of the motion.

Mr F. Beilriuger pointed out that owing to the present system of election of Board members it was not possible to secure a raembor for the town.

Mr Bacon pointed out that two members - Messrs Allsworth and McAllum were practically town members, and they were electsd by the householders represantatives ail over the dis'riet.

Sever.il members considered tlw town, from fie number of children at the schools within its boundaries, was entitled to elect % board of members whose interasts are thos? of the town. Rov Drew said he ffared.the introduction of "school boards" —if they were such as he knew of in EngUnd would be a retrograde step. But if it; meant the popular election of the] Education Boards by the people, he would favour the motion.

| Mr Gaukrodger said the school i boards at Homo were all amenable to a central department, and had to keep tho school up to a certain standard. Tne system would certainly bring about a more economical manner of working. j

Rev. W. R. Woolley though 1 that some confusion between school boards and committees might follow the adoption of the system advocated. It was pointed out that the Education Board would cease to exist.

Mr P. Wliito t'urthfir explaiueii what he understood Mr G.iukrodger intended by his motion.

Mr S. B. White a!s > supported an I alteration in the system of education, [.is being mos 1 ; necessary. He hop»d that candidates for Parliamentary honours would be instructed on the subject.

The chairman iu speaking to the motion agreed that at'toe watching the work of Boards and committees for Bomo years, ho thought their duties overlapped, and that bofcii the bodiea wer« not required.

Mr B*cju thought it wuuld <t \> i advisable to adhpt the English »ys oui. j Rev. Drew Said that after looking j again at the resolution be thought it. wrts rather wide in its eeope, and to j carry such by about twenty personal was rather incongruous. He regretted, j he might way, the action taken by the town school committee. So far a-t hi, c'->a!d gather from the Press there had bben friction between committee and Board. He took it that when te«.cherh' salaries ware provided thera could not, be a great deal of other expense, and if therj was anything extra required committees could, by a little self denial, meat the demand. The resolution was then carried j unanimously, copies to bs sent to the Education Department, Board, and member for the district. Mr C. E. Bellringer moved, That this meeting approves of the action taken by the outgoing committee in the difference between it and the Board.—Seconded by Mr J. White, and curried. Mr White moved a hearty vote of thanks to the outgoing committee.— Seconded by Mr Bacon, and carried. Mr J. Hooker moved a vots wf thanks to Mr D&mpsey and his staff and Mrs Dowling and Miss Arrow and their staffs, for the work of the year.—Seconded by Mr Murr.iy, and carried. Nominations were then called for, and the following being the only ones ■wived wore declared duly elected : Messrs James Harvoy, F. Bicon, J. A. Robert?, W. A. Colli-', W. Gaukrodger, P. J. White, T. Whi'e, S. W. Jacksja, and R«.v. W. R. WoolUy. The usual compliment was accorded

tho chairman, and the meeting ad jourmd at 9 p.m.

At a subsequent meeting of the new committee Mr VV. A. Oollis was reelected chairman, on the motion of Mr Roberts, stcundtd by Mr Jackson. Mr Gaukrodger moved, and Mr P. White seconded, That Mr A. B. R. Fookes be re-sppointed secretary at the same remuneration as last year. —Carried.

It was resolved to meet on the third Tuesday in the month at the Town Hall.

Messrs Gaukrodeer and P. White were elected a visiting committee for the current month. FITZROY. There was an unusually large at-t'-ndance i f householders, doubt lens owing t'j felio posi'ion of affu'rs in coonec tiou with the late committee's action as to i lie head teacher. Mr Wood presided. Eleven names were submitted to the ballot for the committee, the following being elected: Messrs Wood, Cutfiald, Kelly, Colson, Davy, Griffith and Weller. Only tkree of the committee elected last years'ood again and they were all elected. Mr Wood was elected chairman of tin committee.