TARANAKI SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81903, 15 December 1906, Page 2

TARANAKI SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS.

'l'h. Tavanaki School fominis-ion,-. ■rs met on Friday morning.. _t>Csont; Messrs James Wade, '(chairman. C. P. Major iind \V. T. Jennings M.'il.U.'s

.''. Simpson (Commissioner -of Crown uindj's), and 11. Faull.

/ RAILWAY WORKS. /'l'lc Public Works Department sub nit ted plans of property taken by proclamation for railway and deviaton purposes on the Stratford- On;arue railway, on the Douglas road.

The clerk stated that the tenants, .dessrs Jennings and Blair, were satisfied with the settlement made by die Department in compensating them for the loss of their leaseholds. The Jovernment Lands Purchase Officer had oll'ered to the Board £25 for the unimproved freehold of tie land, fliis oll'er was accepted, and, provided the tenants approve, the rents will :-e reduced by live per cent on Ihe luiounl obtained from the Department.

The secretary rcpoited that the new cottage at llawera had been completed satisfactorily, and insured. Action approved. XOKMAXISY .SCHOOL SITE. The secretary reported on his visit to Xonuaaby "in connection with the Vi'anganui Kducation Board's application for CB.> towards the purchase of mx sections for use e.s a horse padlock. ':Mr Corkill had visited Xor.uiinliy and visited tee. property with Ihe chairman of the school committee :md the headmaster. The present school ground was only ail acre and .Hi perches in extent, aiul the children hail to play on the adjoining grass road. This was now objected to. Me had found the sections were not wanted as a horse-paddock but as a playground, Eight instead of six sections were required now, and this Hoard's contribution would be .C 125. -Mr Wade said the Board might purchase four of the sections,

Mr Corkhilli But they want to play cricket and football'there. .Mr Simpson: What about our country schools that are. hungering for acres';

.Mr .Major said the sections were good level ones, well suited for the purpose, ami certainly a larger playground was required. The Board will purchase the four ..odious nearest the school, on condition that the Kducation Board purchase the remaining four; and the Hoard will then proclaim it as a school site. AX EXPIJiJXG LEASE. Mr ii. Price, of Egiuont Village, waited on the Board in connection with his lease, and declined to again take up the land at the rate lixed by the Commissioners. Bather than do that he would forfeit all his interest in improvements. "But thank i ; «'d. I have my freehold I" he concluded. Mr Jennings moved that the rent payable be reduced to I'll per annum, provided Mr Price completes by Ist February next. Mr Simpson seconded, and the motion was carried. LAXDS RID SCKXKKY. The Treasurer reported that lie had received CU", in payment for land taken (section V, Town i;..|t of Xcw Plymouth | for scenic purposes, ROM) DEVIATION". The District lioad Engineer wrote concerning Ihe deviation nf the Mangaoapa and Matau roads which woti'delleet one of (lie Hoard's reserves. The "new road line would make a main road leading from Purangi and Malau to Kiore station on the Strut-' ford-Oiigarue railway, (o which point 'he line would probably be carried 1 within a year. Left with the chairman and Mr Simpson with power to act.. (IKXKUAL. The Hoard considered (In, mailer of the requested additions to the Tariki school site. The mailer f.> be settled was which piece of the adjoining leasehold should be added to the schoolgrounds. Messrs Faull and Jennings will report, and the chairman was empowered to act on their report. The Eliot Road Hoard asked tlie Board to dedicate a piece of the fron!:i;;e of reserve in order to make Eliot road a uniform width from licit road to Wallace Place.—Tho Hoard has no power in the mailer. Banger's report on the state of the various leaseholds were referred to the Noxious Weeds Committee..

The Board allocated €70(1 for primary education.

D. Alexander Kent road, applied to have his lease converted into a, perpetual lease, as he was desirous of greeting ;i new residence.—Grouted, subject to all papers being >» °»'der

Siiinuel Parker's application for re- j viiliiiitiou of Ist sec SS, Mock vl, Ngaire S.I), with a view to change of tenure, was granted. I Jilt SAJII'KI/S RKSICXATIOX. A letter' vi'>> read from Mr 0. Samuel, resigning his ollice as solicitor to the ita'.il after sixteen year's service, and asking to be relieved as ( from 31st i'.isl. He tendered his thanks to niemhers, and offered to complete all nialters now in his hands. Mr Major, said that, in common with the other niemhers of the Hoard, he had licen made acquainted with Mr Samuel's intention to resign the ollice of legal adviser. lie had drafted the following resolution, which he moved: This Hoard accepts with much regrei its solicitor's (Mr 0. Samuel's) resignation and in so doing desires to place on record in the minutes of the Hoards transactions its high ami nm-t sincere appreciation of lie services rendered by Mr Samuel to the Hoard during a period of Hi years, also to record its expression of the relationship that existed throughout the long period of Jlr Samuel's association with the Hoard as its legal adviser in Unit it has not failed to mark and to realise the remarkable thoroughness and ungrudg ing manner in which lie has devoted Lis time and talents to the Hoards legal affairs and lo the entire obliteration by him of any mercenary spirit in all the many years, it being abundantly evident to all member's that the 'monetary recompense has been quite out of proportion to the labour and skill entailed, JSy reason of his conveyancing knowledge aej.' foresight the Hoard's lessees benelit by a form of lease which from its libc'rrf.l conditions may he regarded as the best vet devised in the colony; The ollice'has always been to him a

work of patriotism and loyalty to the Trust than one for profit; and that the chairman so forward a copy of this re-o'ulion to Mr Samuel. All- Eauil seconded, and in doing so regretted Mr Samuel's retirement, at the same time complimenting him on the very favourable leasing conditions devised" by him for the benefit of the Board and its tenants. Mr denning.-, whilst endorsing all else in the motion, asked in what av.iv the terms, of lease differed from those of anv oilier School Commissioner's Board. Mr Ala -

jor said the Board's lessees were given opportunities such as Kfi\' not oh; Unliable from any other board, the tenants having more chances/u improve and make profit whilst the Hoard was still fnllv protected. If the leases granted by the Crown ten ants were on the lines of that drawn for the Board hv Mr Samuel it would be infinitely better for the Crown tenants.

Mr Jennings, speaking to the reso Ir.tiou, said lie greatly regretted Mr Samuel's resignation, because it had always been plainly evident Hint lie had 'worked in the best interests of the tenant as well as of the Board. The legal work had been done in a manner satisfactory to ad concerned. He expressed the wish, on behalf of the Board, that Mr Samuel would en joy his holiday thoroughly, and at some future time again would take part in the proceedings of the Board. I Mr Simpson briefly endorsed- the resolution.

The chairman spoke in similar terms, and thanked .Mr Major for his resolution. No one could regret .Mr Samuel's resignation more than would the speaker, fur he had come to know and to value .Mr Samuel's advice and assistance. He acknowledged the retiring solicitor's unfailing courtesy ami kindness and thoroughness, and the help which had so lightened his duties as chairman. The motion was put and cairied. Mr Samuel asked a minute in which to thank the members for their cordiality and kindness always ext "ided to him. Four years ago he had re tired from active work and had resigned most, of his appointments, n> he felt ent.tled to a life of leisure. That he had continued after that-Vf act as soiicitmMifr.'rV'-lloaA was due to tic yevr*ger.cril kindness of mem iaj;<rile had looked forward to each ■"monthly meeting as an opportunity of meeting friends, working in sympathy with one common object in view. Referring to the terms of lease, he said there were- several points which were not attempted anywhere else. The principal one ivus that le.-sees witn terminable will:, perpetually recurring rights of renewal without submitting the lie had done all in his power to ameliorate the disadvantages of the leasehold tenure as compared with freehold.