TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 232, 24 September 1908, Page 4

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

Th e Tarauaki Education Board commenced its inonlhh meeting on Tuesday. Present: Me.^i,.'.lames Wade (criai.--nian, A. Morton, 11. Faull, W. L Keinedy, W. .Rogers, 11. Trimble, (i. Tisih, 0. A. Adlain, and J. I). Morison. ARCHITECTS UKPORT.

The architect. Mr. .las. Sanderson, re-! ported that the I'rnti residence contract ' was Hearing completion. At the Albeit• school new piles were required under j the centre of ihe building and sonre I round the outside; new spouting to tlie! porch, and the remainder repaired; tlie windows required attention, and the building needed painting inside and inn.; the two gates were dilapidated anil needed repair, the total estimated cost being £35. At Upper Kent the chiotney hearth needed repairs, the bricks having ibeen split to pieces by the heat. The chimney was not of the best, but was good for some years yet. The porch required to be enlarged'; there was no lavatory, and some of ihe boarding was rotten and atom to fall oil'; spouting and downpipes generally requir.'d attention, and the school anil outbuildings needed painting inside and our. Additions to Rahul u school and residence were proceeding, and timber I'i.r the Tilcoi'angi residence was on the ground. Work at the Tariki residence would have been started last week but for the weather. The Pukeho school' contract had been signed, and an early start would 'be made with this and the Purangi and Stanley buildings. Additions to Te Kiri and Pihama were completed. The architect also reported that a cowl was tried as a remedy for the smoky tendencies of the Cardilf schod chimney. Some discussion took place concerning the .proposed outlay at Upper Kent, Lower Kent, Albert Road, and Lower Mangorei schools, a suggestion having been made to concentrate the tuition of the children in the Upper Kent and Lower Jlangorei schools, and removing the Jlangorci school to Petrie's cornvr or thereabouts. Mr. Morton said tint such a s cheme would d'oubtless mean ;.n improved status of th... schools, but there would be consider;.'ilu opposition from the parents con.-erucd, especially in the ease of the Albert school pupils, who would have to go across country and over a stream if they had to attend the Upper Kent school.

Eventually it was decided that a committee consisting of Messrs. Trimble, Tisch, and Morison 'be set up to enquire into and report upon the question of the closing of the Lower Kent and Albert schools and the shifting 01 the Lower Mangorei school. Upon receipt of a request from the committee, it was decided that the matter of effecting further alterations to the Ralhotu residence Ibe left in the chairman's hands, with power to act. The committee applied for a bathroom, woodhouse, and better drainage. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance Committee made the fallowing recommendations on matters arising out of correspondence received since the last meeting of the Board:

Tarata—That the architect be instructed to inspect the school building and report to the Hoard on its condition.

Whangamoniona—That in reply ro the letter of the committee asking for assistance in erecting a new out-olliee for the hoys, they lie informed that if they will erect a new building the Board will defray the cost.

Pembroke—That in reply to their letter, the committee will be informed that the Board will attend to shelter-shed. lavatory, and gate, .Mr...Rogers to supervise the work.

Kahui—That the application of '.he committer- tor grass seed to re-sow the school ground be referred 10 Mr. Adlaui to olrtain the necessary seed and forward it to the committee: that the architect be instructed to visit the school when next at-Hahotu and.report on the building. The report was adopted, together wit'i the recommendation that the tender of Mr. Meredith be accepted for the Makaliu residence. POKOKL'KA SCHOOL

Mr. Kennedy, who had been appointed to visit and report, recommended that the Pokol<ura school be reopened and Mr. Coate.s appointed teacher. Nine pupils mmild be forthcoming.—Adoptc 1. COOKERY I XiSTRUCTIOX. The committee set up to consider the appointment of a cookery instructress recommended calling applications for the position at £llO |>er annum and actual travelling expenses, accepted candidate to teach technical school and special classes, and to receive extra remuneration for evening classes. SCHOOL REQUIRED.

The committee, comprising Messrs. Trimble and Morison, who had ibeen delegated to report upon the application of the residents on the Surrey, York, anil Denlbigh roads for the erection of a school, reported that there was need for the establishment of a school, but with a view of ascertaining whether a permanent school w« s warranted the committee recommended that a. school should be established in a four-roomed cottage belonging to Mr. Xewstroski and available at a rental of lis a week. Sundry alterations would lie required, such as the removal of the partition.— It was decided to adopt the report, provided the building can be secured for a year at the rental arranged. At 10 p.m. the Koar.'i ailj.'.uniod '.ill yestwdav morning. WEDNESDAY'S SITXIXC. The Board resumed on Wednesday morning.

Mr. Morton and Mr. Ballantyne, Chief Inspector, reported having personally attended at the Marco school and inquired into the complaints alleged in the petition of the parents of the children. The complaints were enumerated. Alessrs. Davis and Bacon (commissioners) and Mi. Bailey (teacher) were present. Mr. Davis called nine children to testify to the truth of the matters complained of. Xo witnesses were culled lry Mr. Bailey. The charges were not substantiated. The deputation was of opinion, however, that there was a very considerable amount of friction between teacher and parents, and for this reason they recommended that Mr. Bailey '!•(• transferred as soon as possible.—The report was adopted. LEAVE OF ABSEXCE. ly-ave of alwetu-e on account of illness was granted to Miss I.'. Mclsaae I West End). Air. (iillivcr (Tongaporuti.', Miss A. Xoblc fCourienay .Street), M-x Richmond (Stanley I. M. 'l[. Itaily (Marco i. Mis S Worm (Huiroa). UKSBIiVKS COMMITTEE. The liesrrves Committee reeonniien '!- ed granting a lease of section (!, block !l. Xgaiimaru. 10 acres, to Mr. It. C. Cardiner: and that Mr. 1). llrown be granted grazing rights over section I, block 1. Midhiist township. TIIK SYLLAISCS. The Inspectors recommended the Board to nidorse the following resolutions passed bv the North Oanterlmrv Board:- That this Hoard considers that the primary s.-hool syllabus is wanting in connection with the scope and treatment of formal English grammar and history, and that the education l)< partinent lie requested to provide for a fuller treatment of these -objects ; M the syllabi,., fven at the expense e.l less important subjects, wlii.k rcoeivi more attention than their educative value warrants: and further. Ih'-,i though geography takes up so much ef the syllabus, yet i; is treated in sii. Ii a way as to leave the hiinian side of tile subject to a large degree untouched.- -■ The recommendation was adopted.

BUM) SCHOOL SO-r.USIiEES. The Board considered in committee- ;, whole lile of correspondence concerning the Bird school, its teacher, and the committee, and upon resuming it w n.< reported that the Hoard would forward to the Bird Committee and to the tea.;i. er copies of the whole of the correspondence, and that each member of the committee be informed thai the correspondence had been forwarded to the chairman (who is also secretary): and that the committee should be requested to hold a meeting and report to the Board at once. FITSSUOV SCHOOL CAItDEXS. The School Commissioners wrote I hat they were unable to acquire an additional piece of ground for school ua>'ilens. The committee will be informed aec.rdin-rly.—Mr. TriuiUdc I bought it was unfair for the Commissioners to hang tin- matter up merely because I hey had taken it into their leads that school gardening was technical work. H

was a .primary subject, and tin- ConuuisI sinners were quibbling. -It win pointed j out that thi' piece ut la ml suggested to , he acquired would uul lie an extension I of tlie grounds, since it \va-. on the op '.posile side of tlie street..—The chauniau said he was S ure the Couunissioners would nut purchase the land.—Mr. iaull agreed.—.\lv. Trimble said the Kdueati'in Hoard had two inemiliers on ihe Hoard jof School Commissioners, and these . two seemed lo be doing ad they eould ■ i to bloel; atliliiiuus to school grounds.I The chairman ilenied this, ami said liial

no oilier Hoard of Commissioners in the nonunion had ell'eeted as much for prim, are edueatiou as had the Tarauaki Hoard. Tlie Commissioners had purehased and added to several school sites. -Mr. r'aull endorse.! this.- Mr. Trimble, raised a laugh ut remarking that for several months in the year the t ,vo members of the Lducatiou Hoard coii'd do as they liked with the Commissioners, for were they not two of the thr >e members present; TONCAPORUTU RKSJDKNCE. Mr. 11. Okey, M.P., wrote that he had disetisseil the Tougaporutu residence dillieulty with the Minister, Iml, In. feared, to little ell'eet. The Minister was under the impression that lite

School Commissioners made a mistake ill purchasing the 12-acro section from the Land hoard, as he considered th ■ nine acres .which comprised the obi school site was ample for school requirements. There wa.s no doubt that the Department had been very badly misled in the past by different boards, and the Minister, working now on the policy of " once bit, twice shy," wanted evidence from some disinterested person.

Several members considered the Minis, tcr's remarks and attitude nothing lesthan an insult to the Hoard.

Mr. Oillivcn, teacher, forwarded a strong compiainl concerning the uninhabitable condition of the present buil.iing, stating that it was so bad as to have brought on illness and compelled him to send his wife and family away. This letter will be forwarded' to t'-ie Health Inspector for his report. .MISCELLANEOUS. A Jcller from the IJoiigla- eomniiti.ee was referred to >ic~rs.' Keiinedv and Morison to inquire into and r.-port on the. whole question of obtaining a permanent site for a seJiool and taking slops to erect a Imilding. Appointments to school committees were confirmed:—Salisfbury, Messrs. W. MeCrackcn and Charles Vincc; Stratford, Mr. S. A. Ward; Norfolk, Mr. Johnston. The Stratford committee's letter concerning, alterations to one of the schoolrooms was referred to the chairman, with power to act. The Egmont Village committee forwarded a .protest against any impend iag legislation to make attendance of children compulsory on every occasion when school is open. —To be acknowledged and the committee informed that the Education Bill now before Parliament docs not deal with school attendance.

Wuihi committee reported an epidemic of chicken-pox amongst the children. In pursuance of the recommendation oi the director of technical education the s um of one guinea is to lie paid out of the technical funds to the secretary of the St. John's Ambulance Association, as an alliliation fee for the teachers' Saturday first-aid class.

The Ingle-wood Committee asked the Board to arrange for the issue of free railway passes to boys of standards .) and (i of that school who might, in l-ie fall of the year, desire to'visit the Moinohaki State farm, and to secure concessions for committeemen.—Action to be taken so far as pupils are concerned.

Major Samlford I School Cadet*) notified having called a balulfion parade for tli ( . 2litli inst.. and invited Hoard members to lie present. Accounts amounting to C2I3S (is !U1 (inclusive of teachers' salaries. <M3!U Us 2d I were passed for paviueut.