EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 26, 24 February 1909, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD.

'J Ik- ordinary of the Educatiun Beard was held last night. There were present: Messrs. Jas. Wade (eliai:liKinj, (i. A. Adliun, (J. Tisch, J. D. Jlorisoii, 11. Tiimble, W. Rogers, \V. L. Kennedy, 11. Faull, and A. .Uorton. AKUUITKUS' KIiPOKT. .Messrs Sanderson mid Griffiths, the Hoard's architects, re|iurted on visits to variola schools. Kq> a i r ., „( Wailii were iieaii\ completed, and the same was the ease at Lepperton, where a new tank was riH(uirfd, und the teacher ask;d for a bath to lie iitted. At Hillsborough and Oinata the extensions and additions were completed. The eontract ior the new Alakaliu residence was completed. Painting at Marco and Tarurutangi was completed, and cupboards and blackboards at Toko. Sundry repairs to doors and windows and lock's -were required at Pohokura, and 20ft of spouting, which had been removed, needed replacing. Lavatory basins at Waiongona needed replacing. The pit which received the waste water from tlie residence needed attention. Sundry repairs at Norfolk were required. Plans had been prepared for a new residence at Tarata and additions to Hillsborough school. The folding, partitions for the Stratford school were completed, and would be fitted up during the Easter holidays.

Air. Trimble said that no member of the Board would suffer such a state of affairs about his home as was the result oi insufficient drainage at Waiongona.— To be attended to.

Mr. Kennedy complained that in the painting contract at Marco rotten wood had been painted over At the Jlakahu new residence, the teacher complained, there was a detached wash-house, without a tank, and there was no outside tap to the tank at the residence. This would be very inconvenient. —The architect said this was an oversight, and had been attended to.

Mr. Kennedy complained that the stud at the new Makahu residence was only nine feet in height, whilst the Board's plans provided for a 10ft stud. The doors and windows, however, were designed as for a ibuilding with a 10ft stud, and liad- to be cut down. In his opinion this low stud spoiled the look of tlie building, and that was the opinion of 'everyone who saw it. He hoped that the Huiakama residence would not be similarly designed, or, if it had been, that it was not too late to alter it. Mr. Sanderson said that the contractor -was to blame for the larger doors being put in the residence. They were not specified. And allowance would be made in respect of the windows, which were smaller than were shown on the plan-. He had reduced the stud in order to .make the cost of the building come within the limit of the Government grant for the purpose. Mr. Kennedy thought that the Board's plans should not- be departed from in such an essential particlar without the Board being first consulted.

FINANCE CJOMMITEE. The Finance Committee reported as follows on matters arising out of correspondence received since last mooting:—Lepperton: That a bath and lOOit of drains, as suggested by the architect, be supplied to the Lepperton residence, at a cost of £lB. Pohokura: That the matter of repairs at Pohokura and the spouting be left in the hands of Mr. Kennedy, with power to act. Waiougona: That the architect be instructed to have the necessary repairs effected at Waiongona school. Norfolk: That the architect have necessary repairs effected at the Norfolk school. Mareo: That the architect he instructed to have the necessary repairs carried out at Marco school in accordance with the letter from the Commissioners, and that the Department be informed of the action taken in reference to the opening of the girls' porch. Mangaehu: That Mr. Norris be informed that the Board will inalke him an allowance of 2s Gd per week from January Ist, 1909, for use oi the schoolroom. Kaimata: That the amount of subsidy promised to the Kaimata school ( £3 10s) be; paid now that the work is completed. Waitara: That the architect be instructed to prepare plans in conjunction with the chief inspector for additions to Waitara school, and that applications be made to the Department for a grant for the same. Bell Block: That the matter of blackj boards at the Bell Block school be referred to the inspector, with power to act. Makahu: That the architect be instructed to forward a tap and solder to the Makata committee, and that they be granted the usual subsidy towards the erection of a shelter-shed. PTJRANGI .FURNITURE. Mr. F. W. Pennington, chairman i'f the Purangi school committee, and owner of the room which has beea used for some time as the temporary school, wrote with reference to the opening and furnishing of the new school. The secretary read the correspondence which had passed between Mr. i'ennington and the Board's office. It appeared that Mr. Pennington, as chairman of the committee, had the; key o'i the new school, but refused to hand it to the teacher so that the new building might be used, he urging that he had been given no notice of the termination of the agreement witli respect to his own room. It was not likely that the Board was going to pay him rent, when lie held the key of the Board's school close by. Mr. Pennington should have been informed by the chairman of the committee of "the completion of the new school.

Mr. Pennington wrote that the Boar! should liavc informed him of this fact. Ascertaining from the Board's secretary that the school was ready for occupation, they used the building on the day of re-assembling after the holidays. "You don't spem to know that you have t'wo sets of school furniture at Puraugi—why, we don't know—but thrak if you had made one set do and divided the price of the other amongst the backblocks, you would probably have had stamps enough to luive found out more details. And now, if you will kindly send an address where J can ship the furniture I shall be very pleased to d<> so. but in the meantime X shall expect rent until the things are removed." He added that his committee knew nothing of this correspondence. The chairman said that this was a matter for the architect to explain. He had expected the old furniture to be used.

Mr. Sanderson said he had been surprised at the complaint, for there was uo record in his office to remind him that there had been any furniture supplied previously to l'urangi, so lie had sent forward the new furniture in the ordinary way for the new school. He was to blame in not first consulting the inspectors. Mr. Faull thought it was ridiculous that for the want of enquiry by one of the Board's officers they had to bear tire expense of carting these desks 20 miles back to Inglcwood. The architect and chief inspector stated that the desks would probably be utilised at the Pukeliu a'.id Matau schools.

PCKEHU. Mr. Faull complained that when the Pukeliu school was finished by the contractors It was full of "dirt and muck," and the floor covered with paint. The architect said the school had been cleaned and the contractor charged with the cost. Mr. Faull said that someone was telling an untruth, for two settlers out there had told him, that, seeing the state of the building, their wives had spent two days in cleaning it out. A QUESTION OF COST.

Mr. Adlain complained of the expense incurred by the Board in procuring new desks for even the temporary schools. When a, school was enlarged, as at Rahotu, the desks in use seemed to be thrown out, when they might a3 well have been sent on to the temporary school now being opened at Kiua road.

The architect and the inspector dared that the desks rejected at Kaliolu were useless.

Mr. Adlaiu: Tliev were good enough up till a month or two ago. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.

The chairman rcoortcd the appointment of the following probationers: I'renni, Mr. Ct. F. Bertram!; Fitzroy, MUs D. Mace; Norfolk, Miss V. FrankIvn; Midhinst, Miss L. Prideaux; West End, Miss M. Bullard; Waitara, Miss J. Mackie; Stratford, Miss E. Brown. The following pupil teachers had been appointed:—'West End, Miss E. Fleming Mirthirst, Miss 11. Hall. Application had been made to the Department for a ten-acre site for a school, hut no answer had vet been received. THE CADET CAMP.

Adjutant Johnstone, reported, under instructions from .Major Sandi'ord, upon the recent camp of No. 1 battalion of school cadets on Mr. Mcintosh's property at To ITenui. Mention was made of support received from' various quarters, and particularly of the generosity of Mr. Mcintosh in allowing the. camp to be held on his property and in granting the cadets permission to maintain a permanent rifle range on. the property. The report was adopted. The thanks of the Board will be tendered to Mr. Mcintosh, and the. Education Department will be iiolilicd of the Board's intention I of accepting the offer in regard to the range. WAITARA SCHOOL.

The chief inspector, acting upon the report of Mr. Whetter, recommended that application be made to the Department for additional accommodation at the Wftituva .school,-*-Adopto<2,

HIKE SCHOOL BOOKS. . The inspectors recommended that the amount of tlie Department's grant for ln-e school books (ill preparatory classes to Standard II.) be distributed amongst teachers for expenditure, and that no departure from the authorised list of school books should be made without the approval of the inspector. GENERAL. The Department will be asked to state what position the Board is in with regard to accident insurance if a teacher is injured whilst carrying out his duties. The petition of the settlers at Oeo for a new school will be referred to the. inspector for a report. The Hoard adjourned till 9.30 this morning.