EDUCATION OFFICE STAFF.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 102, 27 May 1909, Page 4

EDUCATION OFFICE STAFF.

CRITICISM AT THE BOARD MEETING.

There a pointed discussion at the Education Board's meeting oa Tuesday night concerning the stalling of the secretary a office. The Finance COl.l- - retouiniended the appointment of an additional cadette, at a saalry ol £25. Mr. Trimble complained that whilst the Board proposed cutting douu the school cowmuives'' capitation a., increase was proposed in the ollice w.ii. Mr. Morton explained thai iauc '.v the work in the secretary's otlice had gruatly increased. The secretary was back at work nearly every night, and worked On most of the public holidays, and had been unable to take a holiday for a couple of years. Moreover, additional temporary assistance had had to be secured

The chairman bore out and emphasised the points' mad e by Mr. Morton. Sir. Trimble doubted whether the Board was going t'tie right way about the, strengthening of the stall'. He thought the best thing to do was to "get rid of the girls" and get in a man who would do the work.

Mr. Faull' agreed that additional assistance should be obtained, but he thought the Board should employ a man as' assistant secretary who would be able to take up the reins in the eveut of the secretary being unable, from sickness or other cause, to attend it the office. He would like the matter referred back to the committee to provide a better scheme of relieving the secretary—(lie hardest workiag man in the Board's Employ.

Mr. Kennedy said the Finance Committee had come to the conclusion that it would take any new man a long time to catch up to the Board's senior lady assistant, who was a very capable oerBon, and whose work was' remarkably correct and careful.

The secretary, by consent of the meeting, explained one little lapse mentioned by Mr. Trimble. In evcrjr oilice there must be some mistakes, but he ielt sure that, in comparison with the amount of work done, his assistants made very faw mistakes. 'He would like Mr. Trimble to spend a day or two at the office watching the amount of •work that had to be done there. He was', sure that no one win would do the work his two assistants were now doing.

Mr. Moruoir .said that to talk of the length of time involved in learning the duties was . weakening the argument against the negd for appointing an as* sistant secretary. A boy, or a young man, would take no longer than a girl. speaker acknowledged the excellence of the work that was being done by Miss Thomson, the senior lady a&lsttfnt. **

' Sir. Trimble raised a further objection to the expressed intention of filling the sew position with a. sister of the present assistant. It was a mistake to Cix any office with relatives. He movi;d an amendment that this clause in the report should be referred hack to the Finance Committee to reconsider and report again to next meeting. Mr. Itorison seconded.

Mr. Morton pointed out that the reduction in capitation was the recommendation of another committee. As' for the proposal to appoint a male assuch a young man would co3t from 35a to 40s a week at the staft, and his salary would need regularly increasing. He admitted the desirability of providing an assistant to take the plae« of ' Mr. Whitconjbe should occasion arise, but the. "young man" proposal would not fill the bill. At present the ataff was insufficient to cope with the work, and he thought the best way to improve matters wotild be appoint another female clerk. As a man who had had considerable experience in office work personally, as well as? in its supervision, he could honestly state tint

wojpeu engaged in such work were more reliable than men, more correct, and di:l their work with greatvr facility. The amendment was lost, on the casting vote of the chairman, the voting* being:—Ayes: Me#sr& Adlam, Mtrison, Trimbte, and Faull; Xoe6: man and Messrs Kennedy, Morton and Rogers.

The report wa'e then adopted. It'was decided to advertise for appll cations for the position.