EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 247, 24 November 1909, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD.

The Education Board met last night. Present: Messrs Jas. Wade (chairman), G. A. Adlam, J. Young, J. D. Morison. H. Trimble, W. Hogcra, A.H, Halcombe, and W. L. Kennedy. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance Committee recommended ■ as follows m maucrs arising oiu of correspondence received smce w»i meeting: I'uat the application ol Hie liunoa committee to have folding uours in uie .partition be granted, the coimniuce 10 provide £10; that the application oi the liiglewood committee lor a subsidy ol X. for fc on £l4 Os Od collected by the committee for the purpose of improving the school grounds be granted, the work to be done to the satisfaction of Messrs Trimble and Morton; that the Hoard is unable to grant the committee's request for a bell to be erected in a turret on the school building; that the committees application for a cupboard be referred to the Inspector for a report and repairs to the residence be referred to the chairman, with power to act; that the sum of Jio be paid to the Ratapiko committee, as recommended by Mr. Trimble, for improvement of school grounds; that the lowest tenders be accepted for painting buildings, provided that an assurance is obtained from the Department that the maintenance grant for the current year, or a considerable ' portion thereof, will be paid before the end of December naxt. (Information ' re tenders withheld). WAIHI SITE. !

Mr. • Halcombe reported having met ten of the settlers in the Waihi school district and inspected the present site, which he considered was quite- unfit for the school. The grounds were too small, and very rough; there was no room for the children to play, except in adjoining fields; there was no room for a horse paddock, and the children ran a great risk by playing amongst horses. Mr. Halcombe recommended the Board to try and procure a piece of flat native land from the Public Trustee. The present building was overcrowded, very old, and unhealthy. The attendance promised to be very large.—The report was adopted.

INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The Chief Injector recommended the supply of six blinds and some hyloplate , for blackboards at Waitara, additional i seating accommodation at York, and [ that 34 new dual desks lie supplied for t one of the rooms in the Central School, many of those at present in the school being in a very bad state of repair. Referring to the application for additional seating accommodation at West End, the Inspector reported that the total floor space was 3926 feet. According to the Department's regulations, this floor space made provision for an average attendance of 392 children. The roll number of the school at present was 402, and the average attendance for last quarter was 346. If the Department based the requirements laf the school on the/average attendance only, without taking into consideration the roll number or difficulties of organisation, then an application for additions must fail. He would, however, like to emphasise the fact that in a school of this size, where the floor space was limited, the very greatest difficulty was experienced by the head teacher in finding sufficient accommodation for ti>r several classes, and some of the classrooms must necessarily be unduly overcrowded. This was the case with the infant Toom at the West End schoil. The floor space (1008 feet) provided seating accommodation for 106 children, whereas the number of the pupils on the roll of this department was 101, and he could not eee low it was .possible to relieve the pressure unless an extra room was erected. Under the circumstances, he recommended that strong recommendations be made to the Department for the necessary additions. With regard to the To Kiri committee's request for additional accommodation, the floor space provided for seating accommodation for 44 scholars, and the number on the roll at the time of his inspector's visit wis 58, with an average attendance of 42 for the quarter. As the average attendance appeared very unsatisfactory, he recommended that the question of additions bo held in ahevniKc. w>*h a view to further enquiries beinj made. The report was adopted, the Central School desking being dependent upon the maintenance grant coniiii!* forward;, and (he matter of Te Kiri additions being referred to Mr. Young for his enquiry.

GENERAL. Mr. Halcombe reported having arranged for a horse paddock at Okokc school. He recommended that the remainder of the site be offered to the adjoining owner free of rent, providing noxious weeds are kept down.—The report was adopted. Mr. Kennedy reported that the Hurimoana school had been moved to a more convenient .site about half a mile further down the Whitianga road. He recommended payment of shelter-shed subsidy to the Makahu committee, and remarked that the shed erected was one of the best he had seen.

The Board resumes its meeting this morning.