EDUCATION BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 122, 1 September 1910, Page 7

EDUCATION BOARD

The Taranaki Education Board continued! its meeting yesterday, all the mem'bers being present except Mr. A. H. Halcombe, who was granted leave of absence. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The report of the Finance Committee was adopted. It recommended that Fitzroy residence ,be painted inside, and that the question of tanks, etc., be left in the hands of the chairman with power to act. The matter of the smoky chimney at Courtanay street was also left in the chairman's hands. The matter of a range for Pukearulie was left in the hands of Mr. Halcombe. The Hiilsborough committee were allowed to substitute another day for Arbor Day, and the chairman is to arrange re hedge plants. The Ngaere committee will be subsidised £ for £ up to £4 for the erection of a fence, and the chairman will also arrange re hedge plants. The Board will supply the necessary timber etc. for a small shed for storing targets for the school cadets, provided the cadets erect the building. The secretary is to prepare a statement showing the! annual grant since the basis of allocation in 1903: (a) Maintenance 01 buildings; (b) replacing old and wornout buildings.

Mr. Young reported in regard to repairs at Warea, and the application for a new school on the Ihaia Road. He stated that the settlers on that road would erect a building if the Board would rent it. There were six children on the road ready for school 3 and also eight on the Opua 'Road. The sec'retary of the Opua Road School committee asked that that sshool be worked as a half-time school in conjunction with the proposed Ihaia Road School. Mr. Youngs report was received, and the necessary steps will be taken to establish a school on the Ihaia Road.

DAIRY .SCIENCE. (Mr. W. A ; Ballantyne, chief inspector, pointed out that in connection with the Civil Service Junior Examination no provision was made for the examination of a candidate in dairy science. Now that steps were ibeing taken to establish rural schools throughout the colony, too was of opinion that dairy science should be included in the subjects for examination, and that the marks assigned for it and also for elementary agriculture should be 400 each. These two subjects were necessarily the most important in a course of rural work, and it would be some encouragement to those taking up this course if they felt that they would not be handicapped should they desire to present themselves for the Civil Service examination. Mr. Tyrer, who liaa given considerable thought to the matter, concurred with the above proposal. The Board unanimously l'esolved to ] forward the recommendation to the i Minister of Education for his considderation. I

DEPARTMENTAL. The Education Department declined to make a special grant for the erection of a porch at the Stratford District High School, but agreed to a grant of £OIO for new schools at Okau and Whangamomona.

In connection with the erection of schools, the Secretary for Education (Sir *E. O. Gibbes) asked if the Board had considered the possibility of employing a carpenter to do the Work directly under the Board instead of following the usual contract system. In the erection of Native Schools the Department had found this much the more convenient and effective course. PECULIAR POSITION.

Mr. Trimble moved, in accordance with notice of motion, that standing committees be not appointed. Under the committee system he stated that the members of the Board had not the same chance of obtaining information as if the business was transacted before the whole Board. Of course, the theory was that it saved time, but if this was done at the expense of the members, he did not think it was any gain. Mi - . Rodgers seconded-'the motion.

The chairman was doubtful if the work could be done more efficiently. The / work at present done by the Finance Committee would take the full 'Board all day to transact. Mr. Morton could not see any advantage in the proposed change. All the papers were laid on the table by the Finance Committee, and members had every opportunity of looking through them.

(Mr. Adlam favoured the new scheme being given a trial, as he considered that members would soon be glad to revert to the present system. If all the business was dealt with by the full Board two full davs would not be sufficient for the meetings.

Mr. Cargill supported the motion. On a division, the motion was declared lost on the casting vote of the chairman. Noes: Messrs. Trimble, Rogers, Cargill, and Adlam. Ayes: Messrs. Morton, Kennedy, Young, and the chairman. Mr. Trimble then moved that Messrs. Morton, Kennedy, Young, and the chairman be re-appointed a Finance Committee.

Mr.i Morton, however, absolutely refused. He pointed out that the members proposed were the only ones who voted in favour of committees being retained, so evidently they had not the confidence of the members. He nominated Mr. Trimble in his place. Mr. Kennedy also declined nomination.

Mem'bers denied that they imputed any non-confidence in the 'Finance Committee. It was the. principle they objected to. Mr. Trimble pointed out that lie could not accept nomination on the Finance Committee when he was opposed to the principle. After some desultory discussion, the appointment of a committee was held over till next meeting.

GENERAL. The secretary of the Tar'anaki Rugby Union forwarded the conditions for the "Alf Bayly Memorial Scholarship." The Inspector-General of Schools also wrote titjrccing to tliG conditions. The following : resignations were accepted: Miss C. F. Smith, sole teacher, Douglas; Miss B. M. Weston, sole teacher, Piko; Mr. A, H. Amoore, sole teacher, Tataramaika. ! The following permanent appointments were made: Mahoe (head teacher) Mr. F. J. Cumberworth; Ratapiko, (assistant) Miss Wells; lariki, (assistant) Miss Mackav. Miss A. Gleeson (Central) and Mrs. Richmond (Stanley) were granted leave of absence through ill-health The action of the Puniwliakau and Makalm committees m closing their schools on account of epidemics was C °lt wtuf decided to inform the Denbigh committee that the Board considers if the Derby Road wn.a opened up children from the" Radnor Road would be able to attend the Denbigh school. The boundaries fixed at the householders' meeting at Oeo were confirmed by the Board.

On the recommendation of Mr. Adlam, the Board decided to clear blackberry and furze and also fence the Koru school grounds at a cost of £B. Mr. J. P. Young was granted a transfer of section 20. blk 13, Waitara. for the balance of Mr. T. J. Andrews' lease and Mrs. M. Y. McKoy was granted a 10 years' lease of section 27, blk 1, Mimi. The Inspector recommended t' it application be made to the Dep.- '.tment for a grant for a school at Ackknd Road to accommodate 20 children. In accordance with the recommendation of the foreman (Mr. (.'. H. Moore), the Board decided that in future nothing but heart timber will be used in school buildings, that his suggestion re blinds should be given a trial, ami that the new sill suggested should be used with a view to preventing the water getting under the outside doors. Messrs. Kennedy anil Tl'imble gave a report of the conference of Education Board's recently held in Wellington (as already reported). The delegates were thanked for attending the conference.