EDUCATION BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 146, 29 September 1910, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD

I MONTH JA" MINTING. ' The monthly meeting of the Education Board was continued yesterday morning, Mr. Jas. Wade presiding over a full attendance of members. A QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE. Mr. Trimble moved that Messrs. Kennedy, Halcombe, Young and the chairman lis the finance committee. He said lie had not, included Mr. Morton's name bi ;•> ...>e of that gentleman's statement at last meeting that he would on no account accept a position on the commit -.ee. Mr. ..Norton seconded. Mr. Halcombe asked Mr. Morton to reconsider his decision. Mr. Morton emphatically declined, j The chairman regretted Mr. Morton's refusal to act, for no other memberJiad such a grip of the Board's finances, as he had. Mr. Morton said he did not like that statement to be made, for the finances of the Board presented no difficulty, and all of the members should have full knowledge of it. He withdrew his remark made at meeting that those members who had voted against the ,/election of la finance committee had expressed want of confidence in the com-| mittee; but he substituted for it that thev had bv their votinsr shown want of

confidence in the system. And when the system could only be retained on the casting vote of the chairman there was something wrong, and he must decline to act in such eircumtsances. He also mentioned that it was very inconvenient for him to attend the meetings, and tliat lie had very frequently been absent of late. Mr. Kennedy withdrew his name, on the ground that three members ■were sufficient. . i Mr. Young said that he also woula. decline if Mr. Kennedy stood out.

Mr. Trimble moved that Mr. Cargill be appointed in Mr. Kennedy's stead. , Mr. Cargill: I beg to decline. I Mr. Trimble protested against the unwillingness of members to serve on the committee. The Board had affirmed the principle o'f the finance committee, and it didn't matter a jot whether that division had been arrived at by a ibare majority or otherwise Surely all the members of the Board were not going to refuse to act on the committee Mr Halcombe moved, and Mr Rogers seconded, the reappointment of the old committee, but Mr Morton objected to this amendment being piit, as he was a member of the old committee, and had definitely refused nomination. , The motion was carried. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. | The following teachers were granted leave of absence, owing to illness: | Miss Ross, Pilco; Mr. Evetts, West End; 1 Miss Gleeson, Central; Miss Cooper, Awatuna; Miss H, Black, Waitui; and Mi~s G. Coleman, Toko. I

A SERIOUS MATTER. ] The Board referred to the chairman, with power to consult the Board's solicitor, the matter of certain letters received by the Board in reference to the Radnor Road School facilities, these letters, it was alleged, having 'been written by a woman on the Denbigh road, but not over her own signature.

THE CADETS. | < Major Sandford, commanding the No.] 1 School Cadet Battalion, wrote regarding the grant of £2 which the Board had made towards the cost of erecting a shed on the field range on Mr. Mcintosh's property at Te Henui. The Department had notified him that it] would spend no more money 00 field ranges, but to concentrate its energy on miniature ranges at the schools l . However, the Department had granted the officers the use of rifles for their club, and he how asked that the Board 1 be good enough to allow the £2 grant] to stand, so that the .shed could be built for the use of the officers and' senior cadets whom the officers intend-] ed to take out at their own expense.] The Board- had also granted leave for a field day during the last week, but it had been found inconvenient, and he mow asked leave to hold such a parade] during October. —The Board acceded! to each request. TRANSFER OF TEACHERS.. Mr. Kennedy referred to the published report of the last meeting of the Tara-j Tiipl-i Teachers' Institute in reference, to the transfer of teachers. According to the report the Institute's solicitor had given his opinion that the Board had no power to transfer any teacher without his or her concent. Mr. Kennedy expressed the opinion that it was very desirable that boards shpuld have this power, particularly in cases where the work of the school and education of the children were adversely affected by disagreement between the teacher and the committee or householders. With this end in view he moved that it is desirable that the present legislation be amended to confer this power on boards, and to request the co-opera-tion of other boards throughout tha

Dominion. Mr. Wade agreed with Mr. Kennedy b ( views, and stated that very frequently ( it would be in the best interests of a j teacher that the Board should havej power to transfer t'hem. Teachers could! hardlv have a fairer or more reliable! tribunal than the district education board, which was interested in the weH fare of both teacher and child. it| mifht be that the Teachers Institute would oppose the power being granted; to boards, but in doing so they would foe opposing their own interests Mr. Halcombe seconded the motion.

Mr. Adlam would oppose any scheme j which disallowed the riglit of the school, committees to say whether they were willing to have the teachers proposed to be transferred to them. _ | Mr. Cargill considered it_ impolitic to, scatter broadcast the opinion of mem- j bers that the Bpard had no Tight to enforce its decision to transfer a, teacher. Nor was it wise for them to accept as binding the opinion g™n Jo the Institute. He felt positive that the Board had power to insist on a teacher accepting his transfer, and could dis-. miss him in the event ofhisrefusmgj to accept the appointment allotted to, him. In the case of a school growmg| beyond the capabilities of a teacher, ancli the children suffering in consequence wasn't it reasonable to suppose that the Board had the power to remove that teacher? Rather than accept the mo-j tion, he suggested that the Board should ascertain the true position. ■ Mr, Kennedy was fully convinced that there was no power of this kind conferred under the Act, unless some cleyer ■ lpfal luminary could construe something out of the Act which was not apparent to liim. It would be unfortunate if the Education Act were to . become like the [ licensing Act and some other Acts every lawyer being able to set up his 'own opinion. , ~ „ .J I Mr. Trimble moved, and Mr. Cargill [ seconded, an amendment that the matter be referred to the Board's solicitor, 1 and that he be empowered to refer ffie

I matter to further counsel if he deems I j it necessary. j i Mr. Kennedy withdrew the motion, t saying that he was anxious to get the | position defined, and by the passing of j the amendment he would achieve his object, GENERAL. | Some discussion took place concern-, ing the action of the Kaimata Committee in obtaining and charging to the j Board a quantity of ornamental trees, ■ despite the intimation of the Board that it was not prepared to supply such. Mr. Morton was appointed to make en-j quiries. 'lt was decided that Mr. Halcombe should interview the Pukearuhe Committee with a view of obtainfiig a correct statement of accounts up to March 31st last, and with a view of having the | conduct of business placed on a satisfactory footing. The action of the Denbigh, Oka.to, Urenui and Taururutangi m closing their schools on account of sickness amongst the children, ibe confirmed. , The Awatuna School Committee s request to close for the spring holidays after the examination, was to. Accounts amounting to £2305 lSs, were passed for payment.