EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 310, 25 May 1911, Page 8

EDUCATION BOARD.

YESTERDAY'S BUSINESS. When thi» Board resumed yesterday all ! the members were present except Mr. | J. Young, who was granted leave of absence. FINANCE COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The Finance Committee recommended that the Stratford school committee be granted a CI for .€1 subsidy towards asphalting the floor of the shelter shed; that the Board supply the material for asphalting the Hillsborough shelter-shed provided the committee do tile labor, but that the Board cannot see its way to accede to the request for a shed for tools; that the Board cannot see its way at present to make application to the Department for a residence at Tongaporutu; that the application from the ' Pungarelm committee for a curtain to divide the schoolroom be granted; that the 'Board subsidise the Lepperton committee £1 for £1 towards the extension of the shelter-shed; that the tender of the Sash and Door Company for (lie supply of folding tables for examination purposes be accepted; that a subsidy be granted to the Awatuna com- • mittee up to £3 18s for ploughing, and levelling, etc., of the school ground; that the Board at the present time cannot see its way to supply grates to baekblocks schools; that the Kina committee be informed that the Board will subsidise them £ for £ for the purpose of erecting a porch; that the Awatuna committee be informed that the Board will supply the necessary hedge plants on application being made at the proper time; that the IJuiroa committee be supplied with a new range for the residence, and that the application for a bathroom will be attended to as soon as the Department grants funds; that, the foreman be instructed to proceed with the work at Franklev residence as soon as it is convenient; that the matter of improvements to the ground and buildings at the Ingleivood school be referred to Messrs. .Morton and Trimble with power to act.; that a tent be supplied to the Board's foreman for use in the backblocks: the committee considered it inadvisable to make any recommendation as to a fixed amount for the maintenance grant for old and worn-out buildings until after the settlement of the Stratford fire; that the applicaion of the Okoke school for permission to erect an iron chimney in the shelter shed be referred to Mr. Halcombe with power to act—Adopted without discussion. THE STRATFORD FIRE. The Chairman's action in confirming arrangements made by the Stratforil school committee lor the temporary carrying oa of the various classes, and for authorising the temporary fixing up of the electric light in the High School room, was approved, and a vote of thatflcs was passed to the school committee, the headmaster and staff for the [ promptitude they had shown in making all the necessary arrangements. SCHOOL COMMITTEES. | The appointments made by the undermentioned committees to fill vacancies on those committees were confirmed:— Urenui, Messrs. E. Butler and Weston; Tuna, Messrs. T. Vickers, W. McCracken, R. Milne, and <T. Bloxham; ■ Toko, Messrs. T. Henderson, G. Bain, 0. Ellis; Tulutawa, Messrs. .T. O'Connor and R. Barron; Oaonui, Messrs. P. Cook and J. Fleming; Okoke. Messrs. E. Bell, G. , W. Rogers, A. Ilutchins; Tariki, Mr.' W. H. Fen wick; York, Messrs. \V. Taylor and 11. Potroz. Mr. J. Lovell was appointed to the Frankley committee, vice Mr. Allen (resigned). Householders' meetings in those school districts which failed to elect committees at the meetings on 24th April will be held on 19th June. MEMBERS' TRAVELLING EXPENSES. The Board received several replies to its circular in reference to members' travelling allowances. The Nelson Board wrote that the scale of allowances made by the Tnranaki Board prior to 31st December, 11)10, appeared to be reasonable. However, it was thought that no alteration could be made to that portion of the Eudcation Amendment Act dealing J with members' travelling allowances. The reply from the Napier Board was that the practice there was to pay onlv the actual train or coach fares and hotel expenses, and that vouchers had to be produced by members for sums of five ■hillings or over. 1

_ The North Canterbury Board's was that it was not taking any action in regard to the question, although it was of opinion that the provisions of the amending Act were unnecessary. Under the old arrangement the travelling expenses were fixed as follows:—Five miles and under. 5s (Id; over live miles and under ten, l'Os fid; over ten miles and under 15, las fid; 15 miles and over, ,tl Is. Under the new Act it was possible for a member to charge for conveyance to ana from the meetings, although as a matter of fact this had not been the practice, the town members having fixed upon a small sum (a few shilling?) as bein« reasonable in their case, and the men" bers living in the country will add the cost of railway fare. The Greymouth Board was at one with the Taranaki Board with regard to clause 3 of the amended Act. Up to December 31, 1010, the Board paid what it considered to lie reasonable travelling expenses to its country members. When the meeting or meetings occupied one day only, members resident over five miles by rail from the board room received i2ss for their attendance, and members who resided over 20 miles from the board room (if railway connection did not exist) received £3 3s for their attendance. ilf the meetings extended to the second day, an additional £1 was paid to each country member. After the last three months' experience of the operation of the new clauses, the Board had decided to revert to the old scale as from the beginning of the present year. The members receiving payment would give ordinary receipts fo'r the amount so paid, and if the Audit Department refused to accept such receipts it would be between the Government and the members affected to thresh the matter out when the time arrived. Mr C'avgill said he understood that if members would separate their hotel bills from their travelling allowance, then he auditor would take no exception to the balance-sheet at the end of the year. Tie had been told definitely that, the auditor would not pass the payments,!

under the present syslem adopted by the Board, ami that members would be called upon for refunds sit the end of the year, lie moved —''That travelling expenses of members be computed as follows: Hotel allowance and the actual train expenses incurred by the member, and that the Board adopt the scale of Gd per mile for members using their own vehicles." Mr. Morton seconded. In a conversational discussion which ensued, it was suggested that a hotel I allowance of 10s a day be fixed.

'Mr. Kennedy said that to fix a hotel scale of 10s a day would not improve matters. He did not care to stay at hotels, and it would not be honest to pay Sa a day and charge Hie Board 10s a day. Xor could he agree with an implied suggestion that members could travel second-class on the railways and charge first-class fares. The chairman moved to rescind the resolution passed at the March meeting, but upon it being pointed out that nothing in this direction could be uone except by notice of motion, the matter wa» held over till next meeting. GENERAL BUSINESS. The Chief Inspector recommended that Miss Berry's appointment to the Bird school as sole teacher be confirmed. — Adopted. The Hoard, Mr. Trimble dissenting, granted the request of Miss Anderson, teacher at Kaimata, to have a one-room-ed house erected in the schoolgrounds by Mr. J. Mackie and to be his own property. The action of the Oeo Committee in closing the school on account of the prevalence of measles was confirmed, und, subject to the teacher's approval, the midwinter holidays will be dispensed with.

Permission was given to the Bird Committee to make the platform on the lloor movable.

Mr. R. Mcllroy, secretary of the Taranaki branch of the Educational Institute, naked the Board that each school be supplied with a statement showing the credit balance in connection with manual and technical classes held in that school.—The Institute executive will be asked to confer with the Chief Inspector, who will explain why the Board considers it inadvisable that this information should be supplied. The Institute also asked if any steps had been taken to supply teachers' residences with bath-rooms and washhouses.—To be informed that bath-rooms and wash-houses arc being supplied, where required, as fast as the Department grants money for that purpose. The "Board placed on record its appreciation of the action of the Xew Plymouth Borough Council in making a donation of £2R towards the New Plymouth Technical College funds. Mr. C. Fincham wrote resigning his position as caretaker of the Xew Plymouth Technical College. The Finance Committee recommended that he be informed that the resignation will be aci cepted. provided it covers the whole of his duties.—Adopted. The action of the Pihama and Tariki committees in keeping their schools clos-

Ed for an extra week on account of the prevalence of measles amongst the pupils was confirmed', Miss J. Mackie's resignation of hef position of pupil teacher in the Waitara school was accepted. The Board held that Mr. James Goppertli was not eligible to be a member of the Kaimiro Committee, as he was not a householder within the meaning of the Act. The committee will be asked to recommend a householder to fill the vacancv.

A meeting of householders in the Pikn school district will he held on June 10, and Mr. Halcombe will be asked to represent the Board at this meeting.