TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 May 1916, Page 6

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. ■■ The ordinary meeting of the Taranaki Education Board was held at New Plymouth yesterday, when there were' present': Messrs H. Trimble (chairman), A. Morton, E. Marfell, A. H. Halcombe, Mackay, J. Young, R, Masters, G. A, Adlam, and the Rev. A. B. Chappell. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The chairman reported that during the interim he had made the following temporary appointments: Upper Mangorei, Mr. A. H. Amoore; Hurimoana, Mr. Jones; West End, Miss Grace Mouat; Te Kiri, Miss Norah Moore; Prankley, Miss Graham; Pohokura, Miss Norah Moore. The chairman's report was adopted. TECHNICAL COLLEGE. Mr. A. Gray (Director of Technical Education), reported: "At New Plymouth the necessity for more room is daily becoming.more pressing. We now have the school divided into three sections, which are conducted in the same building, or the Whiteley Hall and in the Baptist Sunday School. The engineering instructors complain very bitterly about the lack of space, and the corresponding hindrance to the work. A quantity of electrical apparatus is coming to hand, and, although we have commandeered the plumbing room, still there is not room for the storing of the apparatus. The science room and the art rooms are both put to multifarious uses, for which they were never 1 intended. This makes the care of 'ap. paratus a most difficult undertaking, With regard to the commercial class, we, have to store the typewriters in a cupboard in the corridor. This means that the machines are continually being carried about the building, and it is absolutely impossible to prevent their getting out of order. I would respectfully urge on the Board the absolute necessity for something to be done. A railway regulation has come into force requiring all railway passes to be terminated at the end of each quarter of the year. This entails a hardship on those students who are paying for their tickets, since the schools do not resume until February in each year, and no re mission in prices is granted. The last term of the year also is a short one, and thus in two out of the four terms students have to pay full price for only part of a term." The report was adopted. It was resolved that representations be made to the Railway Department with reference to the hardship imposed on students of technical and high -schools by the new regulations in regard to school tickets. Mr. Young asked whether the Board intended to take any steps in connection with enlarging the Technical College. The chairman said that the Department recognised that it was an urgent case for additions, but money was not available at present. At present the Board had hired two rooms, and he was afraid that they would have to put up with some inconvenience for a little time. The matter would be brought under the notice of the Department again. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. Mr. Gray (Technical director), submitted Mr. H. G. Sergei's report as follows: "Since my last report I have lectured at Lepperton, Kahouri Bridge (Stratford), Oakura, Okato, Warea. Kent Road, Beaconsfield Road (Midhirst), Bell Block, Pembroke Road, and Ngaere. • In view of the elttb-root of turnips having increased this year, I desire to appeal through this report to some farmers whose swede turnips have suffered badly from this dises.se, to set aside a half acre in order that various preventative measures may be tried. I suggest drills or plots treated with lime, copper sulphate, iron sulphate, common salt, sulphur and borax, respectively. The swede-turnip growing competition for boys who have left the primary schools is to be decided this week. Owing to the unfavorable season a number of entrants have withdrawn, but those left in have sent in some really excellent roots, which reflects much credit on the competitors. The success of the scheme especially in that it reaches boys in our districts, and arouses interest in agriculture, as one pare.it said to me, "my boy talks farming now," encourages the ftope that next season it may be greatly extended. "This month we have turned over a considerable area of ground at the Fitzroy section, preparing one piece for potatoes. I got the boys to cut the blackberries and furze. The grass at Corbett Road has had favorable weather, and is doing well. It. is interesting to note the difference, even in the early stage, of the various ryes, also the apparent benefit in sowing seed thicker. The pj.rt given double the quantity of manure shows a striking superiority and in our case, the grass-seed only rolled in has not done so well as that lightly harrowed after rolling. I hope to have it all rolled again this month." The report was adopted. OVERSEER'S REPORT. The overseer (Mr. C. H. Moore), reported that the Hurimoana School was completed and opened for pupils early in this month. Painting and sundry repairs were completed at Marco, Pohokura, Huiakama, and Tututawa Schools. At tlie two last-named, the residences had also been painted. He had carefully gone into the matter of removal of the Kent School, and eame to tie canelusion that the present building was not fit to remove, being very old; and obsolete in design. Stanley School (reinstating) : Complete full details of the special features contained in the above proposed werk wre completed and » copy with covering letter had been forwarded on to the Department as requested. In regard t» the new kind of windows proposed, he respectfully asked the Board to consider the advisability of taking out a patent f»r same. The report was adopted. Various .matters at Pembroke, Central, Raupuba, Egmont Village, Kaimlro, Pukengahu, and Whangamomsna were referred to the overseer. KENT AND MANGOREI SCHOOLS. The proposals to cloao the Lower Kent and Lower Mangorei Schools, and estsNah one centrol school near the mMting of the waters, and also to close

the Albert Road School on the ground that the attendance did not warrant its continuance and that the children attending could attend Egmont Village or Koriti Schools, brought forward deputations to the Board from each school mentioned, protesting against the schools being closed. At last month's meeting the matter had been deferred to enable the householders interested to place their views before the Board. Messrs. W. G. Stanton and W. HanBali, representing 14 householders on the Lower Mangorei Road, objected to the closing of the Lower Mangorei School on the grounds that tile proposed new school would be nearly seven miles from Upper Mangorei, four miles from Egmont Village, and 3} miles from Vogeltown. Tlie school was now nearly in the centre of the school area, and children living outside that area were within reasonable distance of other schools. They also pointed out the attendance at the school had increased lately and that the attendance in the near future would increase greatly. Messrs. J. R. Rowlands and H. Rnndle, on behalf of twenty householders, objected to the closing of the Kent Road school. They Submitted a resolution protesting against the mjustict, that would be incurred by the closing of the school that has been established 40 years, and that no reasonable cause had been given why it should be closed or shifted. They added that the school was in the centre of the district. The attendance kept up at about 20, and there were 15 other children that would eoon be able to attend. After some discussion, it was decided on the motion of the chairman and Mr. Young, that the deputations from Lower Mangorei and Kent Road be informed that in the opinion of the Board, the reasons given by them for opposing the amalgamation of these two schools are not sufficient warrant an alteration in the Board's previous decision, ALBERT ROAD SCHOOL. Messrs. A. J. Bailey, Pearce and Williams protested against the closing of the Albert Road School. They 'considered that this would be a great set back in the matter of education. If the school was closed some of the children would have to travel 3 to 4} miles to the nearest school, and some of that by a dangerous track across conntry, unsuitable for young children 'o travel. Although the average was at present only seven, there %vere three other children ready to attend and altogether 22 young children. On the inotio'n of the chairman ,and Mr. Mackay it was resolved to inform the deputation that the average attendance did not warrant keeping the school open. SIDE SCHOOL AT WESTOWN. A deputation, comprising Messrs .las. Garcia, J. D. Sole, and W. H. Haddrell, waited on the Board in connection with the establishment of a side school at Westown in connection with the FrankIcy Road School. The deputation pointed out that there were at least 130 children in the district, of whom 58 were under the third standard. The suburb was an expanding one. and the proposed side school would relieve the pressure at Frankley and West End. which were now overcrowded. The Westown Hall was available and could be secured for £l2 per annum. An acre and a half of ground adjoining could also be secured for a playground. Members of the Board agreed that the district 'had a good claim, and it was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Masters and the Rev. A. B. Chappell, that the matter be referred to the inspectors for a report. In the event of the report 'being favorable, application will be made to the '; Department for permission to open the school. SCHOOL FOR MOTUROA. Messrs Fitzpatriek, Warren, and Rolston, on 'behalf of residents of Moturoa and Spotswood, waited on the Board in conueetion with the application for a. school in that district. The matter had been deferred until it was ascertained what effect the trams would have on the position. They pointed out that the need for a full school was now more urgent tha.ii ever, owing to the overcrowding of West End school. A school would start with SO children. While anxious for a full school, they would lie prepared to accept a side school up to the third standard. The matter was referred to the inspectors to report, on the motion of Rev. A. B. Chappell and Mr. R. Masters. GRANTS. It was resolved to draw the Department's attention. to the application for grants for a site at Stratford for a high school, for a new school at Radnor and at Vogeltown, and for the enlargement of the New Plymouth Technical College and tlie West End school. GENERAL. The Okau School Committee were granted permission to close their sehost a week earlier than usual.'. The Ngaere school was allowed to be closed for two weeks for 'J;he winter holidays, in lieu of a weejc in midwinter and a week in spring. The following teachers were «ranted leave of absence: —Mrs. : Calvert (sole teacher), Pohokura; Miss M. Billiard (assistant), West End; Miss K. Eustace (assistant), Tariki; Miss M. K. Hare (assistant), Frankley;, Miss B. Simpson (assistant), Ivorfolk; Miss M. Bollinger (pupil teacher), Cell Block. The Board resolved to grant subsidies to Awatuiw and Huiakawa schools for libraries as provided in tic Education Act. A grant of £lO is to be made to the Iliaia Schpol Committee to ,?o.rcis the erection of a shelter shed. The Whangamomona School Committee was granted an extra subsidy of £5 for improving the school ground. Mr. Marfell's report on a meeting held to adjust boundaries and appoint a committee for the PliUengahu district was received and adopted. The overseer was instructed to report on tlie best means of improving the Okato School and also as to the cost.