TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, 25 January 1917, Page 7

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting ,of the Taratiaki Education Board was held at the Beard's office, New Plymouth, yesterday, when they were present: Messrs. R. Masters (chairman), 11. Trimble, S ». Smith, Dixon, Rev. Clwpell. Leave of_ absence was granted to Mr. C. A. U ilkinson, M.P, w ho is a member <., the Parliamentary party touviim Norlli Aucklan.d D CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The chairman reported that durin" the interim he had had to make the following temporary appointments, dating from the re-opening of the schools: Kawera, Misses R. James, ninth assislant; E. Palmer, tenth assistant; 0. Mander..thirteenth assistant; Waitara A.' Kellehcr, fifth assistant; Waitarn' C. McHvegor, second assistant; 31. Harriton, fifth assistant; Tahora, A. Graham, assistant; Whangamomona, R. Esson, assistant; Nilio Niho, R. Mitchell, sole teacher; Tututa.wa, M. Blair, t-ck teacher; Waiau, M. ftlewman, sole teacher; Awakivo, If. Dradcr, sole teacher; Auroa, 0. Nislict, assistant; Kgmr.nt Villa ®p, I. .Jones, assistant; Rahotu, J). Mason, assistant; Mimi, S, McCormack, solo teacher; Kahui, Mise Fitmii-.g, sole teacher. The chairman mentioned that he hart called at the offices of the Education Department during his visit to Wellington, lnit it being holiday time thev v.cre closed. He had appointed Mr; A. Ti'gwcU, the onl> applicant for the position, commercial instructor at Hawera.—Adopted.

OVERSEER'S REPORT. Mr. C. H. Moore (overseer) reported that (lie erection of the new .school-at StmvW road and the re-modelling of Oksto schoolwotild be completed ready fcr the re-o'pening of schools alter the holidays. In view of the continual shortage of water complained of he had decided to eieet an extra tank at Waihi. The wo>-k of removing the tank from 'nside t.lie porch at 1301 l Block and erectiiift fi new one outside was completed, The committes wished to have two tanks put up, but under the present conditions it would be very desirable if the committee would hold over tlicir application for another year; in most of these cases of shortage of water it was the water that was wasted that caused the shortage. .Honever, in the matter of attendance this school is quite entitled to two 400-gallon tanks when compared with other schools that have them already.

Omata was also in trouble about the water supply.. There, were two tanks put up when the last additions were (!onc, and when one was worn out it vas disconnected, with the understanding a new tank should be erected if the remaining tank was found insufficient during the summer. This is now fcoing attended to. Whilst on the matter of water supply he would draw all committees' attention to the urgent necessity of cleaning out the ?.ponting and tanks at least four times a year. Personally he had had his attention drawn to the condition of the water, and bad found the spouting just , about full of mud and refuse. The work on hand at

I'itzory school would be .completed next week. At Wailara the platforms in Standard I. p.iul 11. room were removed and the repair work made necessary bv the removal was receiving attention. He had gone into the matter of altering the lavatories to enable an entrance to bo made without coming through the porches. This was practically what they were doing with all our new schools of any size and was quite an improvement. lie recommended that

this be carried out; at the same tima lie asked permission to hold the matter over until more urgent work on hand was completed Ail the desks necessary to redesk this room were completed. As instructed an extra doorway was made at Vogeltown school and should greatly improve the ventilation. 'JJ'o new engineering building was proceeding very slowly. The engineering workshop would be ready to install the machinery. The whole of the plastering would be completed, and he hoped r.txt week to have a few more hands at liberty to enable iviotc headway to be made. Owing to existing conditions of the labor market lie had been unable to make a start, with work at Stratford, but would do so as soon as possible. This could be carried on without interfering with the school work. Plans and specifications were completed for school additions at Matiere and a new school at Jit. Messenger, and tenders called for same, l'lans for a now school sit Normanby had been forwarded to the Department for a grant, and plans for the proposed work at Hawera and Otakeho wero also ready. The eontvactor for Pnhengahu work had met v.ith an accident and had asked to have the contract hold over for a few weeks, lie was also drawn in the first ballot so perhaps other arrangements might lave | to be made provided to carry on this I work. In the matter of extending this ! proposed school, the forms sent out l ave only just come to .hand. This has delayed matters considerably. Owini» !to the increasing eost'of maintaining the school blinds he would ask the teachers generally to use more care in handling same, and to have them rolled i (i carefully before schools were closed. At. present blinds were mostly left to blow about in amy sort of condition. | Another mutter that hardly needed c,rawing attention to and that was the labor problem in connection witl\ our work. Probably after the next ballot they should only have 1 one of their original stuff left. In regard to contracts it was just as bad, with the exception of Matiere, the tenders being a long way above the grants made by the Department. He thought it quite useless at present to call for tenders for painting repairs under present circumstances. After careful consideration he would | suggest that all committees be requesti tf, to do small lepairs as much as possible until more normal conditions exist. Under ordinary circumstances .' we would have finished our new work 011 hand a month ago. As it was it would be another fortnight before we can start on general repair work pro- | r " lj ' NORMANBY SCHOOL.

Mr, D. Stewart, town clerk at Normanby, notified that the Town Board, after giving the matter every consideration could not see its way clear to take any action in handing over a portion of Gray street,, as this was one of the r.Min thoroughfares through the township. The chairmar. stated that there was.' only one residence on the street.

The following matters were referred t.o the overseer to report on:—Oeo committee's request for assistance in building shelters; repairs at Awatuna. NEW SCHOOLS. Two tenders were received for the erection of tlw Mt. Messenger school, bv-t both were in excess of the Government. grant. It was resolved to write pointing this out to the Department and ask for an additional grant. The tender of' Messrs Petty and Ellistc i., viz .£353. was accepted for the erection of the Matiere school. MAXGATOKI DAM.

The chairman reported that a heavy ilood had carried away the dam on which the water supply and drainage of the Mangat.ild school depended. The conanitteo asked that the Board's overseer should make an estimate of the

cost, towards which the committee were prepared to contribute £ for £. Left, in the hands of the overjeer, with power to act, WESTOWN SCHOOL. The .Education Department notified ihat considera(ion of the question of establishing a side school at Westowii had been deferred for twelve months. The chairman slated that he understood it was probable, that a deputation Irom the We-town district would wait cn the Minister of Kducation on his next visit to New Plymouth. INATJA REQUIREMENTS. j Nine householders of the Inalia district, representing 20 children of school age, asked that a vehicle be put on to cury the children io and frbm the Mimaia school, a distance of from four to four and a-hal'f miles. The Board resolved to take steps, to endeavor to carry out the request. JUNIOR NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS The following candidates from the Taranaki Education Board were awarded Junior National Scholarships:— Give Fr-neis Henry (Ongaruci 552, Harold Alan Tristram (Stratford) 54R, Nancy Grace Wilson ,\Vcst End) 547, Ronald / lan Candy (N.P.H.S.) fiHIl, Dora Mav Symoiids (Mangaotaki) 530, John YV'tiliani Leslie .Tillett OJ.P. Boys' High | School! 5*20, Doiis Muriel Petersen (Hawera D.H.) 500, Clavering Wales Hedge (Hawera D.H.) ,508, Ruth Violet Sheat (Hawera D.H.) 501. RESIGNATIONS. Resignations were accepted as follows: Misses H. Nielson, pupil teacher. Midhir.st; M. O. Rorke. Waitara; M. O. Fleming. Wairau; 1. McMeikan, VY'liangamoniona; Mrs. M. Fenton, Pukeho; Messrs., .J. Carroll and D. Longlev, at ?iiho Niho and Kahili. Miss Ivy (J. Ifodder wrote declining her appointment as probationer at Whangomoniona and .Miss Elsie billiard declined appoinv, rjent at West End. GENERAL. '1 he Borough Council notified that instructions had been given to the owners of properties to cut down willow trees overhanging the Mangaotuku stream. The Okato Cemetery Board wrote offering to allow the Board the us? of a small portion of land rent free. The oifer was accepted with thanks. Mr. A. V. Mosa applied for the establishment of a household school at the Tangarakau Valley road, ten miles from the nearest school. Application •".'ill be made foi the recognition of the f'.-hool, at which two children would attend.

The matter of appointing manager* to the New Plymouth Technical School was referred to ly[r. Trimble to obtain the solicitor's advice and report to the lif.ard.

A committee consisting of the chairman, Mr. S. Of. Smith and the Rev. A. B. ChappeU recommended that a five senter Ford ear be purchased for the overseer.—Adopted. Mrs. Burfitt, sole teacher, Mimi, was "Minted two months leave of absence on account of sick leave, and Mr.-Ho-v,iirth, assistant, West End, for one week in order to attend refresher vamp The appointment of Mr. T. ?'nrkes to the Oeo School Committee, in place ni Mr. W Hughes, who resigned, was approved. Householders meetings are to be lick at Awakino and Mokau for the purpost of electing school committees and defiiV ing the boundaries of their school dis tricts. The dates of the meeting wil be le.ft to the secretary to arrange. Various matters needing attention a I the Hawera Technical School were re. ftired to Mr. Dixon.

The Stratfonl Committee was granted half the cost of repairing the as(ihalt, the Board's share not to exceed £l4.