TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1917, Page 7

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Taranuki , Education Board was held at New Plymouth yesterday, wlieu there were present:—Mesur* K. Masters (chairman), H, Trimble, P. J. H. White, E. Dixon, C. A. Wilkinson, M<P, S. G. Smith. CHAIRMAN'S REPOKfc The chairman reported that daring the interim be had made the following 'temporary appointments:—Sole teacher, Miss I. Craig, Tarurotangi; Mrs. M, Evans, Pnniho; Miss D. Brown, Karito; Miss M. Trerwin. Oeoj assistants: Mrs. A. Waters and Miss G. Doile, Waitara; Miss M. Trewin, Tariki; Mrs. C. Eggers, Hawera; Mins J. Hyndman, ICaimiro. The report was adopted.

TECHNICAL COLLEGE REPORT. Mr. A. Gray (Director of TeclnicfJ Education) reported:— The classes at the various centres are on the point, of dosing down for the year. The evening classes all finish at the end of November. I 6eg to recommend that the Hawera Technical College break np for the vacation on December 14, and re-ftß«wnble on Monday, February 4, and that the New Plymouth classes 'start the vacation on December 7, reasswnbliug on Tuesday, February 6. The various committees interested in the woodwork scheme have been circularised, and I am still awaiting replies from Rahotu, Okato and Manga toVi. The Oao> nui Company has signified its withdrawal from tho scheme, while the Pih&ma committee has entered into the agreement. I hope the committees whose replies are not yet. to hand will let me have their decision as soon as possible. Hawera.—At Hawera parents have signified the intention olf fifty students to attend a Technical High School if one were established. This list contains only a few fresh names of this yeart Brofieieijcy atudente, and there is no doubt that the number in attendance ■would be much larger if the classes w«re actually started.

; I enclose a copy of the plumbing instructor's rteport for this year, and 1 would particularly draw the Board's attention to that part of it referring to the sanitary and health inspectors. Plumbing Class.'—The number of students presenting themselves for instruction has been very discouraging, especially so in the case of the young boys and apprentices to the trade. These boys show no inclination whatever to attend, and even when the employer has promised that all fees would be paid, the hoys will not attend. No doubt the absence of the men and elder youths and the lack of interest shown by tliese meji affect the attitude of the younge* apprentices, and compulsory attendance of these hoys will need to be enforcer l . The classes have suffered by the eH« apprentices and young men over 20 years who have all either enlisted or have been called up for service. These are necessarily the backbone of a plumbing class, as they are the ones looking for* ward to he able to nresent themselves for examination. Youths who are approaching the enlisting age have had no in, clination to attend owing to their anticipating joining the forces. We car hardly be surprise! that this is the case. There are other tradesmen who have not the necessary qualifications to be put on the Plumbers' Board Register, mil who should be attending the classes to make themselves competent. I would suggest that the sanitary and health inspectors of the district should be asked to bring pressure on these men. Altogether the> war has made such a dr in on our young and expert men that thijs-5 who are left are bo fully occupied that it has been impossible for some of them to attend. work done at the ffn* Plymouth class was not very satisfactory owing to irregular attendances and the class had to be discontinued. At Suitford the work .done by two of the students was verv good, and good Degress was made. Three of these students attended the Plumbers' Board ezaminaI tion held at Feilding, and Mr. J. Harris passed with credit and obtained his re* i gietration and certificate. The other two were hardly sufficiently advanced, having had only two quarters' instruction, but they made a fair attempt at the work, and the three students were congratulated on their methods by the supervisors ia jjsarge. Of the ten who sat for the examination at the Feilding centre, Mri Harris was the only one to obtain a pass. It is to be hoped that more intereat will be taken in the plumbing class next year, although for the reasons above given the outlook is not promising.

! MANUAL AND TECHNICAL COMMITTEE. Messrs H. Trimble, E. Divon,, S. G. Smith and R. jMasters (Manual and Technical Committee) recommended thai the secretary be instructed to write to the Department and point out that the Board considers that the coach fare from a country school to the, nearest railway station should he paid by the Department in the case of children attending a secondary or technical school; that the New Plymouth Advisory Committee be informed that the Board is giving attention to the question of the agricultural class at New Plymouth with a view to placing it on a better footing; that a ovte of thanks be accorded to .Messrs Wabstpr Bros, for their donation of Sutton's seeds; that Mr. H. C. Johnson's position on the staff of the agricultural section be that of first assistant; that the New Plymouth Technical College break up for vacation on December 14 and re-assemble on Tuesday, February 6, 1918. '

RESERVES' COMMITTEE. The Reserves Committee (Messrs. Trimble and Masters) recommended, inter alia, that the Waitaanga committee be informal that the Board has no intention at present to fell the bush on the ■school reserve; tha* Mesrs Masters and Trimble be appointed to go into the matter of the Board's title to all sites in a position similar to the sites at Stratford referred to by the Lands and Survey Department. Lessees of sections falling in shortly are to be asked if they are prepared to take up new leasee. A return of all lapsed leases is to be prepared, OVERSEER'S REPORT. Mr, C. H. Moore (overseer) reported:— Tahora.—The new school was completed on the'StK and .school opened on the. 7th of this month. Outside painting repairs to both school and residence were completed and sundry small repairs attended to at Whangainmnnna, VVaihi and Pukearuhe. Awakino New School.—We have made a start with this work. All the material sent up by boat was stacked by the committee, and they have also helped us by Waking a sledge -track on to the school site. Whilst in this district I pro- , pose to paint the Molcau school, a work 'that is urgently nee^ejL

We have (he foundation down for the Waitara Technical School -building. Small repairs were attended to at Nawall school. The present building' used for a shelter shed is not worth repairing. I sent in a plan to the committee for a combined shelter shed and for social purposes. Small repairs were attended to at Oakura and Korito. Owing to one of the contractors being indisposed, the Matiere new school is not yet. finished.

The Department having made a orant I for a school at Atikopae, it will be wise to get material <m the site before the teats /stop running from Taumarunui. We h&ve completed the single desks lor the New Plymouth Technical College and the Hawera Technical School; •the locker desks for JSlthom are also in fond. The Tta&chinee are going well aid & considerable amount of good work has been turned put in the joinery depart* ■merit. ,

The cost of all materia! is still going up and timber has gone np again. We have been fortunate enough to place orders for the new work on hand at prices before the last rise, and also have on order for stock about 8000 ft with an option of doubling this quantity. The four crates of hyloplate have come to hand. Owing to the high cost I Would recommend that no more orders be placed under the present conditions. In the meantime we have a very good substitute.

' The following matters were referred to the overseer: Albert road, floor of shelter shed; Bell Block, additional tank; Central, material for asphalting Courtecay street grounds; Denbigh, roof bf school, shelter shed floor, material for repairs to fencing; Mangahurae and Ohangai, ranges; Upper Mangorei, new taak, renovations and painting school,

LOWER INAHA ROAD. Messrs R. Masters and E. Dixon reported: Wo cannot recommend the Board to apply to the Department for: a .school to be established on the Lower Inaha Road. The Act seta out that Ao school shall be established within four miles by the nearest road to an existing school, unless in the opinion of the Minister that school is overcrowded or it is not reasonably possible to make provision for the educational needs of tho district bv the conveyance of children to some other school. The settler's residence furthest away from the Tokaora school is only four and ono-fifth miles distant and it is possible to make ex-' cellent arrangements for the conveyance of all children and the greatest distance any child would have to travel to meet the motor bus would be two miles. If a school were established it should be at Inaha, and we cannot recommend that. Again, we feel that it is iiot in the best interests of education generally to establish a large number of small schools. The facilities offered in the larger schools are superior to those offered in a Grade 1 school, and obviously the' child would reeeive the benefits accruing from the more efficient teaching staff.— The report was adopted.

INAHA REQUIREMENTS.

Messrs Masters and Dixon reported: We visited Inaha and met about 20 settlers interested in the conveyance of their children to Manaia school. Some time ago the settlers made application for the establishment of a school at Inaha. The feeling prevailing now is that the best interests of all concerned would be better served by a proper service for the conveyance of the children to a larger school. The settlers were almost unanimous on this point. The motor 'bus had for some time been carrying the children to school, but owing to various reasons it waß recently oiscontinued. There are 33 children over seven years of age willing to attend. No grant is made by the Department for children under seven years of age. Consequently. as the charge for the bus is 15s per day, this leaves an amount of 3s Bd per day to be made up by' the settlers. Under clause B the Department pays 6d per return trip for each child over five years of age carried by ferry, but under clause A it will not pay for any child oyer seven years of age carried in a conveyance. This appears to be an anomaly, but it is probable that, there are sound reasons for the differentiation. Under clause D the Department will pay half the amount expended by the Board iu the conveyance (including ferry) of all children over 'five years of age in excess of the allowances received under A,-,8, and C. We therefore recommend that Jfche Board pay their half of the cost of conveying children from five years of age to seven and that Application be made to the (Department for the remaining li^lf. We found that there were ten or twelve children of school age within the area not attending any school and we recommend that.the truant inspector be instructed to get into communication with the parents.

A number of children have to travel two miles to thel motor 'bus and we recommend that a shelter shed be erecfed at the junction of the main and Lower Inaha roads to provide shelter for the children. Ono of the settlers is willing to allow the shed to be put on his land rnd those interested undertook to erect the shed, the Board to supply the mater ial.—The report was adopted.

GLEN ROAD FACILITIES. The same committee reported: "We visited Manaia on November 1 to enquire into the necessity of arranging a motor service for tho children living on or near the Glenn road to the Manaia school. There are thirty children interested, the nearest being three miles from the nearest school and those at the greatest distance being four and a-half miles away, the majority being about four and a-half miles from the school. As a number of children were not attending any school, we were convinced that (he time had arrived when the Board should take some steps in the direction of assisting the parents to secure educational facilities for their children. We therefore arranged that Mr. Farley, in 'conjunction with tlie local school committee, should immediately make the beat possible arrangements for the conveyance of the children, which they readily agreed to to. It is distinctly understood that, any | amount over and above the grant of 6d per child incurred in the carriage of children is to be borne by the settlors. We j would like to fexpreas our appreciation of the keen interest taken by Messrs Hunt and Parley, and the self-reliant spirit shown by these gentlemen in organising and putting into operation a regulat motor 'bus service for the benefit of tho children in the Glenn Road district.— I The report was adopted

FINANCE COMMITTEE'S REPORT The finance committee (Messrs, White and Masters) reported thai the matter of erecting a furnace destructor, at the Central School be left in the hands of the chairman of the board. The overseer was authorised to secure the, timber under offer, and, in view of the high cost of hyloplate, the committee recommended thta it be used very sparingly, and that the substitute suggested by the overseer be used-

OVERCROWDING OF INGLEWOOD SCHOOL. Mr. A. J. Morton (senior inspector) reported with reference to the uuiaation of enlargement of the lnglewood School. It did not appear that by changes in the organisation the crowding of the room occupied by the preparatory classes and standard I could be avoided, at present, m in a room AO feet by 20 feet there were 150 pupils. A new class room for, say, the first standard, would provide workable additions. The report was received, and application will be made to the Department for a grant for enlarging the school, ENLARGEMENT HAWERA imS.

Messrs Masters, Dixon and Wilkinson reported: We are unable to recommend the board to apply to the Department for. a grant to make additions to the school, for the following reasons: (1) It is more than probable that in the near future the present district high school will be: disestablished and another school established in its stead to provide for secondary education. Should this eventuate, the room now used by the secondary pupils will be available for use by primary pupils. There are 32 children at' present attending the secondary classes,,' (2) The board has recommended, and* the: i Department is giving consideration to the: j recommendation, that a new school btf erected at Tawliiti. This will, if given' effect to, take about 90 pupils from the' j present school. (3) We are of opinion that the present gymnasium coiild be j utilised, \>y the expenditure of about £BO |or £9O, to accommodate the primer i classes until such time as the district high school is disestablished and the 'Tai whiti school built. After that, this building would be admirably suited for a gymi u&sium and shelter shed. We may say | that this school does not possess any shelter sheds. We, therefore, recommend that the overseer report as to the coat and best means of making use of the ! gymnasium for the purpose'stated. The report was adopted. AUROA SCHOOL

A. Clarke, chairman of the Auroa School Committee, drew attention to the overcrowded state of the school, pointing out that there were 115 children on the roll; with 26 others in the district, and that the floor' space was 1071 feet—an average of 9.313 square feet. Mr. Wilkinson said that Auroa wpuld become an important district when the railway went through.—Referred to the senior inspector for his report. The committee also asked the board to favorably consider remitting £5 lis, the Committee's share of cost of shelter shed.—Jt was resolved that the board could not see its way to accede to this.