HIGH SCHOOL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 January 1918, Page 8

HIGH SCHOOL BOARD.

MONTHLY -MEETING. TJic monthly meeting of the New J'lymoutli High School lionrd was held at the board's office last evening, when there were present: Messrs 1). Hutclien (chairman), Trimble, ,1. ,S. Kox, R. W. D. Robertson, S. 0. Smith, T. G, Hirst, L. C. F. VV. Atkinson, and E. P. Webster. Leave of absence was'grunted to Dr. !'" ookes. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN. Mr. P. I-ash (secretary) called for nominations for chairman for the ensuing' year, and -Mr. D. Hutclicn was unanimously elected. Mr. Atlcinfon pointed out. that the tvork entailed a lot of time on the part of tlie chairman, snd hn *ug?*:-tted the appointment of a deputy chairman to take over some of the minor matters, nominating Mr. R. W. D. Robertson for the position. The dhnirman pointed out that the appointment of other members of the board to the chairmanship of some of the committees would relieve him considerably. ' THE NEW BOYS' SCHOOL. The chairman reported that, the eontract for the new boys' school was signed on January with the proviso that" the ooatd have six weeks' time for the option of erecting the assembly hall at the contract price. The architect (Mr. C'umming) reported that he had employed a clerk of works. The chairman also reported that a joint meeting of the committee representing the Old Boys of tlie school and the town members of tlie Board was to have been 'held last week, but owing to some of the members being otherwise engpged it had, beei, postponed until this jveek".

SUBSIDY ON CONTRIBUTIONS. Under date of December 22 the secretary of the ooard wrote to the Minister of Education inquiring as to whether th« Education Department would pay a subsidy of £1 for every CI of voluntary subscriptions which may be received bv the board for erecting the assembly l hall forming part of the building Scheme for the boys' class rooms. This assembly hall, which would cost .62700, would also be utilised as a gymnasium. On December 31 the Minister replied that he would give the matter careful consideration. On January 14 a telegram was received frmn the Education Department to the effect that the Minister regretted the Government could not grant further assistance by subsidy or otherwise. Mr. J. S. Fox strongly protested agiiinst the action of the Government, which, lie considered, should help education In the town more than it did. He did not think any other country in the world would allow the High School in the building that it did last year. There was ft rich community here. Let the board appeal to them, he added. The chairman said he did not think t'"y should accept that reply a* final. He understood that Mr Okey, M P., wa? bringing the matter before t'he Minister' fu reply to a question the chairman stated lie thought there wore good prospects of obtaining donations locally. Mr. Wo-bster fet confident that. if. a subsidy of £ 1000 was obtained from the Government they would tie able to raise tl-.o other £I7OO. Mr. Fox thought they should leave the Government alone and'obtain the money from the business peoplu of Vow Plymouth, who, he considered, would willingly assist,

GENERAL. Messrs R. W. D. Robertson (convenor), J. S. Fox, and 13. P. Webster were appointed a committee to deal with tenders for supplier It was resolved to supply the principal of the Boys' School with, a safe. Mr K. Armitaga secretary to the Fltzroy Improvement Society, wrote offering to donate some of the material required for the erection of the shed to house the life-saving pool on the beach near the girls' bnarding-houfep. He also notified that the proposed site was a suitable one. The offer was accepted.