TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 June 1918, Page 6

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETEsO. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Education Board was held yesterday. There were present: Messrs R. Masters (chairman), H. Trimble, P. J. White, E. Dixon, C A. Wilkinson, MP., and 6. G. Smith. TEMPORARY ABPOMrMBNTS. The chairman reported having made the following temporary appointments, also that he had directed the secretary to forward an application to the Department for the establishment of a school at Glennui:—Stratford, Mrs. Tyrer, assistant; Normanby, Miss Fitzgerald, assistant; Eltham, Miss D. White, assistant; Mokoia, Mr. Wagstan", head teacher; Omata, Miss M. Berry, head teacher; Ettham, Mr. H- Jarrat, first assistant; Whakamara, (Miss I. Craig, sole teacher; Normanby, Miss Hinton, assistant; Turoto, Miss L- M. Seerup, sole teacher; Tarata, Mr. A. Read, head teacher; Mahoe, Miss D. Hill, assistant; Lincoln, : Miss Fitzgerald, assistant; Anroa, Miss Ciarge, assistant; Sanpuha.Miss Trewin, head teacher; Manaia, Miss B. Frost, assistant; Hawera, Miss Nicoll, assistant; Warea, Misa Emma Norris, assistantThe report waa adopted. FINANCE OOMMil'lUi&'S J&EPORT. The Finance Committee reported as follows:—That a circular be forwarded to head teachers, urging that every care and economy be exercised in the use of School supplies generaEy. That the Central School buildings be insured against fire up to the full insurable value of the board's rebuilding liability, and that the W&itara manual and technical building equipment be provisionally insured against fire up to £6OO. That the matter of the purchase of a new typewriter and' the disposal of the old Barlock typewriter be left in the hands of the chairman of the (board. RESERVES COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The Reserves Committee reported satisfactory arrangements in connection with the following reserves:—Section 147, block n., Egmont Survey District, 7 acres 2 roods; sections 8, 11, 19, 22, Block XXII., Manaia, 2 acres; section 4, Pnkearnhe, 4 acres; and section 26, block XV.. Ngaere. It was recommended that certain other of the board's reserves be offered for leasing, and that in the case of some, special reports on the reserves should be made. The committee recommended that a return be presented at each meeting of the committee showing the arrears of rent of reserves. —The report was adopted. OVERSEER'S REPORT. The board's overseer (Mr. Moore) reported as follows: Ohangai.—A new shelter shed for the girls was erected, and the boys' shed reinstated mostly out of old material. An extra window was put in the infants' porch, and sundry other matters attended to, both at the school and residence.

Mere Mere. —The general renovating of the inside of the residence has received attention.

I Hurford.—The outaide of the school and the ceilings inside were painted and sundry repairs attended to. Heating.—At Bell Block, Fitzroy gymnasium, and Inglewood. radiator stoves have been fixed. At Stratford, two slow-combustion stoves were fixed in the assembly room of the infant school, now used as a class room. At Yogeltown I had two electric radiators placed, one at each end.

Pembroke. —The boys' shelter shed was repaired, and a floor put in the girls' shed, the committee to pay la/bor of laying the floor. The committee have since also asked to have a hood placed over the entrance to the girls' shed, and agree to pay cost. I would recommend this he carried out-

Courtenay Street.—We nave completed the removal of the shed and made it into a girls' shelter shed. The matter of clearing away the material from the old residence has remained in abeyance pending disposal of the front portion left standing.

Eatapiko.—We have completed the folding partition and painted the whole of the inside of the school, also put down concrete floors in both shelter sheds. The outside of the school will need painting later on when the weather ia more suitable. The committee are finding £ls towards the partition, and they supplied the shingle for the concrete floors.

Durham.—We have removed the windows from the front of the school and placed them on the side. This is a great improvement, for the room will now have the sun in. Sundry other matters and repairs are receiving attention, including the outside painting of the school.

Oakura.—Extra blackboards were fixed: for free-arm drawing, etc. My attention wa 3 drawn to the state of the well covering at the residence. Although not dangerous at present, I would suggest that a concrete cover be placed over the topNew Work—Technical additions: Material is coming to hand slowly for this work. We have had considerable delay in getting bricks. I expect to make a start with the foundation shortly. Plan3.—Plans and estimates have been prepared, as instructed, and forwarded on to the Department, with applications for grants for the following proposed works:—> T onnan,by and Vogeltown, new schools; Okaiawa, semi-detached classroom; infants' new class-room, Auroa; West End, additions; Eitzroy, detached (infants) class room. Plans are completed for Arawhata, Kina, and Wairere. These are held over pending further information in regard to the sites. General.—Material is now on the site for a new combined shelter shed at Newall, and the work will be carried out shortlyTe Wakarae.—As instructed, I have

gone into the matter of a bridge across the creek as suggested by the eommitte, and would suggest that the settlers are not in a position to give any monetary asisstanee. The Roads Department would proHiaibly help. There is no dottbt a higher level bridge is necessary; -the present structure was only a temporarv measure. Pmiiho.—As instructed, I have gone into the matter of pvrch extension at the school, and sribwit a plan dealing | with same. Denbigh—l have arranged with the committee to have the concrete floor put down in the shelter shed. The school roof leaks owing to the iron not having enough end lap- TWb will receive attention.

Ed the Girls' High School in regard to the blackboard accommodation. It was suggested that the board loan six double-sided hyloplatc board 3, to be fixed in temporarily, until the High School Board obtain hyloplate of their ownThe High School Board to be charged for the loan of the board's, and to pay for fixing in position. This work has been carried out, and I would respectfully ask, under the circumstances, to have the matter confirmed. Mr. Wilkinson referred to the matter of the plans ol the Normanby School, and said the delay by the Department in returning them was becoming a public scandal. Mr. Dixon: Hear, hear! Continuing, Mr. Wilkinson said the (natter should be taken very seriously, and if a reply was not received by next hoard meeting the matter should be dealt with more peremptorily. It was ultimately decided to telegraph to the Department on the question. It was resolved that the wells at the Koru and Oakura schools be either filled in or covered with a concrete top. The overseer's action regarding the High School was approved, and the report was adopted. SCHOOL SITES. A deputation consisting of Messrs J. Young, G. J. Clegg, and G- Bevin waited on the board to urge the early establishment of a school at Arawhata. Road. The matter had been before the board on previous occasions, the chief question pow being delay in proceeding with the matter. A letter was -before the board from the settlers offering a site for the school.

Mr. J. Young, who acted as spokesman, said the position was that there were about 25 children ready to start school, and the nearest school was 10 miles away. Ho understood that some members of the board had met the settlers, and it had been suggested that they [should collect subscriptions for the pur'ehase of a site for a school. -He said the backblocks were already enduring great and he did not think they should be asked to purchase the site for a school. The chairman asked if the offer to give a site was spontaneous, and a reply was given in the affirmative. Mr- Clegg said the settlers were anxious to know if the money raised by them would carry a £ for £ subsidy, as it was considered a shelter shed would be required, and they did not want to have to raise more memey for that.

'Mr. White pointed out that the suggestion that the settlers should raise tha money for the purchase of the site probably arose out of some inquiries made by him as to the price for the goodwill of the proposed site, which was a West Coast lease, and he had said that it would facilitate matters if the settlers could offer some contribution towards the cost of the site. He also instanced what had been done in other localities where new schools had been established The chairman said that the matter of providing £lB for the purchase of a site was not very much, spread over all the settlers, considering the cost of travelling to the present school, which Would (be eliminated if a new school was provided. He assured the deputation that the board was in sympathy with the proposal, and the inspector had recommended that a school be established. He pointed out that it would greatly facilitate the progress of the matter if an offer of a site could be made by the settlers.

The deputation ultimately agreed to undertake to provide the" site, on the understanding that the school and shelteer shed was erected by the board.. The deputation then thanked the hoard and withdrew.

An offer of land at a certain priee for a school site at Kina Road was referred to Mr. White, to confer with the settlers. Mr. Smith protested against settlers being asked to provide sites for school buildings, claiming that the principle was entirely opposed to progress. Other members of the board agreed with Mr. Smith, but it was considered that in the circumstances of the present cases the board could adopt no other cdurse. iWATTAUA SWIMMING BATHS. A report waj submitted by Messrs' White and Smith on the question of a site for a swimming bath, proposed to be erected by the Waitara School Committee. The report recommended that the bath be established on the school grounds as suggested by the committee. Mr. White, in moving the adoption of the report, said it was proposed that all the money, with the exception of a subsidy of £SO, which it was understood the committee had been promised by the Department, would be subscribed, by the people of WaitaraMr. Smith seconded the motion. Mr Wilkinson drew attention to the cost of maintenance of school baths, which had to be met by the committee. He suggested that the board might consider the question of having swimming made a compulsory subject at' all schools where there were baths. The committee's recommendation was adapted. TEACHERS' APTODTOfENTS.

The board selected the following teachers for appointment, subject to the ap-' proval of the committees concerned: — Abititi (grade 1), sole teacher, Miss Enid Burkbart; Makahu, Miss Mary Coyne; Turoto,Miss G. M. Barak; Koru (grade 2), sole teacher, Miss Alice Evans; Mangamingi, Mr. A. Eggleton; Okau, 'Miss M. mite; Tuna (to be held over); Whakamara, Miss Morecraft; Bird (grade 3a), head teaclier (to be held over); Tarata, Miss H. Arthur ; Lincoln (grade 3a), assistant, Miss Eustace; Mahoe, Miss Surman; Marco, Mrs. Moss; Oirgarue, Miss D. White; Tarata, Mis s Drader; Otakeho (grade 3b), assistant, Miss I. Craig; Sltham (grade 9b), third assistant, Miss A. Gray; Inglewood (grade sa), first assistant, Mrs. Fearon; Central, pupil teacher, Miss WHrflton; Manaia, pupil teacher, Miss E. M. Beauchop, or, in the event of her not accepting the appointment, the chairman make an appointment. RESIGNATIONS. The resignations of the following teachers were accepted:—Misses A. E. Press (Tarata), M. Keppel (Otakcho), M. MTntyre (Lincoln), C. I. Lovell-Smith (Stratford DE L Greville (Mahoe), and K- Campbell (Central, New Plymouth), Messrs H. Chapman (woodwork instructor), W. S. Wright (engineering instructor), and Mrs. J. S. Jones (Hurintoana). leave of mamcE.

Leave of absence was granted in the

'Auroa), Misses H. A. M'Ewan (Ma-

naia.), K. Weavers (Kiuapuha), Hare. Frankley), A. Tobin (Warea), M. Ellis (Hawera), Tohue (Fitzroy), and Mr. A, l). Jones (Hurinioana). GENERAL. The inspector reported- on the proposed additions to the Pihama School, and it was resolved to have plans prepared, and that an application be made to the Department for a grant, to proside two extra rooms with increased accommodation. An application was received for the establishment of a school at Glcn-nui. The chairman reported that on receiving the inspector's report, on request,' an application had been forwarded to the DepartmentThe board confirmed the chairman's action. A letter was received from the first assistant at the Hawera School, complaining that the headmaster did' not place the inspectors' reports folly beJ fore the school staff.—lt Was resolved to refer the matter to the headmaster for his explanation. The explanation of the headmaster of the Hawera School relating to the nonattendance of the girls of Standard VI. at the cookery classes was referred to Mr. Gray (Director of Technical Education) for a report.

ft was resolved to erect partitions in the infant rooms at the Inglewood and Waitara schools.

In the matter of the application of the West End Committee for the erecf tion of a shelter shed, it •was decided to bold the matter over, pending a reply from the Department in reference to additions to the school. A number of other matters in connection with applications for repairs, etc., to school buildinges and plant, and also to teachers' residences, were referred to the overseer to report upon. It was resolved to refer the application of the Lepperton School Committee for hedge plants to the Director of Agricultural Education, and that the board regrets that, as the work for the erection of a fence was undertaken without first securing the sanction of the board, it is unable to make a grant towards the cost. The board decided to offer the rent agreed upon by the chairman for the Mahoe site, from the_Sfcratford Borough Council, and that the board pay the oast of advertising and half the survey fee, and that the chairman ibe>. authorised to complete the lease. On the motion of Messrs White and Smith, it was decided to grant a subsidy of £ for £ up to £BO to the Waitara School Committee for work done in laying down concrete path, the board's previous resohrtian, declining a subsidy being rescinded. Accounts amounting to £&t& & lid "were passed for payment.