TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, 16 May 1919, Page 8

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING The following is the remainder of'ite report of the Education Board's proceeds. iagß on Wednesday: OHURA MATTERS. Mr S. G. Smith, M.P., pointed out that* when in the Ohura recently it had been stated by a deputation to the Minister of Public Works that the board was responsible for the delay in establishing a school at Wairere. Such statements should not be allowed, to be published broadcast without an explanation. The chairman said that the board was not to blame for the delay. A site had been promised by a settler, and the board had made an application to the Department for a grant which subsequently came to hand. From correspondence subsequently received the settler refused to give the land, and asked payment for it. The land might be taken under the Public Works Act, but (that took time. Had the settler given the land as promised the school would. have been an accomplished fact- months' Ago. Mr Smith considered it was desirable ?oine members should visit Ohura. He understood it was proposed by the Auckland board to shift the Okahukura School which had been erected for the families of the men on the line. If v'this school was removed the men on the • line would be compelled to shift, and the construction of the line would suffer, and this was a most important matter -to Taranaki. It was resolved that the chairman, Messrs Smith and Trimble be appointed ■to visit some of the schools in the Ohura. OVERSEER'S REPORT. ' Mr C. H. Moore (overseer) reported as follows: i New Work: Okaiawa.—Good progress has been made with the new building. Vogoltown—The new school will be finished enough to open next Monday. Finnerty Additions.—We were unable to start this work as soon as expected. 1 recommend closing the school on Friday for three weeks to enable us to carry out the work. Repair Work: Ngaere.—The painting of the outside of the school was completed. Cardiff.—A start was made on the paint work but owing to the painters leaving no further progress can be made for the present. Hillsborough We have made a start with the concrete work at this school. Matapu.—T visited this school and the chairman of the committee brought up a matter of making further improvements to the school grounds; I would recommend supplying a gate, the committee to find the whole of the labor and fencing material. Another request was for some improvement to he made to the porcli to enable the cocoa business to be carried out. I would point out this particular porch, along with most of the porches in that part of the district, are not fit to hang coats in, let alone cat meals in, and I would respectfully suggest that application be made to extend and line all these places, and put them in a sanitary condition. Technical Plumbing Room and old Engineering Building.—l am having this removed and re-erected at the back of the workshop. I proposed to build cycle sheds on part of the site. Plans: Technical High School, Hawera. —I met Mr. La Trobc, Chief Technical Inspector, and went into this matter • closely. The plans I submitted were objected to on account of the central hall principle. Whilst not adverse to an assembly hall, Mr La trobe objected to the centralisation of same. lam working on further plans for this proposed work, and will submit the same as soon as possible. Tawhitl, Hawera.—The plan for a new school at Tawhiti is completed. Plans have also been completed for additions at Lepperton and Egmont Village schools, and applications made for a grant for a new residence at Norfolk Road. General.—l have had to still hold over a considerable amount of repair work owing to shortage of labor. This matter is very acute as far as the board's work is concerned; we could get any quantity of men from other districts if there was housing accommodation. We have completed the body for the Ford truck recently purchased, and the same is now in service and will be a very great advantage over the horses. An offer has been made aiid accepted for the horses and van. . TRUANT OFFICER'S REPORT. The truant officer reported that he had issued 82 notices to parents for irregular attendance. Ha, had visited the following schools: Huirangi, Okato, Tataraimaka, Norfolk, Tariki, Midhirst. Ngaere, Rotokare, Fraser Road, Manaia. Kapuni, Rowan and Mahoe; also and Manaia Convent schools. Excepting when children had to travel three to four and a-half miles the attendance at these schools was good. Twenty-nine schools had sent in returns for i'rregui lar attendance. He drew attention°to how few teachers send in these returns. Only ten this quarter had sent in rc- • turns every month. H e had to summons four parents for the irregular attendance of their children, fines being imposed in each case. In Ihe matter of a child not attending school for fif- | t»cn months he had a doctor's certificate 'of exemption. Twenty-nine irregular j notices had been sent to parents in Ha- ! wera, Stratford and New Plymouth. Exj cepting in a few cases the attendance | was satisfactory, and much better than in the past. He had summoned one parent for a boy failing to enrol, the parent being fined.