SCHOOL MEETING.

Temuka Leader, Issue 908, 24 January 1882, Page 3

SCHOOL MEETING.

• /'Jibe annual meeting of householders held in the schoolroom last night, for /the purpose of electing a School Coro- / mittee for the ensuing year. Mr IX M. / Mackay, Chairman, of the School Committee, occupied the chair, and there were a good number of householders present. The Chairman read the advertisement calling the meeting, and said that the retiring committee were eligible for reelection. He took this occasion to thank the members of the late committee for the way they had assisted him during the past year. They had always carried on their meetings in the most amicable way, and h.ad done their best for the interests of the school. He would now call upon the Secretary to read the annual report. Mr Diddams, the Secretary, then read the ANNO AX. EEPOBTi ‘ “ Your Committee have pleasure in presenting you with, the following Eeport and Balance-sheet of the Temuka District School Committee for the year ended 31st Dee., 1881, in terms of ' The- Education Act,’ 1877,’ and congratulate you upon the success which has attended the- institution, daring their term of office. “ The school continues, under the management of Mr Mclntosh as head- master,, with Mrs Rowe as second in. command. The Committee regret that the- institution has lost the services, of Miss Klee,.who conducted the infant department in a, xap»t satisfactory manner. This has necessitated; the appointment of another pupil teacher, Miss Russell enabling those already on the staff to receive promotion. The school was examined, by the Inspector, on. the 22nd December,. 1881, and as his report has not , et been received, yourCommittee are nob,, therefore, jn a position to place before you. the result of the examination. “'’’he Committee have- used: every effort to.bring before the Board' the- necessity of increase 3 school accommodation,, and havepleasure in informing you that they have been successful to the extent o£ getting, the sum of £SOO placed t'' the credit of a fund: with the Education Board towards theerection of an infant department. As this sum is too small by about one-half to complete the building in accordance with the prepared for this purpose, your Com- ’ mittee have elected to let the money stand over, to be supplemented by a further grant, in preference to getting into debt or erecting a building inadequate to. the necessities of

the place. This course has been approved by the Board. “ Your Committee commenced the year with an apparent credit balance of £l2 17# 6d, but this amount was really owing when they took office. “ The amount received and expended for salaries was £5lB Is sd, or a sum of £125 0s 6d less than for the previous period. u The incidental grant was £sl 12s 6d, as against £65 4s Id last year. A sum of £2l Is has been received for necessary repairs which have been effected. "The expenditure has been carried out with the utmost care, consistent with the due carrying on of the institution. Your funds have not been encroached upon for any remuneration for secretaryship* or ©lerking of any kind* the amount appearing on the balance sheet being a legacy left by their predecessors. "The seivices of Janitor have this year cost £34 7s Bd, as against £55 12s lOd paid during the previous one. The amount expended on fuel is less by a.sum of £3 odd. “ From representations made by your Committee to the Board, a considerable saving in postage has been effected throughout the district, permission has been granted to ‘ frank’ all correspondence emanating from the Committee. “ Your Committee would point out that notwithstanding the economy with which the incidental fund has been handled,, it is barely sufficient to cover the salary of the janitor and the cost of fuel and ink, and had they not had recourse to other means of making money, by making a small charge for fuel and ink, and for rent received for the master’s house* they would not have been able to carry on. For the latter your thanks are due to the head master, “Efforts have at different times been made to enforce the compulsory clauses of the Act, but in consequence of sickness prevailing they have been obliged to desist. “ During the year twelve ordinary and five special meetings have been held, at which an average of six members attended who, from their period of taking office have worked well and harmoniously together. Your Committee axe pleased to state that their relations with the Education Board have all along been of the most amicable and cordial nature, every endeavor being made to further the wishes of the local body in matters pertaining to the welfare of the-school. Mr Diddams next read the balance sheet* which showed the receipts of the year to have been £619 4s 7d, and the expenditure £6lB 13s lOd, leaving a balance to credit of 10s 9d. On the motion of Mr Cooper, seconded by Mr E;. Brown, the report and baalnce sheet as read were adopted. The Chairman said the old Committeehad no longer any existence, and that they were here simply as householders. Mr Harrop said the meeting was out of order, the minutes of the previous meeting should have been read. The Chairman said the Act did not require that they should be read. Mr Harrop said it did, and he would insist upon] his right as a householder to have them read. It was usual to read them. The Chairman said that even if it was usual it was not necessary. Mr Wills thought as an act of courtesy the minutes should be read. Mr Mendelson disagreed with Mr Wills. Ha thought that.it was quite unnecessary to stir up matters of the past. After some- further discussion, the Secretary read the minutes of the previous annual meeting. Mr Harrop moved that the minutes be confirmed. The Chairman said that, it was not necessary. The minutes had been read because it appeared that the meeting desired it. Tke next business was to proceed with the election of a Committee.

Mr Brown said there were probably some householders present who would like to offer their opinions on the way the the- school hadi been conducted. The Chairman said the time for that had passed. That should have been done before the report was adopted. Mr Brown said thi& was the only opportunity householders had of ventilating their grievances and they ought to be given an opportunity of doing so now. Mr Hayhurst said he had heard many complaints, and now wa? the time to make them. If anyone had any fault to point out this was the time.

Ma- Bolton asked whether tha> £SOO spoken of iiii the report had been placed to the credit of tha Cemmittee. The Chairman said it was still in the bands of the Education Board, but the Committee could get it any time they rerequired it. Mr Essery asked; whether the money was specially for the Temuka school.

The Chairman said that there was no doubt about that.. The Board would havegiven the money if they hail proceeded with the building, but they did not see the force of putting their hands izx. their own pockets to get £250 more. They preferred waiting until they got perhaps £SOO more Out of the Government next year.

Mr Bolton said the reason he- asked about it was bpcause he saw the Board used the money voted in the same way for Waimate.

Mr Storey said he thought that when the Committee took the office the teaching staffi was. insufficient. He would like to know how ijt was.now. The Chairman said be never heard of the staff being insufficient. There was a scale, and the Committee bad no. power beyond that.

Mr Wills moved a vote of thahks to the Hod. Secretary, Mr Diddams, for..,. hia services in the past. The Chairman in putting the motion* said the Secretary had rendered great assistance to the Committee. The motion was carried by acclamation.

Mr Diddams in reply said that he felt very thankful to. them for the manner in which they had carried the resolution. He would say that the last Committee had done all in their power to. save the money of the schools In fact, -he often saw them so careful about money that he felt inclined to give them sixpence. They had been far more careful about the school money than they would have, been if it had been their own money. Mr Essery said that after what they had heard they could do nothing better than re-elect the same Committee, and moved a hearty vote of thanks to them for their services during the past year. Mr Storey seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously* The meeting then proceeded to elect a Committee.. The following was the result t J. Harrop ...» ... ... 36 D. M. Mackay 32 G. Bolton 21 J. Davis 21 J. Mendelson 19 A. Bussell ... 19 J. Hayhurst 18 K. F. Gray 17 J. BJythe 16 J. S. Hayes 15 J. Brown 13 F. Hooper 12 w. firms ... io W. Storey 10

The Chairman declared Messrs J. Harrop, D. M. Mackay, G. Bolton, J. Davis, A. Russell, J. Hayhurst and J. Mendelson duly elected a Committee for the ensuing year. A vote of thanks to the Chairman brought the meeting to a close. COMMITTEE MEETING. A meeting cf the newly elected Committee was then, held, all the members being present. On the motion of Mr Harrop, seconded by Mr Mendelson, Mr D. M. Mackay was re-elected Chairman for the ensuing year. On the motion of Mr Mendelson, seconded by Mr Hayhurst, Mr Diddams was re-elected Secretary for the ensuing year.

The Chairman said the next business was the nomination of two>members to the vacant seats on the Education Board.

Mr Harrop suggested that they ought to get a district man on the Board. Mr Mendelson moved, and Mr Hayhurst seconded—“ That FDr Hayes] be nominated as a member of the Board of Education. ” The motion was carried. Mr Bolton moved, and . Mr Harrop seconded—“ Tha& Mr John Talbot be nominated a member of the Board of Education. ” —Carried. On the motion of Mr Mendelson, seconded by Mr Russell, the third Tuesday in each month was fixed as the days of meeting. The meeting then terminated.