TEMUKA SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1034, 23 November 1882, Page 2

TEMUKA SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the above Committee was held in the schoelhouse on Tuesday evening last. Present Messrs Mackay (Chairman), Mendelson, Bolton, Davis, Eussell and Brown. MINUTES. The minutes of the last ordinary and special meetings were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. The following correspondence was read; Outwards : Fourteen letters. Inwards : From the Board of Education in reference to sale of school. accounts. On the motion of Mr Mendelson, seconded by Mr Russell, accounts to the amount of £7 12s 4d were passed for payment. THE IRREGULAR ATTENDANTS. Mr Mendelson brought before the Committee the resolution passed at last meeting nominating Mr H. Wj Hammond, Secretary of the Board of Education, to take action against the parents of certain children who did not attend school regularly. He questioned the Committee's action in so doing, and was of opinion that in accordance with the Education Act a member of the Committee or the Clerk thereof should hav ebeen appointed. He was not present at the meeting when the resolution was passed. Mr Bolton said that a circular from the Board which was before the Committee

when the resolution was passed fudy justified the Committee’s action. Mr Brown thought that Mr Mendelson was astray in bis explanation of the Clause of the Act, and then proceeded to read the same. The Chairman said that at the meeting when the resolution was passed a letter was before the Committee from the Secretary to the Board of Education empowering them to act as they had done. It was far belter that the onus should rest on the Board’s Secretary than on any member of the Committee, who were residents in the district. After some further discussion the matter dropped. THE TEACHING STAFF, THE EXAMINATION AND THE HOLIDAYS. Mr Wood, the head teacher of the school, had aa interview with the Committee in reference to the teaching staff of the school. He wished to know if Mr Bethune was to leave before the school broke up for holidays. The attendance at the school on that day was 297. and it w.oujd be impossible to get on without the assistance of Mr Bethune or a substitute. A much smaller attendance would warrant more teachers. Mr Brown wished to know if Mr Bethune would leave before the 14th December. • The Chairman said no. Mr Bethune’s month’s notice would then be up. He, however, thought that Mr Bethune would not stay afterwards, on account of private affairs. Some of the members thought the examination would have taken place before that date, and the school could then break up. The Chairman said it was not at all certain that it would be so. The examination had not taken place at that date last year. A member thought the school should break up whether or no. Mr Davis said he understood the inspector was at Pleasant Point engaged in examining the school that day. It might happen, if he had a list drawn up of schools to examine, Ternuka would be the last on the paper. Mr Russell thought that the Board would undoubtedly supply a teacher in the room of Mr Bethune, when that gentleman left, but— The Chairman pointed out how undesirable it was to change a teacher just prior to the examination. Mr Wood thought the claim of the school to additional teachers was quite exceptional. There were now some 300 scholars attending. When he became head teacher the attendance was only 200, and yet they had, to do with the same •staff. The Chairman said that they could not get more teachers until the quarter s attendance returns had been before the Board, whereupon Mr Wood said that in reality it would include five months work, as only one month of the previous quarter had elapsed when he became head teacher of the school, and in that quarter he had not been able to work up the attendance. To meet the case, Mr Russell moved— ‘ That the school break up for one month’s holidays on the loth December. ’ Mr Brown seconded the resolution.’ The Chairman thought that as the scholars and teachers had been hard werked lately, and had only had a week’s holiday at midwinter, the school should break up for six weeks. Mr Bolton thought that they should have a month now, and a further two w eeks during harvest. Mr Brown thought one month sufficient. Parents were apt to grumble if the holidays were long. Mr Russell then amended his resolution to the effect— 1 That the school break up on the loth December, and that the holidays continue till the 22nd January. ’ Mr Brown declined to second the resolution in this form. He thought if it were necessary there would be no difficulty in giving a fortnight’s holiday in the harvest time. The Chairman was of opinion that holidays should only be given ac stated times, and was opposed, to giving holidays at harvest time. It alwaya took some days after holidays to gat the attendance up. He was in favor of six weeks holidays being granted from the 15th of December, and pointed out that' this would iaclude a great many days which the children would be entitled to as public holidays. Mr Bolton then moved as an amendment— “ That the holidays be from the loth December to the 15th January.” Mr Brown seconded this motion with much pleasure. He thought one month was quite long enough, and he thought that if the parents of children were to be consulted the majority of them would be in favor of no holidays at all. Mr Mendelson thought others besides the children required recreation, and ought to be considered. He would like to hear Mr Wood’s opinion and experience. Mr Wood replied that as far as his experience was concerned he had only been one year in the colony, and at Homo things were quite different. He had thought that about five weeks would be sufficient, but did not feel at all strongly on the matter. After some fuither discussion, during which Mr Bolton referred to the manner

in which Mr Russell had changed his opinions, the Chairman put the amendment, which was carried. Mr Mendelson then moved—“ That the Chairman of the Board of Education he written to, asking him to have the school examined before the 13th proximo, as the school will break up on the 14th, in consequence of the resignation of Mr Bethune.” Carried. THE PRIZES. Mr Brown, as one of those appointed at the special meeting to select the prizes, made an explanation. On the day appointed for selecting the same he had to go to Ashburton, and had not time in the evening. However, he knew they had a worthy representative in the Chairman, The Chairman then stated that he had selected the prizes, about £lO worth, and they were very nice ones, HEAD master’s REPORT. The Head Master’s report was as follows :—No. of pupils on roll ; Boys, 200 ; girls, 169 ; total, 369. Strict average attendance : Boys, 140.5 ; girls, 110.5 ; total, 251, Working average : Boys, 146.1; girls, 116 , total, 263.1. Highest attendance : Boys, 165 ; girls, 122; total, 287. VISITING COMMITTEE’S REPORT. Mr Brown reported that he had visited the school on Monday, and had found everything in first-iate order. The children were very attentive and quiet, and he thought this was all the more gratifying as the head teacher was absent at the time at the Good Templars’ Hall with Mr Bethune, who had a very large class there. He was sorry to notice chat the hat pegs which had been applied for to the Board of Education had not yet been obtained, and the children were still compelled to deposit tbeir hats ou the ground. He thought it was disgraceful. He also wished to mention that lie had heard a complaint in reference to the quality of the last supply of ink. As far as the working of the school was concerned he found everything in capital order. The report was adopted, and the Chairman and Mr Brown were appointed Visitors for the ensuing month. The meeting then terminated. GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL. The monthly maeting of the Council was held yesterday. "Present—Messrs C G Tripp (Chairman), J C McKerrow, J Talbot, G F Clulee, W Moody, ASherratt and J Mendelson. Mr Tripp was unanimously re-elected Chairman for the ensuing year, on the motion of Mr Mendelson seconded by Mr McKerrow. Amongst other business, the irrigation of the WaitohiFlat came before the meeting, and as the matter is of much local interest we reprint from a Timaru paper the discussion on the subject. A petition from the residents Waitohi Flat was read asking fer a water supply, and offering to submit to being rated. Letters were also read from gentlemen offering engineering services in connection with this work. A full description of the irrigation works undertaken by the Selwyn Council, forwarded for the information of the Connci, was read. Mr Talbot thought there was not much information of any great use to be obtained from other Councils. He would advocate employing a competent engineer to report upon the capabilities of the various localities for irrigation. Mr Moody thought the scheme would only include the Rangitata and Levels Plains. The Chairman said there might be persons acquiring large properties in say the Mount Peel district who would be glad if irrigation were carried to their properties. He knew one case in point, of a gentleman who had acquired 26,000 acres up there, and might want a water supply. Mr Moody remarked that the Council was not going to irrigate patches of country in the hills. The Chairman said if these persons paid part of the cost, he presumed the Council would carry irrigation works to their properties. It was moved by Mr Moody—“ That tenders be called for the survey of Waitohi District for the purpose of irrigating that district, with report on the cost, and plans, according to the ‘Public Warks Act 1882,' Tenders to be in by next meeting.” Mr Mendelson deprecated hastily going into this, He believed the Road Boards could do irrigation works by special rate. Mr Talbot concurred. The Boards could, indeed, do the work within their own boundaries. But, he would point out that separate systems of irrigation might lead to complications, whereas the Council might establish a simple and comprehensive plan of irrigation. Mr Mendelson said be desired to peint out that the Council had no business whatever to tax the ratepayers without their authority. If the Waitohi Flat, people wished a system carried out, let them have it by all maans, but it ought not to be forced upon the body of ratepayers. Mr Talbot replied that he desired in the interests of the county, to let the ratepayers of each Road District see from an engineer’s report what portions of the j county could be irrigated, ' Mr Clulee suggested that Messrs Mar- | chant'and Meason be appointed to do the [curve}. There were good men, and the

Council might go farther and fare worse. Mr Moody thought as a public body they 7 should do their business in, a busi-ness-like manner Let tenders be called for the work. The motion was carried.