SOUTH ORARI SCHOOL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1060, 27 January 1883, Page 3

SOUTH ORARI SCHOOL.

COMMITTEE MEETING. The Committee held its ordinary meeting oh the 20th January. Present —Messrs Barker (Chairman)., May, McLeod, Turpin and Bates.

Circulars were read from the Board calling the annual meeting of householders, and requesting the Committee to nominate two members for the Board of Education. Resolved— ‘ That the latter be left to the new Committee. ’

Five applications were received for he position of pupil teacher.

Resolved ‘ That J. McLeod be nominated, and that the Board be requested to reckon the salary from the date of his appointment by the Board. ’ The teacher reported several matters requiring attention, a note oi which was taken.

i, Resolved— f That Mr Wadsworth bo reminded of his promise re shingle.’

The Chairman stated that since last meeting Miss Smart bad sent in her resignation, which he had accepted with regret on behalf of the Committee, and he had ascertained that Mrs Fraser was willing to undeitake the duties.

Resolved— ‘ That the Chairman’s action be,confirmed; that Mrs Fraser be appointed seeing/mistress, and that the Chairman nomy the Board of the same,’ /The Chairman stated that ho would "produce the accounts audited and a report at the householder’s meeting. After passing accounts amounting to £l, the meeting terminated.

HOUSEHOLDER’S MEETING. The annual meeting of householders was held on the 22nd mst.

Mr R. A. Barker being voted to the chair read the circular calling the meeting, and the minutes of last annual meeting being confirmed, he then then as Chairman of the late Committee read the following report:— Gentlemen, —Your Committee report haying held 13 ordinary, and one special? meetings which have been attended as follows .‘—Messrs May 8, McLeod 14, Bates 8, Barker 11, Turpin 10, Wadsworth 4, Packer 1. Mr Summer left us in March, being followed by Mr Robertson, as locum tenens , till August, when our present master, Mr Fraser, commenced work. Miss Smart has been sewing mistress during the year, having only left this month. Your Committee at their last meeting appointed Mrs Fraser in her place. The increased attendance warranting the appointment of a pupil teacher, J, McLeod has been nominated for the position and will no doubt, in due course be appointed by the Board ; this nomination has been somewhat delayed through a slight mistake on the part of the teacher, who sent his recommendation to the Board instead of direct to the Committee. The attendance is now 42, and number on roll 65. This time last year the attendance was 38, and the number on roll 62, showing a steady increase, but the attendance is still far short of what it should be. It appears as though the ease of procu ring education, and its cheapness, causes parents to undervalue it. Your Committee in the early part of the year summonsed two householders under the compulsory clauses, obtaining a verdict in both cases. They trust that it will not again be necessary to appeal to the Court to force parents to perform the duty they owe to their children and the community. The boundaries of the distiict have been extended so as to include th sattlel's on the north side of the river.

A difficulty lias arisen through the authorities disallowing the use of the bridge. It will be for (he new Committee to try and overcome this, ihe schoolroom has been let for some time once a week for a dancing class with the result of helping the|incidental fund, it is hoped also that it has been beneficial in other ways. Your Committee look upon the schoolroom as taking the place of a town hall in a great measure, but are aware that in so treating it they take on themselves a great responsibility, and that U behoves them to be very careful that nothing objectionable is allowed—and that strict supervision is on all occasions maintained by the Committee. The school was examined in October, and we are sorry to state with a very poor result, out of4o presented only 17 passed, This is, no doubt, mainly attributable to the changes in the teaching staff that occurred twice daring the year, Mr Fraser only having been in charge since August, and although he has been indefatigable in his endeavors to advance the children the time has been too short for improvement to bo noticed. The account? which have been audited shew a credit balance of £1 12s lOd, and are open for inspection, as also is the minute book.

‘ R. A. Barker, Chairman.’

The balance sheet showed the receipts to have been £152 16s, and the expenditure £lsl 2s 2d, leaving a balance to credit of £1 12s lOd. The Chairman invited discussion on the past management of the school. Mr Bisaett asked him to read the Inspector’s report on the last examination. This having been done, he expressed much dissatisfaction, stating that too short a time had been given to the examination, and gave it as his opinion that the Inspector did most of the examining at his office ; he also blamed him for the difficulties and delays that had been met with m procuring a change of masters.

Mr Binskin moved a hearty vote of thanks to the Chairman of the the outgoing Committee for the able manner in which he had conducted their school matters during this and former years ; also, for the trouble he had taken in furnishing the papers with full and correct accounts of the Committee meetings, as without this the householders would not have known how school affairs were going on. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr Barker, acknowledging the compliment, said that he had only endeavored to do his duly. He could not take the same interest in the school as those who had children there, and would gladly have been relieved. However, he had felt it his duty from hie position in the district to act when called upon, and if in performing his duty anybody had been offended he was sorry for it. The report and balance-sheet was unanimously approved and adopted.

. A question was raised as to whether it was competent for a Committee-man to hold a salaried office under the Committee. ‘There being nothing in ttie Act for or against, the Chairman put it to the meeting, when it was unaaimously decided that it would not b # advisable to prohibit Committeemen from receiving fair remuneration for services rendered, or to refuse to elect anyone on that account. The meeting then proceeded to elect the new Committee, with the following result;—J. McLeod, 14; J. C. Binskin, 14; J. May, 13; R. A, Barker, 12 ; G. Garrard, 7 ; W, McLeod, 7; C. Bissett, 6 ; and P. Bates, 2. The Chairman declared the first seven duly elected. This terminated the meeting.

At the Committee meeting held immediately afterwards, all the members being present, Mr It. A. Barker was elected their Chairman on the motion of Mr Bissett.

The Chairman was requested to torward to the Board of Education the names of the Rev George Barclay and Mr E. Wakefield as the Committee’s nomination of members for the Board,

Arrangements were made with Mr Binskin to sell on commission to children calling for them such school books, etc., as the Committee should from time to time purchase and hand over to him.

Mr J. McLeod was appointed visitor for the ensuing month. The meeting then adjourned to the 3rd Saturday in February.