TEMUKA SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1181, 22 May 1884, Page 3

TEMUKA SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

The usual monthly meeting of the above Committee was held last Tuesday evening in the s choolroom. Present — Messrs Blyth, Bolton, Miles, Hayhurst and Gray. Mr Gray was received with manifesta tioni of pleasure by the Committee, and at once elected Chairman for the remainder of the year, MINUTES, The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. From the Head Master, submitting his monthly report as follows :—No. on the roll : boys, 203 ; girls, 148 ; total, 351. Strict average attendance : boys, 154.5; girls, 107.4; total, 261.9. Working average : boys, 156 ; girls, 109 ; total, 265. Highest attendance, on May 6th : boys, 173 ; girls, 122 ; total, 295. The Master also reported that ink was wanted, and pointed out the desirability of keeping a stock of pens and blotting paper, and making the parents pay for them. At present each pupil provided his own, and that was unsatisfactory,

The following letter from Mr W.J. Steward, M.H.R., was read : "To the School Committee for the district of Temuka. " Gentlemen, —T have the honor to forward for your perusal a copv of a Bill which I propose to introduce during the coming session, and which I trust will meet with your approval. "You will observe that it follows the

lines of * similar Bill carried in the House of Representatives in the session

of 1882 and 1883, anJ which was only rejected on the casting rote of the Speaker in the Legiilative Council last year. " It has, aa you are aware, been conclusively shown that a large majority of the School districts desire the abolition of the camulative vote, bat as there are some Committees who wish to retain it Section 8 of this ytar's Bill (which will •nabl* any district to exercise its option in the matter) has been added. " Similarly—to var*t the objection of those who urge that prior nomination may in many of the smaller districts be dispensed with—a proviso has been added to clause 4, which will enabJe this to be done where desired. " The change of date of the elections, Eo'that they may not fall during harvest, and the making of the financial j year concurrent with that of the Colonial administration, the preservation of continuity of experience by the retirement of only a part of the Committee, instead of the whole, each year (Sec. 3), the provision made for vacation of seat by non-attending members (Sec. 10), and for filling up \acancies when the number of the Committee fall below a . quorum (Sec. 11), are, so far as I have

been able to ascertain, matters upon which there is no difference of opinion, and I venture to hope that the Bill in its present form will meet with general acceptation. " Should you desire to facilitate its passing, I may perhaps suggest that your Committee would aid the supporters of the Bill by petitioning the Legislative Council in its favor. " Petitions to the House of Representatives are, I think, in view of the overwhelming support which a similar Bill has hitherto received in that Chamber scarcely necessary. " A form of petition is enclosed, and I have to ask, if it be decided to send in the same, that it may be done without delay, as it appears not improbable that the session may be of very brief duration.—l have, etc., " Wm. J. Steward, " M.H.R. for Waimate.

« April 30, 1884." Accompanying this letter was a draft of the Bill, and a petition for the Committee and householders to sign. It was resolved that the bill be approved of, and that the petition be signed, TENDEBS. Tenders were received for forming the footpath, and Messrs Blyth and Hayhurst were empowered to have the work done. On the motion ot Mr Miles, seconded by Mr Blyth, it was decided to make the following charges on pupils attend - ing the school for the purpose of supplying pens, ink and blotting paper, viz. :—lnfant school children, threepence per quarter ; First Second and Third Standards, sixpence ; Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Standarde, one shilling ; the same to be collected by the head master or his appointee, TREE PLANTING. The Secretary was instructed to write to the Board of Education re the £2O granted for tree planting. He was ordered to ask the Board to refund that sum, as £lO ws»s entirely inadequate as the accompanying estimate would show. VISITING COMMITTEE. Messrs Blyth and Hayhurst reported having visited the school and found everything working satisfactorily. Messrs Blyth and Hayhurst vere appointed for the ensuing month. VACANCY. On the motion of Mr Miles, seconded by Mr Blyth, Mr O'Halloran was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr Kirk, PLACE OF MEETING. It being considered too far to walk in the dark to the school, Mr Blyth offered the use of his office for the Committee to meet in, and the offer was accepted with thanks. ACCOUNTS. Accounts to the amount of 12s lOd were passed for payment and the meetingfadjourned.