BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1248, 4 October 1884, Page 1

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the South Canterbury Board of Education was held on Thursday. Present Rev.- G. Barclay (Chairman), Dr Foster, Messrs G. G. Russell, M. J. Gray, R. A. Barker, S. W. Goldsmith, and J. Talbot. In his opening statement the Chairman said that Mrs Pearson had been appointed locum tenens at the Winchester school in the p?ace of Miss Young, who had resigned. The architect had been sent out to report on certain matters at the Temnka school, and his report would be presented. Circulnrs were read from the Education Department requesting the Board to furnish certain inCormation required for a return to be presented to Parliament, shovving the value of all school sites and school buildings in the district (1) in 1882, and (2) at the present time. Another schedule of properties was also requested by the Property Tax Department.

At the previous meeting Mr Talbot drtw attention to the new regulation bearing upon the standard examinations, and the Chairman promised to obtain the Inspector's opinion upon it. This was now given by Dr. Anderson in his general report. • The Board's Architect reported on an application received the previous month from the Temuka School Committee, that ventilators in the school Deeded alteration, and that the concrete cess-pita should have their bottoms broken up to allow the water to escape by percolation, there being no fall for a drain, and that their side walls should be raised to keep out surface water, and the floors of the closets should be raised also. The estimated cost %vas £6. The Committee further applied for a refund of £i 10s expended by them in re-casting and re-hanging the school bell. The latter application was refused, and it was resolved on the motion of Mr Talbot, seconded by Dr Foster, to authorise the alterations to the cess-pits, with the exception of breaking up the bottom, the Board being of opinion l hat such a proceeding would be very undesirable on sanitary grounds. The Board expressed very strong objections to the course proposed, as the percolation of the sewage would be likely to contaminate the wella in the neighborhood. The Belfield School Committee applied for this school to be raised from the status of an aided school, the average attendance last quarter having been 32. The application will be complied with according to rule.

A petition was received from a number of residents in the Upper Waitohi Flat, praying for a new school district to be declared, and a school established there, the number of children of school age.to be accommodated being 42. The site suggested for the school was education reserve 944, at the junction of the main Waitohi road with the boundary road between Temuka and Geraldine road districts. Mr Talbot spoke in favor of the petition, and it was agreed that .the Inspector should meet the inhabitants at sin early date and report. An application from the Oommittee of the Opilii school (now closed) for a grant of £3 10s to repair fences and damage done by cattle in consequence of the fences beiDg broken, was postponed for the present. An applica f ion from the Woodbury Oommittee for a sum of £5 for the purpose of securing trees in the school grounds from being blown down, was refused. It was suggested that the tree 3 (pinusinsignis) should hs cut-down somewhat so that the strong winds prevailing in the neighborhood would not affect them so much.