S.C. BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1851, 9 February 1889, Page 4

S.C. BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The monthly meeting of the Board of Education was held on Thursday. Present—Messrs S. W, Goldsmith (chairman), Poarpoiot, Jackson, Talbot, Barker, and Howell, and Rev. T. Jasper Smyth. The chairman stated that numerous applications had been received for the ■vacant teachorshipa ; for Gleuavy School, 20; Hilton, 17; Waihao, 19; Upper Waitoln, 7. In reply to a question the chairman said that these did not represent teachers out of employment, as some teachers now in the Board s service wore among the applicants, and some applied for two, and even three, schools. The architect, Mr 'Vest, reported that tho school buildings at Glenavy were oil but finished. The attempt to put down a drive well there had proved a costly failure, owing to the size of the boulders met with. Tho class-room at South Orari had been delayed by the contractor being laid up, but would be finished in about a fortnight. The closets at Waimataitai had been shifted within the school boundary. Tenders had been called for repairs at Wasbdyke and Orari Bridge. A detailed report on the defects of the roof at Woodbury School showed (hit gutters and ridging and. flushing had been insufficient, amt a good deal of damage to plastering had resulted from leaks. The cost of remedying the defects would be £l6 or £lB.

The Inspector (Mr J. G. Gow) reported upon the undermentioned schools as followsWuitnna, percentage of passes 61, failures 14; Rangitato South, percentage of passes 61, failures 9 ; Rangitata Station, percentage of passes 41, failures 32 ; Rangitata Island, percentage of passes 23, failures 61 (circumstances exceptional); Hakateremea, percentage of passes 39, failures 33 ; Hunters, percentage of passes 45, failures 32. It was resolved to apply to the Minister of Education for a 20 acre site fora school at Hakateramea, the Inspector reporting that a school there was sbsolutely necessary.

The final report of the scholarship committee was adopted, and thanks recorded to the examiners. The report allotted the scholarship fund as follows: Senior: Maud Lawrell and Charles Meredith; Junior ; Wood, Mackenzie, Gore, Thompsoia and Harris, The amount available for scholarships was £193. Of this sum £B2 was assigned from last year. The sura now proposed to allocate was £lB6, leaving a small balance of a few pounds. The Committee regretted that in consequence of being 3 or 4 days over age Jessie McLeod hud not had a scholarship awarded to her, and hoped the Board would recognise her efforts in some way by paying travelling expenses and fees at Temtika District High School.—The Rev. Jasper Symth urged that the small balance referred to in the report (£7) should be granted to Miss Balfour as a scholarship at the Timaru High School. Mies McLeod, referred to in the report, they could do nothing for, as her Mge was over that prescribed by the Act. It was resolved—“ That a scholarship of £7 be awarded to Mies Balfour, being £4 for books, and £3 for travelling expeoe.es,” The secretary reported that 13 school committees had nominated four candidates for the three prospective vacancies on tho Board, namely the three retiring members,! Messrs Goldsmith. Jackson, and Barclay, and Mr George Oliver, of Redcliff. The names will be submitted to the committees for election.

Mr Smyth moved, after notice, and Mr Howell seconded, “ That in the opinion of this Board it is desirable that the Education Act should be amended so as to enable the Education Boards to appropriate one or more scholarships tenable at the Lincoln Ag/icuitural College, and that the members for the district bo requested to bring the matter under the notice of the Minister of Education, and to use their host efforts to get the Act so amended,”— Mr Smyth supported his proposition with a lengthy speech.—Mr Talbot strongly opposed the motion. In the course of which remarks he said, the college was in the centre of an agricultural district, thickly populated. It was open to people living near it for £lO a year, and the students got paid for their work ; yet Low many Canteibury students were thore ? Only four. An absurdity on the face of it. He was satisfied it was not of the slightest use, and he could only regret that so much had been wasted upon it. It was opened in 1880. The funds were provided by allocating 93,000 acres of Crown lands, valued at £IBO,OOO, of which 40,C00 aertis were sold at £2 au. acre, producing an enormous amount of money. The land cost £17,000 for 66(1 acres, and the buildings £34,000. It was the largest set of brick blindings in Canterbury, yet it only provided accommodation for 50 pupil-. That enormous capital of £186,000, equal at 5 per cent to £9,000 per annum, wus now utilised by only 20 pupils—they coat the country £450 a year, a piece—and (hen did not pay their way. It was a monstrosity, and he was glad to see that a commission had been appointed to enquire inio it.

After some discussion the motion was withdrawn.

A letter was read from the master of the Milford school explaining the various circumstances 'which let? to the unsatisfactory report o>i the school, and enclosing u petition fro m the parents for hia rentention. Ho ulao slated that the chnirman of the coD'.mittee had not sent in to the, board a latter of hie concerning the stale of tb o school.—Mr Smyth spoke strongly q£ this suppression.—lt was resolved that the letter and petition bo fon yarded to the committee for their exp'anafion. It was resolved to authorise Iho Balfield school committee to impoundpigs and other animals straying on the school ground. The Geraldlo' e committee were granted £2 10s for ha’,f Co3 t of dividing fence. Tenders '.vere dealt with as follows: Additions, to Washdyke school, T. Henderson, £ir y 3 . Foden (accepted) £97 los. Additions Orari Bridge, W. Langdon, £SB r Ja ; T. Foden, £sl 9s; D. Glouston cepled), £3B 12a. The meeting then terminated.

The body of John Bell was found in the Hokowhitu lagoon, near Palmerston North, on Thursday evening. Deceased was missed on Wednesday, and must have been upset in his canoe while crossing the lagoon. The Minister of Lands has arranged for a steamer to run fortnightly trips from the Bluff to Port Pegasus tin mines for three months. This is much cheaper than cutting a track across the Island as proposed.