ANNUAL ELECTION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2040, 1 May 1890, Page 2

ANNUAL ELECTION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

GERALDINE. The annual general meeting of the householders in the Geraldine school district was held in the Volunteer Hall, Geraldine, on Monday evening last. There was only a small attendance, and but little interest taken in the proceedings. A few minutes prior to the annual meeting a meeting of the old committee was held for the purpose of confirming the minutes of the last committee meeting held, and adopting the report and balance sheet to be presented to the householders. Mr W. S. Maslin, chairman of the retiring committee was voted to the chair at the annual meeting. REPORT AND BALANCE SHEET. The committee’s report and balance sheet were read as follows : Gentlemen, —At the close of their year of office your committee have much pleasure in presenting the usual annual report. Tho committee have hoU 12 maetinga. with an average of six members present. Your committee, as directed, urged upon the Board of Education to take steps to raise the status of the school to a district high schopl. The board, after due consideration, requested the sanction of the Minister of Education to raise the status of the school, which was refused. School Staff—The following changes have taken place in the school staff during the year :-Mr H. Smith resigned his position as third assistant, having received the appointment of head master of Paroa school. Mr A Bell was appointed to fill tho vacancy. Miss F. Hawke having completed her term of pupil teacherahip your commttee were reluctantly compelled lo lose her services, Miss M. Riordan was reeommsnded and appointed to the popilioa of first year pupil teacher. During the year tho board lei a contract for building a novy school and removing the old one. The work being now well in hand

it ia expected the new school will be opened in about three months.'

The number o£ scholars on the roll has fallen off slightly. Last year there were 269 on the roll ; this year 248. The highest attendance last year was 238, as against 219 for this year. The school has been twice inspected during the year and pass'd a very fair examination, the percentage of failures being 25 per cent. The finances of (he school are in a satisfactory condition. The income to the 3lst December, including the balance from last year, was £46 9s 4d, and the expendsture for the same period £39 2a 6d, leaving a balance on December 3ist of £7 6s lid. The income since to date has been £lB 19a sd, and the expenditure £6 8s 6d, leaving a balance to credit at the bank of £l2 10a lid. The annual concert by the children on account of the prize fund was highly successful ; the account of the fund being, income £ll 14s 9d, expenditure £9 16a 9d, leaving a balance on prize funn account of £1 18*. The thanks of the committee are due to the head master and Miss Pearson for the efficient manner in which the children had been trained for the occasion and to the whole staff of teachers for the manner in which they hare discharged their duties during the year.

W. S. MAStuf, Chairman. On the motion of the chairman seconded by Mr C. E, Sherratt, the balance sheet were adopted, no comments thereon being made. ELECTION OP NEW COMMITTEE. The election of a committee for the ensuing year was then proceeded with and resulted as follows; W. IS. Maslin ... ... 49 Jas. Williams ... ... 44 J. W. Pye ... ... 36 A. White ... ... 32 J. Eiordan ... ... 31 E, H. Pearpoint ... 27 C. E. Sherratt .., ... 22 W, Shiers 22 ; E. Hammond 20 J. Farrell .. ... 16 W. H. Walton... ... 15 P. Kyue ... ... 14 J. Cunningham ... 6 The tie between Messrs Sherratt and Shiers was decided by drawing lots, and the first seven were elected. The Eev, J, Preston and F. Wilson Smith acted as scrutineers. A vote of thanks to the retiring committee, the scrutineers, and the chairman terminated the public meeting.

COMMITTEE MEETING

A meeting of the new committee was held afterwards when Mr E. JEL Pearpoint was elected chairman. It was decided to retain the second Wednesday in the month, as the evening for holding the monthly meeting. It was decided to call for tenders, to be in by next meeting for the supplv of* fuel for the twelve months. It was decided to retain the services of Mrs Sugrue as caretaker at her present salary. Messrs White and Williams were appointed visitors for the month. It was decided to ask the master to furnish the committee with his views as to the cause of the falling off in the attendance, The visitors were authorised to dispose of the coal dust at the old school, and have the large coal conveyed to the present school. The subject ot raising the status of the school to that of District High School was discussed at some length, the members being decidedly in favour of such raising. Finally it was decided on the proposition of Mr Maslin, “ That this committee renew their endeavours to get the status of the school raised and that the chair-

man write to the board pointing out the necessity now existing for so raising the school.” One or two

small matters having been attended to the meeting terminated. MILFORD. The annual meeting of householders for the purpose of electing the school committee took place on Monday evening, the 28th inst., at the Milford School. The attendance was fair. MrR. Macaulay occupied the chair. The annual report and balancesheet were read and approved, which were as follows: Gentlemen, —Your committee have much pleaure in laying before you their report and balance-sheet of the year’s proceedings ending 31st December, 1890, The committee have held twelve ordinary and two special meetings, all of whioh have been well attended.

Finance.—The income and expenditure of your committee to the 31st December, 1889, was as follows:—Balance in bank, £7 6s 7d • Board of Education, £l2 2s 6d ; stationery fees, £3; hire of school, 7s 6d • tota', £22 10s 7d. The expenditure has been £l4 lls 6d, leaving a balance of £7 19s Id at end of financial year. The income sinoe December 3let to date has been £l2 10s 41 • expenditure, £lO 7s 4d ; balance, £2 3swith the quarter’s incidentals now due. ’ Repairs.—Various small repairs have been effected during the year, but much remains te be done, provided the committee have funds. Repeated applications have been made to the board to have the echool painted and a new roof put on, but they have net taken any action in the matter. The annual examination by the board’s inspector took place on 28tb, 1890. This school (to which the present masler, M.r Campbell, was appointed during the session) shows very poor results. Number of pupils presented. 40 ; percentage of passes 30 ; percentage of failures, 47. The order and discipline are satisfactory. But the committee are confident of better results next tm.c, provided the parents will keen their rJI re f l i larly at **ool. Number on the roll, 48 j strict average attendendance, 31 S ihe onnual treat and distribution of prizes took place on December 20th, 18S9 wh™ upwards of £5 worth of books, etc was given away in prices, and the committee’ wish to tender their thanks to all those who assisted in making the gathering the success that it proved.

James Cheistmas, The following were duly elected* 1 to serve on the committee for the ensuine year: Messrs Murdoch Mackay, James Christmas, James Macaulay Alfred Colville, Arthur Colville Thomas White, and Eobert Macaulay! At a meeting of the committee held afterwards Mr E : Macaulay was electen chairman, “

RANQITATA. ISLAND. At the annual meeting of the householders of the Rangitata Island school to elect a new committee for the ensuing year, the attendance was small. A vote of thanks was passed to the chairman and to all who had so liberally contributed towards the help of the school during the past year. It being an aided school the committee have had to solicit assistance, and the friends of the school have willingly contributed to it. The Revs. Hamilton and Bunn each gave a lecture during the year, and thus greatly helped the school. The members of the committee for the ensuing year were then elected, viz , Messrs Page Wright, Swaney, Watts, Sheehan’ Hearn, and Grainger. After "the election Mr Grainger was elected chairman. WAITOHI FLAT. The annual meeting of householders was held in the schoolroom on Monday evening, the 28 th irist., and was fairly well attended. Mr J. Eraser was voted to the chair.

The retiring committee submitted the following report, viz : The retiring committee beg to report that during our term of office we held 12 meetings with an average attendance of about 6. * We took office with a credit balanckof £22 13s lOd. The income from all sources during the year has been £l6 12s, and the expenditure £l3 7a 2d, leaving a credit balance of £25 8s 8d to be handed over to our successors. In the month of October Mr and Mrs Watson resigned their positions as head master and sewing mistress respeotiyely, and the Board of Education: submitted the ap. plications of 13 candidates for the position of head master, and on the recommendation of the committee Mr V;tGraham iwas appointed. The committee recommended the appointment of Miss Stocker as sewihg mistress, but no reply has yet been received.

The school was examined by the district inspector on the 22nd o£ October, and his report was satisfactory, the percentage of passes being 53 and failures 18. ; ? The committee has on several occasions made representations to the board for a grant in aid of repairs urgently needed on tho buildings, but no definite reply has yet been recuved.

The roll number at the beginning of the year was 71. It was now only 63. The books were duly audited last Month and found correct.

A concert in aid of the prize fuun was held in December, and resulted ia netting £5 12s lOd, which, with the balance to |thß credit of this account for former years, enobled ua to give the children and' their friends the usual Christmas treat, and a large number of useful prizes were distributed amongst the children in the schoolroom -as aut-door amusements could not be indulged in that day. This account also shows; a credit balance of £1 7s Id to be handed over, , (Signed) J. FBASKB, Chairman of Committee, On the motion of the chairman this report and balance-sheet was passbd as very satisfactory. The meeting then proceeded to elect a committee for the ensuing year, and the following gentlemen were duly proposed and seconded—Messrs J. Fraser, T. Thornley, D. Cunningham, S. Galbraith, M. Moore, M. SmilF, and A, J. Andrews. These were declared duly elected.

A meeting of the newly-elected committee was held immediately after the close of the public meeting, and Mr J. Fraser was unanimously reelected chairman. The committee meetings are to be held on the last Monday in each month. Two applications for the position of sewing mistress held over, pending the board’s decision re Miss Stocker’s appointment. One account was passed for payment, and the meeting terminated. ° WOODBUKY.

The annual meeting of householders took place on Monday the 28th inst., Mr Greaves being in the chair. The following report was read:— Your comaa'ttee have much pleasu-e in laying before you their report, of the past year’s proceedings, ending 3ltt Dm., 1889. The committee held 11 ordina-y, and 1 special, meetings, with an average attendance of 5 members for the year.

During the year the commit; have received from the Board of Education the sum of £2O, this, together with a balmce of £3 8s 6d from the previous, makes a totil of £23 8s 6d, out of this sum they haye exP a n a, eC i ? 3 ’. 3d ’ ietiTin * a in bank ot 5s 3d to be carried forwarn to the year 1890. In addition to this they haye received for rent of school rooms, concert, &■). the sum of £8 2s 6d. This sum has been* expended for prizes and email sundry accounts. Various small repairs bays been effected during the year, but much remains to be done, provided the committee had funds, so that the school and grounds would have a Beat and tidy appearance.

The year opened w.th 103 on the roll, and during the 12 months 31 were admitted and 35 left, thus leaving 99 on Dec. 31, 1889. The number belonging to the school is smaller now than for several years past, owing partly to soma families leaving the district and going to other schools, but your committee trust this depression will only be of a temporary character.

The staff remains the simo as at the end of last year.

Ths inspector’s report being considered highly satisfactory and beyond the expectation of the committee.

The furniture of the school is, on the whole, sound and in good order. The bui'dmgs require painting, and the outbuildings need repairs.

m J. H, Dean, Chairman Woodbury School Committee. On the motion of Mr Dean, seconded by Mr Elatman the report was adopted. On the motion of Mr Middlemiss seconded by Mr Diefield, a vote of thanks to the chairman of committee was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to committee as a body was also carried on the motion of Mr secon ded by Mr Hammond, Mr Dean acknowledged the compliment A committe was then elected as iollows :—Messrs Dean ('l3') Dialman (12) Kefield (11), l wibb(6), Hammond (6), Cormack (s);.Qick (3).

A vote of thanks to the chairman proposed by Mr Dean and seconded by Mr Cooling terminated the meeting. SOUTH OR AST. ; A meeting of the householders of the South Orari school district was on Monday last for the purpose of electing a school committee for the ensuing, year. Mr James McLeod, chairman, read the report and submitted the balance sheet of the retiring committee. These were unanimously adopted. There were ten nominations for the new committee, and after the voting the following gentlemen, having secured the majority, were declared duly elected, viA : John Collie, Bobert Wakely, G. O’Neil, B* Bennett, J. McLeod, T. Bates, and J. J ; Ellis. Immediately after the election the committee met, and Mr McLeod was again chosen to act as chairman. BELFIELD The annual meeting o£ householders was held in the Belfiald Schoolroom, at 7.30 p.m. ‘on Monday last, there being fifteen householders present, Mr Ford was elected chairman of the meeting. Thirteen out of the fifteen persons present being nominated, a ballot was taken, which resulted in the following seven being elected ;—Messrs W Willey, T Sugrue, W Ford, J Woulf, J Bennet, H Newport, and W Ellery. A meeting of the rewly elected committee was then held, when Mr Ford was elected chairman,: secretary, and treasurer, with Mr T. Sugrue to countersign cheques. The teacher’s report was read, which showed a very poor attendance for the past month. The teacher complained about the schoolhouse pump, also about the range in the kitchen. The committee decided to write to the board about the eame. The committee decided to hold their meetings the same as formerly, on the third Saturday in every month. Mr W. Ellery was appointed visitor for the ensuing month. This being all the business tbe meeting terminated,