Meeting of School Committees.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2512, 24 January 1877, Page 2

Meeting of School Committees.

A meeting of the different school committees of the Thames district, convened by Messrs Davies, Souter, and Porter, was held at Mr Gillespie's office at four o'clock yesterday afternoon. The business of the meeting was to take setps to secure the grant of £4000 in aid of building schools in the Thames district. There were present—Messrs Steedman, Renshaw, Porter, Souter, Farrell, Ferguson, Richards, Gudgeon, Davies, and Major Cooper.

After waiting some time to see if others turned up, Mr Renshaw was called to the chair, and said that he knew very little about the matter as he had 3 only lately been placed on the committee. He would ask Mr Porter to explain the matter.

Mr Porter said that some time ago he had been at the Kawau, and had seen Sir George Grey about the £4000 which had been voted for the building of schools in this district. He had said they would get it, and advised that all the committees of the district meet and see what each of the districts wanted. They would also have money from other sources, but these were secondary considerations. He read a paragraph from an Auckland paper stating that £800 had been expended, and only £2,600 remained. He said they would have to be quick or they would lose their share.

The Chairman said they had three items of income, viz., the £'4000 voted to this district for schools, the £10,000 the proceeds of endowments in Auckland, and a share of the £50,000 voted for general educational purposes throughout the colony. The district he represented had marked out how much they required. He supposed that the other committees knew what they wanted.

Mr Mcllhone remarked that Coromandel was included in the Thames district.

A discussion ensued concerning the money applied for Kauaeraaga and Waiotahi districts, it being stated that the Kauaeranga had applied for £1375, and the Waiotahifor£7CJ. ,

Mr Porter said that the district he represented required four schools—small buildings—one each at Waitekauri, Mackaytown, Paeroa, and Puriri. The Chairman said they needed a central high school for the whole district, to

which more advanced scholars of the common schools after passing an examination could be sent. He thought it would' work much better than superior schools connected with each of the schools.

Mr Souter said that the Kauaeranga district required £725 for a boys' school, and £580 for a girls'.

Mr Mcllhone thought they should appoint a sub-committee consisting of the chairman of each of the committees to interview the Resident Minister at Auckland on the matter.

Mr Davies thought they should have a statement prepared first to see how much each of them wanted.

Mr Farrell thought that they could give a rough estimate of what they required. ■ After some further discussion it was "resolved that a sub-committee, consisting' of the chairmen or members appointed by them, draw tip a report of the wants of the district, and it was also agreed ■ that the meeting adjourn till this afternoon to receive the report, li was understood that the Coromandel ommittees be communicated with. This was a)l the business.

The sub-committee met this morning, Messrs Davies (Chairman), Steedman, Souter and Porter being present. They drew up a report to be presented to the meeting of the committees this afternoon. The following is the proposed division of the £4000 should it be obtained: Tararu, £300; Ohinemuri, £650; Kauaeranga, £1,375 ; Waiotahi, £1,300; total, £3,625; £375 for Coromandef and Tapu.