LAWRENCE DISTRICT SCHOOL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 101, 15 January 1870, Page 5

LAWRENCE DISTRICT SCHOOL.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual School meeting for the election of a new committee for the current year, and the transaction of other business, was held in the Schoolhouse on Thursday evening. The attendance was very good and included Mr. Bastings, the President, and the majority of the

retiring committee. The president stated that the meeting had two duties to perform, namely, to adopt the yearly' report and financial statement, and to elect a fresh committee. He then read the following report : — . Your Committee have much pleasure in submitting the annual report for the year ending 31st December, 1869. At the beginning of the year the attendance of boys and girls was about 100 ; but at the close of the session the number was 130, and still gradually increasing. This cannot fail to be a source of congratulation to all the well-wishers of education for the young, and evinces the increasing desire of the parents to pay attention to the wants of their children, in this respect at least. Your Committee cannot fail to recognise the beneficial effect which must result in after years to the community at large from the careful training which is thus bestowed on the rising generation. The financial condition of the School, as will be seen by the report of the Treasurer, has been somewhat improved during the past year. It might be well to mention thac the Government has been pleased to raise the position of the School to a Grammar School, and has granted the sum of £400 for the necessary additions and repairs to the building, which will conduce much to the comfort of the pupils, and also to the satisfactory carrying on of the duties of the School. Provision has also been made for the salary of an assistant master, as it has been found that the increased number of pupils require such additional assistance. The female teacher has resigned, and your Committee have taken the necessary steps to procure a competent lady in her place. Your Committee cannot close their report without mentioning the following kind acts which have been displayed during the year, shoAving the interest which the community of the district take in the School : — 1. The Dramatic Club gave a benefit, and donated to the School funds the sum of £25 Is. 6d. 2. The Eev. Mr. Stanford delivered a lecture. 3. The following gentlemen gave prizes for extra branches of education at the annual examination, viz, Messrs. Jamison, Keen, Mouat, Hopkins, Harrop, and Jeffery — to all of whom your Committee tender their thanks.— On behalf of the Committee, Horace Bastings, President. The secretary then read the financial statement, by which it appeared that the School was still in debt to the amount of £43 12s. 6d. The amount paid in salaries during the year was £425 4s. Bd. School fees received, £189 7s. 6cl. ; and Government subsidy, £198 15s. Dr. Stewart moved, seconded by Mr. James Campbell, the reception and adoption of the report and financial statement, which was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the retiring committee, suitably acknowledged by the president, concluded the first part of the busi ness. Mr. Bastings was then called to the chair, and the meeting at once proceeded to the election of a new committee. There were proposed — Messrs. Jamison, Bastings, Tolcher, Hayes, Herbert, M'Kinlay, Harrop, Crow, Campbell, Pressly, A. M'Nicoll, Darton, Tnckey," Brown, and Copland. Messrs. Herbert and Copland declined to stand. A vote by ballot was taken which gave the following result .-—Bastings, 17; Jamison, 15; Hayes, 14; A. M'Mcol, 13; Pressley, 12; M'Kinlay, 11; Harrop, 11 ; Campbell, 11 ; Darton, 11 ; Tolcher, 10 ; Crow, 8 ; Brown, 8 ; and Tuckey, 4. The first nine gentlemen were therefore declared a committee for the present year. This concluded the busines of the public meeting. The newly elected committee then held a meeting, when Mr. Jamison proposed, seconded by Mr. Harrop, that Mr. Bastings act as president. Carried. Mr. Harrop proposed, seconded by Mr. Darton, that Mr. Hayes act as secretary. Carried. A building committee, consisting of Messrs. M'Kinlay, Harrop, and the president, was also elected. It was then agreed that tenders be called by advertisement for the cleaning of the School. There being no other business, the meeting broke up.