ALEXANDRA

Tuapeka Times, Volume VIII, Issue 438, 27 February 1875, Page 2

ALEXANDRA

(From our own Correspondent.)

February 22nd.

The men employed gravelling the newly formed portion of the Dunedin road on the west bank of the Molyneux have completed the job, and are about to commence on the road on the east side between Alexandra and the Wai Keri gulley. It is intended to raise the level of the road across the sandy portion of the flat to a sufficient height to expose the surface of the road to the wind, and so avoid the deposi:s of drift sand that makes the road so heavy in these places.

Our schoolmaster, Mr, Reid, has been very much annoyed at the nature of the report of the last meeting of the Alexandra School Committee, as he considers that it might create an impression that he had taken advantage of his appointment to the Forbury school, to drive a bargain with the Committee for an increase of of salary. Mr. Reid states that he was requested to take charge of the Forbury School not later than the end of March, and as he had to give three months' notice of his intention to leave the Alexandra School, his principal object in attending the meeting of the Committee was to try and arrange for the acceptance of a shorter notice. With reference to the proposed alteration in the disposal of the school fees, Mr. Reid states that his object was not so much an increase of salary, as to avoid the necessity for daily entries of the receipt of small sums of money. Since the system of weekly payments of the school fees has been adopted it has led to payments of a shilling or two on almost every d.iy of the week, CHuaing a number of entries lo be made during school hours- and often seriously interfering with the master's duties. To avoid this, Mr. Reid proposed that the master should receive all the fees, the Committee deducting a sufficient amount to meet the other expenses of the school, and the master to furnish an annual account instead of a quarterly one as at present. From this it would appear that the Committee misapprehended the nature of Mr Reid's proposed arrangement, and treated the matter purely as a question of the increase of salary. From the short time allowed for commencing' hi 3 duties at Forbury, anef'having to give three months notice to the Alexandra Committee, Mr. Reid was doubtful whether he could consider his engagement as finally settled, and when asked if he would remain at Alexandra in the event of the suggested alterations being agreed to, replied that he could not pledge himself to do so, but the question being repeated afterwards, Mr. Reid mistaking its nature, left the Committee under the impression that in the event of his terms being agreed to, he would remain at the Alexandra School. I give this explanation in justice to Mr. Reid, as there appears to have been a misunderstanding between himself and the School Committee, and in the event of the proceedings being published without comment it might possibly cause Mr. Reid some annoyance, which I think I am correct in stating would be far from the wish of the members of the Committee with whom he has always worked on the most friendly terms.