EDUCATION BOARD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8127, 28 April 1906, Page 6

EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Wellington Education Board met on Thursday. Present—Messrs R. Lee (chairman), T. W. McDonald, W. Allan, A. Vile, W. O. Buchanan, E. Feist, J. Kebbell, and W. B. Field, M.H.K. CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT. The chairman stated that the ballances showed -an apparent debit, but that was merely nominal, as £3,000 was due almost immediately from the department, no that practically there was a credit, balance. As representative of the Board, he had attended the function in connection with the opening of the Masterton ttigb School. The contract for Martinbdrough had begun, and the Mangamaire removal contract had been signed. Both the Carterton and Northland contraots were approaching completion. Regarding the School Committee elections, the elections|in a number of distriota had lapsed, and he suggested May 21st as the date of the fresh election. The election for members of the new Board would take place in July. May 21st, as the day the fresh election, was approved. WORKS. The following grants were authoriaed:—Belvedere, residence, £6 10s, and school drainage £7; Konini, stumping, £3: Nireaha, feuoing, £1; Waterfalls, £ls; Mahunoa East, offer of shelter-shed for removal from Wereroa, provided the committee undertakes it at do great cost to the Board.

Application is to be made to the department for a grant for a residenoeat Maurioeville. Carterton's request for new furniture was deferred.

In regard to septio tanks, the clerk of works reported that seventeen schools, at an average cost of £SO, had the same claim to septio tanks as Fernridge, total cost £1,305. This question was held in abeyance, in order to enable necessary enquiries to be made, and to get specifications applicable to the various schools.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. The instructor in agriculture, Mr W. 0. Davies, reported that twentyfive schools had applied for recognition of classes, and several others would be added to the list shortly, bringing the number up to, say, thirty. Of these, four (Hutt, Greytown, Carterton, and Masterton) were district high schools, and might be made strong centres, to serve as objedt lessons to neighbouring schools. The headmaster at Masterton had undertaken,*with the aid of two members of bis staff, to carry out the work of instruction there, with occasional visits from Mr Davies, but the other three schools would require regular weekly visits, at any rate for the first year. The remaining schools, which would carry -on agricultural instruction on a more modest scale, should receive from one to four visits a year, according to circumstances. The most important requirement, however, was a teachers' Saturday class at some convenient centre.; He suggested Masterton as the mbs suitable to commence at, and courses at other centres could be airang'ed forjater on. "■.'■•

It was decided, on tbe motion of Mr McDonald, that the Eduootion Board endeavour' to dissolve the joint, control with the Technical Board in regard to the argicultural instructor's services. GENERAL.-'

Tbe following pay-sheet was approved :—General, £2,120 lis Id; secondary, £298 6s 9d; manual and technical classes, £lO5 15s 9d; teachers' salaries,.- £4,120 2s 2d; buildings£7ol lis lid; deposit, £SO; total, £7,396 7s Bd;' Tbe department intimated that a site for a residence at Scarborough had been transferred from the Railway Department to the Board. On the motion of Mr Vile, Eketabuna was made a scholarship examination centre for the ensuing year.