THAT HIGH SCHOOL AGAIN

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10707, 30 August 1912, Page 5

THAT HIGH SCHOOL AGAIN

THE QUESTION OE CAPITATION

SCHOOL COMMITTEES IX CON-

FERENCE

A special mooting, called by the Masterton District High School Committee, at which representatives of the. Lansdowne, To Or o Ore, Fernridge, and St Patrick's School Committees were invited to bo present, was held last evening, to consider the advisabality of sending a deputation to wait upon the Mastcrton Trust Lands Trust, and protest against the proposal contained in Mr Robinson's report relative to depriving the primary schools of the capitation grants from the Trust Lands Trust.

Mr R. Brown, Chairman of the \lastertoti District High School, presided, and explained the object of calling the meeting.

Mr E. Hale, Chairman of the Lansdowno Committee, asked if every member of the various committees had been notified of the meeting.

Mr Brown: "Oh, that ■ was quite impossible." Mr Hale: "Well, I beg to move that this meeting be rejourned until the members of the committees be given a proper opportunity of discussing the matter."

Mr Brown: "You might sit down. Surelv you are not in such a great hurry?" Mr Hale: "I am in a hurry. My time is valuable. lam not to be called hero by a party. You havo issued an invitation for us to com'o here, without due notice."

Mr BroAvn: "You had plenty of time to call a mooting of your committee, a'ml discuss the matter. It was open to you to decline to come to the meeting, if you wished."

Mr Hale: "Our committee cannot leave at a moment's notice. I cannot spend my time ag you seem to do. I bop; to withdraw from the meeting. I am protesting against the short notice given." Mr Brown : "You had better withdraw if yon have come here to lecture this committee."

Mr Hale: "I apologise if I have done so." (Mr Hale then withdrew).

Mr Brown stated that it was merely a matter of courtesy inviting representatives of the other School Committees to be present.

Mr H. Evans, Chairman of the Fernridge School Committee, said that he thought each committee should be equally represented, and have an equal vote. ■Mr Brown: "It is not a matter of voting at all. We merely wish to know whether you will join with us in protesting against the cutting off of capitation grants as suggested in Mr Robinson's report." Mr Evans: "I would prefer not to speak on the matter, as the Masterton Committee aro fully represented, while we ar.e not. Ido not, however, favour such a proposal, and think •h:il; eidit trustees will not allow low'themsclves to bo coerced by the three who are responsible for the rc-w-H-."

Mr Falconer: "We are all entirely of the same opinion, and wish you to join us as a deputation of protest -to the Trust."

Mr Evans: "Unfortunately, I have not seen all of the members of my committee. If we pet fair representation we «hal! he pleased to he represented at your meeting." (Mr Evan* then withdrew.)

Mr Brown then read a copy of the notice which was sent to the various School Committees, and said that he could not see what all the trouble was over. The cunning way in which Mr Robinson's report had been framed mad" it appear that the small schools would not suffer. This was in the nature of a* bribe to the small schools to take no action in. the matter. He (Mr Brown) could assure them that the smaller schools would suffer in a similar degree- to hto Masterton school.

Mr Hyde thought it out of all rea- | «on that tlie Trustees would support i the proposal. } Mr Brown stated that as the Com- , mittcp of the Masterton School, it j would not ho right on their pnrt if they took no action in the matter.. j Mr Falconer moved that Mr Brown he nnpnintcd to wait "P 011 the Trust! Lands Trust and enter a- protest against the proposal, and to act in eonjunction with any representative from the othfr schools, who might C3re to act. He was quite sure, however, that the matter would be thrown, out. Mrnaffl told him (Mr Falconer) in an. interview that ho (Mr Wagg) was totally opposed to the proposal, and never gave his sanction to have his name put to the document. The Chairman said it was clear i that tlie work of the Masterton whool could not he carried on without the grant from the Trust, and it was for them as committeemen to fight for tlie children, who would be deprived of so much. To lose the Trust grant would mean that there would be no money available for anything hut cleaning the school. It would not only mean losing the grant, but the Government subsidy as well. Mr Kemp, in seconding Mr Falconer's motion, said that in conversa--1 tion with a prominent member of the Trust, that gentleman 'had said that the proposal would ho thrown out. He did not think for one moment that the Robinson report would he carried.

Mr Brown thought that well-equip-ped schools like Lansdowne and Fernridge would suffer equally with Masterton if the grant were withdrawn. Ho did not think for a moment that

the clauses in the report relating to primary schools would be adopted. He had noticed some very interesting statistical tables in publication. He could not say who was responsible for them, but he would point out that these tables in dealing wjth scholarship grants to the Masterton school were absolutely incorrect. The scholarship money had been paid direct to :l:e pupil, avlio might go to what school he pleased. If the other tables were based on the same principle as the one referred to, the whole fabric would tumble like a pack of cards. Mr Falconer thought that it was absurd to consider the whole affair, as it had absolutely no chance of being upheld hy the Trust.

Mr W T . H. Jackson said that he was •there at the invitation of the Committee. He considered that the Committee were taking far too much notice of the matter, a;:d ought to have entirely ignored it. 'ihere was absolutely no chance "of the proposal dealing with capitation being considered for a moment. The Trust would not dare to do away with an entlr.wmcnt, which was the "pride of Masterton," jiml don"ive the hulk of the children for the benefit of a few. Mr Jacks.™ then explained the form in which capitation grants wore made to the various schools within the Masterton Small Farm Area, showing that Lansdowne was receiving at the rate of 4s fid per head, Fernridge 4 s 9d. St Pat- ; rick's 4s 9tl, To Ore Ore (wihch had-ten children residing within the small farm area) ss, and Masterton District JT!<>:h School 2s per head. He did not wHi to discuss the statistical tables which had appeared in print or the Robinson report', but he would point out Vthat no special grant had been made to the Masterton District High School, excepting that which went towards the furnishing of the new Asscmblv Hall. During six years as a member of the Trust Lands Trust he had not asked for any grant to the Masterton School, hut had helped to obtain, a vote for the Lansdowne School. He thought it would have been better for the committee to have Ignored the whole thing. In conclusion, he would say that the Trustees would never allow such a proposal to be carried, as it would mean, that the I school could not bo maintained in proper order. I Mr Brown thought the whole matter l was a farce, and that the proposal | would meet with signal defeat. _ It I wis sronornlly conceded that the idea I of a High School was a good one. provided it did not deprive the primary schools of their legitimate revenue. It was finally decided that if war, not necpspnrv to send a deputation to wait on the Trust, as it was considered that the case would he met by sending a written protest.