BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 3204, 28 October 1876, Page 2

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Education Board was held on Wednesday, at 11 o'clock a.m. Present — Messrs Pharazyn (in the chair), Tooinath, Rev. Mr Ross, Rev. Mr Andrews, and Mr Gisborne. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Secretary informed the Board that a letter had been received from Mr Wil son, Principal of the Wellington College, returning the twenty guineas given as an honorarium in consideration of his services in connection with the examination of

teachers, stating that he held any matters of the kind in connection with education ■ within the province to be within the scope of his. duties". Referring to the financial position of the Board, the Secretary stated that the Government proposed to place upon the Supplementary Estimates an equivalent equal in amount to the sum which it was anticipated the rates would produce. Application was made to the Board, that the Inspector of Schools (Mr Lee) might be permitted to inspect the public scheols in the Marlborough Province. This application induced considerable discussion, Mr Andrew moving that leave be given during Mr Lee's vacation. To this Mr Toomath strongly objected, as he considered Mr Lee could not efficiently discharge his duty under the Board if he undertook the performance of duties outside of the Wellington Educational district. Moreover, he understood that when the increase in the Inspector's stipend was made, the outside inspection was to be abandoned. The Rev. Mr Ross, on the other hand, while considering that there was an element of unfairness in an arrangement by which Marlborough and Taranuki were enabled to have their schools efficiently inspected for a mere trifle, while it necessitated on the part of the Wellington Board the payment of a good salary, yet considered that it was not within the province of the Board to determine how M~r Lee should employ his vacation. The time was hi 3 own, and how he employed it, tso long as it wf?-s not in a manner to exercise a prejudicial effect upon the performance of his duties in connection with the Board, was really no business of theirs. This view of the question was upheld by Messrs Gisborne, Andrew and the Chairman, and eventually a decision to that effect was arrived at. A letter was read from Mr Cockburn, containing an application for a grant on the affiliated system, in; respect of the Pour'ewa School, Upper Tutaenui. ' Also a letter from Mr Thorns, desiring to know whether the Board were likely to do anything in the way of providing school accommodation for the district. The Secretary stated that this matter of school accommodation had been under consideration for over twelve months, but that any definite action in the matter had been rendered impracticable owing to dissension among the people themselves on the subject of the site. It was resolved that the application of Mr Cockburn be complied with, pending the erection of a school ; but that the Inspector be requested to visit the district, and to report upon its requirements. ■ <- After the meeting of the Board, a deputation, consisting of Messrs Gisborne, Toomath, the Rev. Me Ross, and the Secretary, waited upon the City Council, to represent the difficulty the Board had to contend with in promoting the cause of education in.the city, owing to the present insufficient accommodation and lack of sites for school buildings. The deputation urged that it was in the power of the Council to materially assist in the cause of education in this particular. A conversation ensued on the subject, several of the Councillors exhibiting a warm interest in the matter, and promising to give it their fullest and most favourable consideration.