MASTERTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1815, 16 October 1884, Page 2

MASTERTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Masterton School Committee was held last evening. Present—Messrs Boddingkon (Chairman) Woodroofl'e, Johnston, Galloway, Lowes, and Pay ton, The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

The Treasurer reported a credit belance of £7lßs od,

Correspondence were read from the Educational Board stating that additions to the school could not be proceeded with till the funds were available. That the Board had no special grant available for school libraries: the Educational Department distributing such subsedies direct. From same inviting nominations for vacancy at the Board. From same stating the annua) examination would take place on or about the Bth November.'

From J, Young asking support for his candidature to a seat at the Board, The Chairman said that Mr Beetham had informed him that the Government had placed a sufficient sum on the estimates to cover the building requirements of the Board and that consequently money would shortly . be available for the additions to the school, It was resolved to apply to the Educational Department for a subsidy to the school library. 'The Chairman reported that he bad not - thought it neoessary to call a

special meeting in order to nominate a candidate for the vacant seat at the Board, After consulting with several members'of the Committee it had been agreed to nominate Mr Shannon, andasked the Committee to confirm the action 'taken, Mr LqwW\rrioved,;inafc the action taken, in nominating Mr' Shannon be confirmed. Mr Fayton seconded, .He had agreed to the nomination on', the understanding that it did not bind the Committee to vote for any particular candidate. Mr Woodroofe did not know Mr Shannon, and was not prepared to vote for a man he did not know. It was explained to Mr Woodroofe that the question was one of nomination, not of election, The motion was put and carried unanimously. The Chairman said the date fixed for the annual examination was a month later than they had anticipated, It would give the school a mouth's grace. The teacher's report was read. The attendance for the past month had improved ; the number on the roll was 501 and the average attendance 397. The report recommended the Committee to appoint outside examiners for the annual prizes, as it would be a better test of the intelligence : of the pupils to examine them outside the ordinary school lines. The Chairman thought the suggestion of the head master a good one. It would relieve him of the responsibility of deciding who were to obtain prizes, He moved that the Rev, W. E. Paige, the Nov. L. M. Isitt, and the Kev, D. Fulton bo invited to conduct the examination. Mr Payton seconded the motion which was carried,

Mr Woodrooio proposed that two examiners should form a quoium. It was pointed out to Mr Woodroofe that the examiners would probably divide the work and that a quorum was unnecessary. Mr Pay ton proposed that a silver medal be given as a special prize for tne best extemporary essay in the school. Mr Woodroofe seconded the motion. He thought such a prize would bo a good stimulus.. Mr Lowes failed to see the necessity or the wisdom of the proposal. The Inspector's examination embraced the subject of essay writing, Their standards were not expected to be capable of producing extemporary essays. He was quite certain that no member of the Committee would care to sit down and writo such an essay within a limited time, The motion for a silver medal was carried,

The following accounts were passed for payment:—W..Gellar, £i 13s sd; Mrs Shepherd, £2los; T, G. Mason, 2s; and 31. Oaselberg &.Co. 10s, The Chairman reported that' the question of new nigbtsoil boxeß had bfc.ii attended' to, and that the subcommittee had tested the well water and found it excelrent. If a pipe was driven a new pump would be necessary and the cost would be £1 The children had been warned not to dtink the water in the lavatories. He also reported that the Committee ou the truant question recommended postponing action till the new additions to tbe school were completed. The reports of the sub-committees were received and their recommendations adopted. On the motion of Mr Galloway the report of a sub-committee, for the distribution of sewing prizes amounting to £6 was adopted,

Mr Woodroofe then moved the resolution of which he had given motice, to rescind the five minutes limit to speeches carried ai a previous meeting. He said he had received a communication after tbo last meeting in reference to the motion which Mr Payton had carried, and which was unconstitutional and un-English, and in every way derogatory to a free country and free institutions. Five minutes were not sufficient for discussing questions of great importance. Ii any conduct of the children was detrimental to them it was the duty of the committee to take action for their better information. Mr Payton was " a dog in the manger." He had heard Mr Payton say that he could not speak for five minutes, therefore he wanted everyone else to be kept down to five minutes. Now he (Mr Woodroofe) could speak for an hour when he once got a start. He would be the last in the mooting to trespass on the time of his fellow settlers, but the question on wliijih he spoke for twenty minutes was an important one, that of military drill A gentleman on the Committee said the drill was compulsory, but be found by Lord Brougham that there a key to interpret Acts of Parliament. He could not, however, instruot the persons who were ignorant of it in five minutes, The clauses they wore dealing with in the Education Act must be taken in all thoir bearings, Military, drill was under the control of the Board, and therefore it was under their control. Supposing that the Government sent two torpedo boats to Mastevton ho was Bure Mr Payton would spend half-an-hour in showing what rivers they should be put in, There was no power to gag him. The attention of persons had been called to the attempt of a gentleman of the Press to gag him. (The Chairman; The resolution is now the resolution of the Committee, not of a member of it. You are speaking under it and I would remind you to be brief as your time is nearly up,) He thought Mr Payton would leave the Committee with cleaner hands at the end of the year if he had been more liberal. He maintained that the Act had been wrongly interpreted and the resolution was unlawful. He thought that encouraging the cadet corps was a crime. Mr Galloway had not answered him but by his vote. The definition of the Act given by each member of the Committee was made in error and in ignorance. He knew this by his study of English lav/. (In tragic tones): " Mothers of children going to that school will have big tears in their eyes before many years." The motion to barrass any member ot the Committee was bad.

The Chairman: Does anyone second Mr Woodroofe's resolution. Mr Woodroofe: If no one seconds it I am at liberty to second it myself, The Chairman: I think as your motion fails to find a seconder it lapses, •; • ■■• • The meeting then adjourned, Mr Woodroofe being appointed visitor for the ensuing month,