SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3618, 19 September 1890, Page 2

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

; The ordinary^monthly meeting of tlio;Jtfa3(ettW;B,oliool Committee was held' last evemug. Present—Messrs E. McEwen (in the chair), Prangnsll, Eton, Easthope, Dnniells and Hoar, Tlie minutes of the previous ordin. ary and special meetings wero read aiid confirmed.

The Treasurer reported/ a ored balance of £l.os Id. ..V' Toto Land 3 Trust Grant,

A. {etter. .yas road from the Town Lands Trust, asking , for a fall statement of the the Trust, grant for tho year 1889-90. : Jlr Dnniells stated..; thai; ho'under; stood tlioi money had been spent for 1 the objects it was applied. for, The Committee should provide them with the necessary , statement. * ' The Secretary, in reply to the Chairman, said that ' the ;Comm|ttee had made no promise to pay £3l owing out of tho £sl granted, ; Mr Prangnell: No. Mr Eton said 'he had been informed, by, Mr Brown that a promise had been madei: i ■ f I ;..

The Chairman did not remembei Buoli a promise, i

Mr Daniells, as the deputation< to the Trust, said, lie, had received a deal of bantering from the Trust, | but he could.not explain the mattor to their Satisfaction. ! '■

The Secretary said that the £sl had been granted without any request forthe'sanie, and he did not recollect a being made in I the application /that £3l shouldi be expended; in.;, paying off tho cadot fund account.'. •<* ■'! .

Mr Eton proposed that the Secretary ho instruoted to furnish; the required statement,' : | j. Mr Easthope thought it was' an unnecessary thing to supply such information* ' The money had been spent for school purposes.' I '- Mr Daniells: But they say- we havo ombezzled it. Mr Easthope; Then aak^them to pay us the money embezzled. Mr Prangnell seconded thq motion of Mr Eton, Tho motion was then., put and carried,

Mr Daniells said that while on, the subject he would like to call attention to the fact that the committee had

been slated through the Daily on the subject of tho Cadet fund,' Ever since the last publio mooting, when Mr Payton's question was not answered, that gentleman had been making charges against them. Ho would like to know if the Committee thought it worth their, while to make some explanation. Personally he thought they should do something in the matter;' : Mr Eton: It is no use taking notice of what the Daily says. Mr Daniells: There are others among us who have this opinion of the Star,

Mr Prangnell was quite willing to meet Mr Lowes on the charges he had made,

Mr Daniells thought they shouli clear up the matter of the Cadel fundi

Tho Chairman said it was not very nice to bo confronted in the street with such matters as had appeared in print.

Mr Eton remarked that Mr Lowes had withdrawn his statement, and there was no use taking any notice of what appeared in print. _ The Ohairman thought they should, if possible, refute any ,charges made' against them. ■ "" - - ■' :'

Mr Daniells did not feel personally ' aggrieved, but the Committee, as a J public body, should defend itself. I ' Mi: Eton thought the Chairman of i the Trust would give an explanation, Mr Daniells said the Committee had practically been charged through the Daily with jobbery, with doing inpublio/what they would not do in their private business. He would like to see a Committee appointed to make a full investigation of tho accounts of the Committee, and taye them published. Mr .Prangnell said that Mr Lowes, wheii in the chair of the Trust was very bumptious. If lie had heard him accuse the Committee of embezzlement lie would have felt inclined,to hit him in the face, , : Mr. Daniells proposed that a full statement of tho accounts of ,the Committee be made out by tho Secretary and audited bj Mr lorns. ' ■'!> Mr Eton did not think it was wise to spend school money on an auditor. Mr Easthope thought such a step was not necessary. They should give it full explanation of the affair if possible, The Secretary hero made an explanation of the way in which tho money had been handed the Committee by Mr Grundy, stating that Mr Grundy had authorised it to be put into the general account. Mr Prangnell did not believe in gratifying an enemy, There was a reuson for certain members leaving the Committee three years ago, and a bitterness had existed ever since. Mr Daniells did not think this was an argument at all, Nothing whatever could be said against the Comraittco of thrco years ago, hut thero were some serious charges against this' Committee which they had tomeet.

MrPrangnellsaidthatto finish up the affair he would second tho motion, Mr Eton did not think the motion was at all necessary. Mr Easthope said they should tell the whole story, and he had no, doubt everybody would be satisfied, Mr Prangnell i If the charge made against the Committee through, the Daily had been made against mo I should have called for an apology. After a little further discussion the motion wns put and carried,' Mr Daniells expressing bis surprise at tho half-hearted manner in which the matter had been taken up. ' Resignation of Mr Feist. Mr E. Feist wrote, resigning his position on the Committee, owing to ill health. .

I On the motion of Mr Eton, seconded by Mr Daniells, the resignation was accepted with regret, Mr Eton proposed that MrM'Ewen bo appointed Chairman of the Committee for the remainder of the term. :

Mr Prangnell seconded,—Carried, Mr M'Ewen thanked the members for the position in which he had/tfeen placed, and referred in 'i&ldjjistioj terms- to theabilitiw'of ft? jjast Chairman. ' 'j Mr Prangnell moved thai Mr k M; Galloway be asked; to fill the vacant Seat on the Committee,- . : Mr Hoar seconded—-Oarriccl. . ~ Examination of ScHbow,; Mr Lee wrote, stating that himself; and Mr Fleming tlio Maaterton > public ■•on October 6th, 1 ' j,; TeAOUERS' BEPOBTS. Tlio head teacher reported that the percentage of attendance lor the past

month had been 87V He was.,about, to revert to the summer houW for school duties. • ;. ; .-

Misa Keeling reported the average Attendance at the sido school to bo

Breaking of Windows. - Mr Daniella called attention to the fact that the windows of the school

had been broken of late, ...Jjjp' The head teacher stated that the Y work was not that of school children.

Mr Easthope moved that the Committee take to prosecute any person damaging school property. - The Chairman secondgfc Mr Prang'riell : that tha papers call attention to the matter.

Mr Daniella: You - would not got a oheap;adyeVtisejhent from the paper. yon have just slated. That's mean; itisnot manly. ; Mr Pwngnell replied that he would ask the papers to do this as a personal favour.

• Tp. Nioinsoiii Question. An "account 1 6f' £2 lOs from Mr Woods' for /remorinjj. nightsoil was passed'tor "payment. Mr Keynoias Raited .on the Com- ■ mittee iind;,made 'an explanation regarding the'earth required-* for ■ | latrines.' : Mr Turnbull had suggested three parts clay and one part saw* dust., ■ This : : matter, was not in his contract, but he would-, like.to' see the , . Mr' Easthope thought r this was a A' matter between • the contractor and W the Board, , ,

'. Tho Chaimaa said It would bo necessary to take some aotion, as tho contractor had: nearly finished - hia contract. 7 - •"

Mr.Eton did not think it was for ■ ■ the Committee to taks any action in the matter. Tho affair lind to bs /i. handed over to tho Committee in working order, Theheadteacher said he had 110 doubt when the present work was completed the latrmos would not splendidly. They only wanted somebody to act as a father to the affair. (Chairman.). Mr Easthope .proposed that • the - Chairman, Mr Daniells and the Secretary bo appointed, a committee to confer with tho architect at thp , time of taking over tho contract and | arrange about tho earth for tho " olosets. " -

It was eventually- decided that the Chairman and Secretary confer with tho architect at the time of handing over tho olosets lrith reference to the ; cleaning, eto; f Mr McEwen was appointed visiting member for the month, The meeting then adjourned.

Estate School' : A'meeting of the' Committee of the abovo school was held on Wednesday evening. Present-Messrs T. Bayliss, (Chairman), Jones, Neilson, ■ Selby,and Brenmuhl, jfr The minutes,."of the previous '"pjw meeting Verb read and confirmed. Resolved, that Mrs Predriokson's tender for cleaning the new school rooms at £3 be accepted. It was also . resolved that slates and pencils be still purchased by the Committee, that the Chairman get tho blaok boards finished, that subscription lißts,be opened to get the necessary work done to the School grounds, fence &c,, and that the Chairman get 600 feet of timber for fencing pnrposes. The Committee agreea to help in putting up the boundary fence. Mr Junes was authorised to call for and accept teridors for putting up . a urinal. 1

The necessary workto be done the school ground was left in tha" i liaada of tlio chairman, if sufficient W money was collected from 1 the : subscription lists now posted at the principal business centres of the town,

The payments made during tha month were reported as £1 10a lOd, leaving a balance in hand of £3 8s ;m. The Chairman stated that the present liabilities would moro than cover balance in hand. The meeting then adjourned till October 13th,