SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3679, 4 December 1890, Page 2

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

A special meeting ofthoMasterton School Committee was held last oveuing to consider a letter from the Chairman ef the Fernridge Committee, suggesting that a united deputation of the schools wait upon the Town Lands Trust to protest against tho treatment received from that body, There were present Messrs McEwen (Chairman), Daniel], Hoar, Prangnell, Eton, and Easthope. Mr D. McGregor, who was also

present, stated that tlie Town Laud Trustees had evidently decided to cu the Committees down to the capita tioii grant. The Masterton an I/pper Plain schools had in the pat occupied a premier position arnongt tne schools of the district, and h thought it was the desire of all tha this position should be maintained If, however, tlioy had to rely upo the capitation grant, they woul uud oubtedly deteriorate in every waj It might be urged by the Trust tht they should get up concerts and sue like to make both ends meet, but h thought they should not adopt thi course whilst they had a ric Town Lands Truss, the objects < which were essentially those ( education. He felt they had a jut cause for complaint. Had publi meetjngs been called' throughout th district'he bejieyed the continuant of the grsflis woujil bsaemadd' Mr JBton asked if Mr McGrego had read the new Act on the subject !As a member of the Trust he migh state that their hands were ver ( much tied to what they previous! were.

Mr McGregor did not think tjie fundamental reading of the (jrigpl 'Acfc Lad been interfered WlCli, '" " Mr Eastbopo: I boUove the Town Lauds Trustees is an obataclo in our way,' The Education Board will not grant us money whilst we Lave a Trust, and the Trust will not help jig ger) it is tljs duty of the Edu- |§ rigft pxpefld the p[|tp |§ ffey tliojigbt fit; Ihejr wfg yijipf jfogijes nor fools, ' ■

Mr Eton quoted the Act on' the subject, and contended that the Upper plain school had-feceived mofe t|)ap Its {ajf mmjigi} ql the Trust'? grants in the past,' Mr IpGregpr said'the grant wade 1)7 t})p frust was 8/mply 'useless to his Mr ?rangnell agrejed jjtjj'. j,bp '

no right to dictate to the; how they should spend their grants'. He would support Mr McGregor in the matter as faras- possible..: Q& was sure the' oommunity would sympathise with • them in tlleir demands. r - , ' > Mr McGregor could hot sec why tbe trouble between the • Masterton sohooland the 'Trust should affect every school ia the district.; It was a disgrace that .the whole of the schools; should Buffer through an unfortunate error. ' , . , .Mr Etonsaid they could not get past the fact tbat the Trust had to accumulate money to repair its dilapidated property. Mr Prangnell; No, That is a ouckoo cry made by Mr Lowes. - Mr Easthope thought the moniesof the Trust , should, be spent in. the first place on education. Mr Darnells condemned the action taken up by Mr Eton as a member of the Trust. •. The < Chairman: The, Committee gets the same amount of money from the Education Board as other schools., in the colony. Mr, Eaßthopo suggested ■! the, appointing of a deputation in conjunotion with the Fernridg'e school to wait upon the Trust. The Chairman moved that Messrs Prangnell, Easthope and Darnells be appointed a deputation to wait' upon the Town Lands Thist, for che purpose of urging the claims'of the various schools,, and that if the demands.be not complied with the public be appealed to in the matter. . Mr Hoar seconded. The motion : was put and carried. A good deal of discussion ensued on the action of the Trust in dictating how the grants should be expended, and it was maintained. by nearly every member of the Committee that a gross injustice had been imposed upon the various Committees,