SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2932, 30 April 1891, Page 2

SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS.

Ca.mhrhioe. — Tho annual meeting of householders was held in tho Public Hall on Monday evening at 7.30 p.m. Fully l">0 were present, and on the motion of Mr A. Clement-', Mr JohnOwynneth was voted to tho chair. Tho first business was the reading of the report and balauce sheet for the past term, which was submitted hy Mr J. I'. Thomson, the Chairman of tho lato Committee, and was as follows :—Report of r.he out going Committeo : The Committee have to report that the average number upon tho roll for the past year has been 210 '>>, and tho average attendance, 133 'IJ, showing a slight increase on the average number on the roll, and a slight decrease on the average attendance ; on the previons year they were 207 '1 and 1"> t "7 respectively. The Committee would again urge upon parents the necessity of .sending their children regularly and punctually to school, which in many instances has not boon done. From time to timo tho Committee have been compelled to exercise the compulsory clauses of the Act, and this matter will call for tho early attention of the incoming Committee. The annual standard examination of the school was crnducted by InBpector Airey, in October last, who reported favourably on the work ; this was specially gratifying, seeing the many changes that had taken place in the teaching staff, and now with the moro permanent staff wo have, even better results may be looked for. The annual sports were held during the Kaster holidays, when a number of events were well contested, and through the liberality of many friends, a number of prizes were given. The parents present and the children appeared to enjoy themselves thoroßghly. The thanks of the householders are due to the promoters and porfonners at the school concert, held in December last. Tho committee much regret that through the lack of sympathy of the householders generally, the nett result was the small sum of £4 14s Gd. The committee take this opportunity of bringing to the notice of the householders the way in which the Board of Education now operate upon tho school fund. The allowance- of thit committeo is nominally £2"> per annum; from this amount the Board levy an annual charge of t'4 10s for painting, leaving available for all purposes £20 10s, a s«m manifestly inadequate to clean daily two large buildings, keep the same in repair, also fences, teacher's house, and provide fuel, etc. The committee are of opinion that the cost of painting and all suoh works should be defrayed from the general funds or tho Board, and not from the already too small school fund.— J as. P. THOMSON, Chairman." —Balance-sheet: The balancesheet for tho 15 months ending March 31st was as follows:—Receipts : Balance in hand ou Ist January, 11s 5d ; grant, £3"> 5s ; proceeds of concert, .£4 14* (id ; total, £40 10s Ud. Expenditure : Cleaning schools and outbuildings, £22 (is ; fuel, £1 Us !)d ; repairs, £0 17s "id ; books, maps, etc.. 10s till ; stationery, £113s 7d ; balance in hand, £7 Is Sd ; total, £10 10s lid.— The report and balance-sheet were adopted on the motion of Mr Thomson, seconded hy Mr Wells. The former impressed upon parents the necessity of sending their children regularly to school ; and the latter made a few relevant remarks as to tho treatment tho committee received from the Board of Education.—Tho election : The names of the candidates nominated were then read to the meeting, and tho Chairman proceeded to take a ball.it according to the Act, Messrs C. Tuck and H. \\ . Westby being scrutineers. On tho voting papers being analysed, the result was as follows :-.T. P. Thomson, 131 ; Jas. Webber, 12."); R. W. Sargent. 124 ; G. Dickonson, 103 ; G. J. Noal, 102 ; Jas. Hally, 8!); T. Wells, 80; J. S. Bond, 70 ; E. Hewitt, 70. The first seven were declared elected. Tho usual votes of thanks to the scrutineers and chairman closed the meeting.

Cammiiiiob Wrst.— About 100 iwrsons attended at the Cambridge West Scliodl on Monday, to settle who should represent them upon the School Committee. Mr Comer wan voted to the chair, and cmducted the business to tho satisfaction of all parties. Reports : The out going Committee reported as follows: "The school generally is in a satisfactory condition. An attempt has been made to enforce the compulsory clauses, and has resulted in some improvement in the attendance, but not so much as the Committee could wish. We would draw attention to the fact that this bad attendance is an injustice not only to the childron themselves, but also to the teachers, and tho other children who attend regularly, but who have to be moie or less neglected while the teacher 13 attending to those who have been absent. The amount of work that has fallon nn the Committee during the past year has been somewhat Urger than usual. Tho school buildings have been painted, the fencing put in tirst-class order, a bell has benn erected, No 2 room has been litted with lamps, and various repairs have been executed. All this work has necessitated a large outlay of money, r.art of which was met by tho proceeds of a very successful concert, and part by special grants from the Education 80-ird, who have dealt very liberally with this school. The public thanks of this district are duo to our energetic Secretary, Mr Fitzgerald, who has been in office over 12 years, and who has willingly carried out the extra work, as above mentioned during the past year. The Committee regret they havo not the pjwer to give him something more substantial than thanks for his valuable services. With regard to the school, the head teacher reports that the number in attendance is somewhat smaller than it was, owing to some families having left the district. This makes it all the mero necessary tor the children to attend regularly, so as to keep the average attendance sufficient for three teachers. At the recent examination the results wero not so satisfactory as on former years, though the averagn number of passes was quite equal to the general average of the i'rovince. It is only fair that the drawbacks under which the school laboured during last year, and which evidently alfected the examination results, should be mentioned. In the first place there was the epidemic of "Lα, Grippe," which thinned the attendance while it lasted. During four months, one of tho teachers was absent, and the substitute sent by the Board was also .in invalid most of the time she was here, while the school was absolutely short of a teacher for about seven week*. All this seriously handicapped the head teacher, and attracted his attention from his own classes. The fact of the examination being held a month earlier than usual and tho bad attendance increased the difficulty, and it is satisfactory to know that, with one or two exceptions, only those failed who had boon very irregular in attendance. The number of passes was 74 per cent, of those presented. If we remember that (or the four previous years the average number of passes was 1)0 per cent., thoso results are very satisfactory. The new committee will find the school property in a good state of repair all round, and no expensive outlay will bo required for some years.—(Signed) T. W. Hicics, chairman of Committee." Balance-sheet: The balance-sheet for the fifteen months ending March 31st was as follows:— Receipts: Cash in hand on Ist January, 1891, 10s 3d ; ordinary grant, £20 3s 0d ; special grant, £3 4s 0d; receipts from other sources, such as concerts, &c, £0 19s. Total, £30 17s ltd. Expenditure : Cleaning, £10 18s; fuel, £1 13s; repairs to building, &c., fil Vm lid ; books, <fcc\, 4s 3d ; expenditure of special grant: repairs to teacher's house, &c., £3 4s i)d ; printing, £1 0s (id ; balance in hand, £10 11s 2d. Total, £30 17 s 9d.—Election of members : The election of tho new committee was the next business. The chairman was assisted in making up the returns by Mr Fitzgerald, two scrutineers (Messrs Hyatt and Vicars) being appointed by the meeting. The ballot resulted as follows :—Hugh Fitzgerald, 59 ; J/Chambers, 4(1; A. Hill, lo ; E. Allen and J. Jarrett, 42 ; E. Bailey, 3D ; W. Tucker, 35 ; T. W. Hicks, 2S ; H. Hicks, 25; J. Adams, 21. The firstmentioned seven were elected. The usual votes of thanks closed the proceedings.

Te Awasiutij.—Oreat interest has been taken in the election of the School Committee. At the meeting, held on Monday, about 40 householders were in attendance, the chair being occupied by Mr Walton. The Chairman read the annual report, showing a. credit balance of £7 0s lid, after au expenditure of J&l 12s lid, mostly in perniauent iiNprovemeuts to the acliool buildings. An additional room, kc, has been built to thu teacher's dwelling, at n cost of J.' l", this being covered by a special grant from th« Board of I-Mucatioii. I 'tiring the year Miss Crookes hud been transferred to .Auckland, and Miss Wills appointed assistant in her stead. The report was considered satisfactory. The Chairman thon addressnd tho meeting on the election of Urn now committee, and Messrs Vnnso, liurgfßs and Wilkinson were appointed .scrutineers of the meeting. The names of those persons who had voted during the day wero then road out, and ballot papers handed to those who had not done bo. The result of the poll was:—> Walton, 3S; Ahier, 33; Rogers, 33; Brown, 82 ; Millar, 31; Teasdale, 27 s Gre3ham. 'SI; Cox, 13; Manrjcno, Kl. Tho

first seven were declared to be duly elected. Mr Wilkinson then moved, and Mr Value seconded, a vote of thanks to tho out-going committee. Tho meeting closed with a like vote to the chair.—At a meeting of tho committee, hold immediately afterwards, Mr Walton was, on the motion of Mr Ahior, seconded by Mr (iresham, duly oloctod chairman, and the chairman, together with Mr Toasdalo, wero authorised to sign all cheques in connection with tho committee. KiKiKiuiKOA.— At the annua! mooting of householders on the 27th, the following were elected as tho School Committee for the current year: Messrs L. Willis, T. Owen, H. Churches, J. Kenny, J. Thomas, G. Wishart and A. Swarbrick. At a meeting of the Committee held the eamo evening Mr Swarbrick was chosen chairman of tho Committee. Ohaui'O :—Tho annual meeting of householders was held in the acliool-room on Monday last. Mr J. T. Edwards was voted to tho chair. The report of tho outgoing committee showed a balance in hand of £7 Is 2d, but with liabilities £1 Us lid. The following were elected the Committee for tho ensuing twelve months : Messrs Robort Mears, Arthur Graham, Henry Kusabs, Richard Mears, John Cassidy, ■T. T. Edwards and Andrew Karl. At the meeting of the enmnntteo held immediately aftorwards, Mr Robert Moars was elected Chairman, and Mr J. T. Edwards, Secretary. Kihikihi. —Less interest has been shown in the appointment of the school committen here on this occasion than has over been known before. On the nomination day only four persons were nominated, those boing members of thn old committon. On Monday uight, 27th inst., only throe householders, in addition to tho four previously nominated, presented themselves at the mpeting and it was with difficulty thay wero persuaded to stand. This they ultimately decided to do and were duly elected. The new committee consists of Messrs M, D. Dinneen, J. Kennedy, R. Buckworth, P. McDonnell, W. Thomson, D. T. MeCormick, and G. Maundor.

Alkxaniira.—Tho meeting for the election of a school committee for tho ensuing twelve months was a large one f<r our small community, the interest taken in it out-rivalling an election for an M.H.R. Tho reason for the great interest displayed here on the matter would not greatly interest those outside our district, and wete I to explain it would bo certain to bring on a controversy in your columns, so let it R.I.P. Mr W. S. Rutherford was called to the chair, and most ably fulfilled a position which, in any hands, would have been a difficulty. There wore thirteen ]nnminations for the honour of being a committee man, the names having already been published in your columns. One nomination was declared informal, on the grounds that, tn filling up the nomination paper the nominator had omitted to put the figure 1 at the end of the date for tho year on the printed form. The day and month were correct, and could not possibly have been mistaken for a proper nomination. There is little doubt, it is thought by several here, that an appeal to thn proper authorities would have it sustained, but tho position not being an enviable one tho candidate will let it pass. The following were declared by the Returning Olh'cer as the now committee, having received the highest nnmbor of votes :—W. J. Smith, (J. Sim, D. One. G. Harper, R. McUruther, P. Lompriere, and J. Sage. A vote of thanks to the Chairman, proposed by Mr J. Wills and seconded by Mr T, Honwood, terminated the meeting.

Hunti.y.—An unwonted amount of inforest was ipanilosted in the election of the school committee on Monday night. The free and independent rolled up in force, and it was evident from the voting that a " double ticket" was being run. Mr Moren occupied the chair, and read tho clauses of tho School Committees Election Act for the guidance of those presont. Mr Skellern, the retiring chairman, read a report of the outgoing committeo for the past year, in which there was nothing startling disclosed, and it was accordingly duly approved by those present. Ballot papers were then distributed and scrutineers appointed. The result of the ballot was as follows: — Tattley, 47; Harry, 47 ; Mackintosh, 4- r > ; Peek, 44; Graham, 42; Robson, 41; Molesworth. 40; Skellon, 38 : Henderson, 3S; Laather, 37 ; Curless, 3li; Nicholson, 27 ; Gloe.son, 23 ; Montgomery, 20 ; Sedgeman, 17. The first seven were declared elected. The new committee met immediately after the public meeting and elected Mr Tattley chairman and Mr Peek secretary and treasurer. One of the first duties devolving upon the newly-elected committee will be to vote for tho election of a new member to the Education Board, but it would seem that the committees in this end of the province have comparatively nothing wherewith to guide them in the selection of the most suitable and useful of those otferine. Mr Burton is a lawyer, and one of that fraternity on the Board is one too many. Mr Biickhurst is practically unknown in Waikato, though the snmo cannot be said of Gapt. Hearne, while Mr Peacocke, as is known, has retired for business reasons.

Whatavwata.—On Monday evening the annual meeting of householders took place in the school. There was a large attendance, Mr K 0. Shepherd being voted to the chair. Before commencing the regular proceeding*, Mr \V. \V. Higprinson asked whether the chairman was a householder, residing within the boundaries of the Whatawhata district. In reply, thn chairman stated that the boundaries of school districts were not defined by Act, with a two-mile radius, as Mr Higginson supposed, but were defined by the Board of Kdncation, uuou the application of the householders I concerned, and so fai as he knew, the boundaries of the Whatawhata school district had never been properly defined, and consequently he ruled that all those who could reach the scliuol with their children were householders. The statement of accounts for the past year, or rather fifteen months, was then laid before the meeting, as tallows :—Or. : Balance in bank on January Ist, 18H0, £2 Hi* 7d; grant from Board of Education, £5 ss; special grant, All I.">s; use of school for entertainments, £71350 d. Total, £17 lOj Id. Dr. : Cleaning school, £7 !&s (id ; fire wood, £1 10s ; repairs to fence, t'4 Us ; cheque book, IN Id ; balance in bank, JtM (is. Total, £17 10s Id. After some discussion as to the tees charged for the use of the school-room for entertainments, the accounts were parsed, and a vote of thanks to the outgoing committee carried.—The election : The Chairman then read the clauses of the new Election Act, which had been sent up by the Board of Education, and under which the election was to take place. Having read the list of persons uomiuatea, which exceeded the number required, he called upor: the chairman of the School Committee to produce the voting papers received by him before I p.m. These were five in number, Messrs Higginaon and F. Kotliwfll being appointed scrutineers. So far, all went well, but when the Chairman stated that, according to the Act sent to them for their guidance, the voting for the School Committee ceased at I p.m. Considerable excitement prevailed, Mossrs Crawford, Higginson, Bruce and others contending that the election should proceed at the meeting, in like manner as provided for school elections within boroughs, but the chairman firmly refused to allow any voting paper to be used which had not been received in accordance with the seventh clause of the Act, and which, in his opinion, was up to 4 p.m. on that day, and after such an exciting scene as is seldom witnessed in the old school-room, declared the result of the poll as follows :—1 J . Iverjion, fl ; A. Calder, 5; T. Kempthorn, 5 ; E. C. Shepherd. ;">; Robert Bruce, 4 ; W. W. Higginsou. 3; A. M. "Ferguson. 3 : A. Crawford, nil. At the subsequent meeting of the School Committee, it was resolved that uo permanent chairman be appointed until the validity of the election was decided, and that Mr E. C. Shepherd lay the matter at once before the Board of Education, to obtain their ruling. TaCWHAKE, —There was more interest taken in the election of tho committee than usual. Eleven candidates were nominated for election. The secretary of the retiring committee read the balance sheet, which .-howed .£!) L's (>d to credit. During the public meeting Mr (I. Allright occupied the chair. The members of tho committee elected for the ensuing year aru Messrs Richardson, liigliain, .Scott, jiiprose, Speuke, .1. Shaw and A. .P.. Suitor. At a meeting of the committee which followed, Mr SpenUe was elected chairman, and Mr Suttor seccrutary.