EAST CHRISTCHUUCH.

A meeting of tho East Christchurch School Committee was held last evening at the Gloucester street schoolroom when there was a very large attendance of householders. The chair was taken by Mr M. Murphy. The following report was read by tho Chairman : — " The retiring Committee have the honour to present -to the householders of EastQhri3tchurch educational district their report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1884. They have held 14 meotings during the year. The year just closed has been one of general satisfaction to all concerned. A few necessary changes have been made in the teaching staff. The unanimity and general "harmony throughout the school, which characterised the previous year, have also provailed during the past. The attendance at the main school and at the two side schools has been satisfactory. There are at present on tho roll 1246 at Gloucester street, as compared with 11G1 .in 1883. The number present at the time of examination was 1090, as compared with 980 in 1883. The Committee regret that they cannot lay before the meeting the Inspector's report on the result of the reoent examinations*, except in tho case of the South Town Bolt School, inasmuch as it has not yet been sent in to the Board. The Committee are of opinion that an endeavour should be made to have the Inspector's report in the hands of the Committee previous to the annual meeting, which is the only opportunity, householders have of expressing themselves thereon without calling a special meeting for the purpose. The Committee would, therefore, respectfully suggest to the Board the desirableness of making such arrangements as may lead to this end. However, the class lists are to hand, and after all, they are the best test aa to the result of the year's work. The results are aa follow : — EOTS. Standard VI. V. IV. 111. 11. I. Presented— ls 28 GO 111 G4 105—383 Passed —12 28 50 89 49 103—333 &IRLB. Standard VI. V, IV. 111. 11. *I. Presented— l 6 14 3G 63 71 58—258 Passed —IS 13 34 63 66 58—250 Percentage of passes at the main school, 909 por cent. It will thus bo seen that really good work has been accomplished during the year. The Committee, therefore, tako this opportunity of congratulating the teachers for the work which has been so ably carried on by them during the pa3t year, and of expressing a hope that they, one and all, will endeavour to maintain in the future the good character which the school now enjoys for order, harmony and general efficiency. The Inspector's report on the South Town Belt School is to hand, and speaks in the highest praise* of the efficiency of that school, which reflects great credit upon Miss Macket, vrho is in charge, and on the rest of the stuff. The average attendance at the school for the year has been 328. Miss Dunnage is still in charge of Phillipstown School. This lady continues to give every satisfaction ; bnt in the absence of the Inspector's report, nothing further can be reported, except that the average attenddance has been 227. The school buildings and furniture are in good repair. A great improvement has been effected in the sanitary arrangements by connecting the closets and urinals of the main school with the underground drainage. The swimming bath has also been connected. Eeferring to the swimming bath, the Committee are of opinion that continued efforts should be made whereby the bath might be rendered available for the girls ; some £50 would be required for this work. Planting. — During the year a grant was obtained from the Board for the purpose of planting a belt of trees around tho girl/ playground. Tins will, in a few years, form an agreeable shade for the children during the hot weather. In accordance with a resolution passed at the last annual meeting, to the effect ' that a census should bo taken of all the children in this school district who are of school age, and are not atcending any school,' application was made to the Board for sufficient funds to carry out the investigation. This was refused, and a3 the Committee had no funds available for this purpose, the matter had to be dropped. They, however, consider the question an important one that 3hould not be lost sight of. Books. — Prize 3 of books have been distributed to those boys and girls who have distinguished themselves in the several Standards. Great difficulty was experienced in collecting sufficient funds to meet the cost of the books, each member of the Committee being called upon to subscribe to the fund. This they cheerfully did, but they think that those persons who have an equal, if not a greater, interest in the welfare of the school should have responded more readily than was found to be the case. On enquiry it has been ascertained that other Committees have been able to largely supplement the sums collected for this purpose from their incidental funds. It will be a matter for the incoming Committee to go carefully into the matter of the incidental fund with a view to bringing the expenditure within its limits. It will be the duty of the incoming Committee to vote for three members to serve on the Board of Education. The Committee would draw attention to the anomalous distribution of the voting power, inasmuch as the smallest country 6<?hool has equal voting power with the largest town school, and as the. country schools far outnumber the town schools, the latter have little or no voice in the election. For the three town schools, numbering 4 tOO children, we have only three votes. There are 140 country schools, with an avernge attendance in round numbers of 9000. These schools have .140 votes for 9000, as against throe votes for 4100 children in the town schools. Tho question arises whether there should not be a graduated franchise." The account of the receipts and expenditure of the East Christchurch Educational District for the yeai 1 ended! Dec 31, 1881, wa3 then read, the receipts being .£3009 83 Bel, and the expenditure .£3598 Is 4(1, leaving a balance on Dec. 31 of ,£ll 2s 4d. * Mr Candy me ved and Mr Yogel seconded, a resolution to the effect that the report as read be adopted. This was carried unanimously. The Chairman said that the next business was the election of Beven nicnibei'3 of Committee for the ensuing twelve months. He explained that the voting would be cumulative. The Eev H. C. M. Watson said that he understood that in voting for v.embers of j this Committee, residence wa3 the only qualification. There was no roll on which they could vote. They must take the meeting as they found it, and he would have much pleasure in nominating Mr M.W. Green, late member of the House of Representatives for Port Chalmers, not only because he was a public man, but also because he considered he would in'ove a most useful member of Committee. Tho nomination having been seconded, # the following gentlemen were also nominated : — Messrs Parke3, E. Bond, M. Saudstein, C. P. Hulbert, Smith, M. Murphy, C. M. Gray,

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umju.Hß>f<wj!«;'»t(Tj«wntJ*w««g»yoa^uTcgg^oia«ii> n ■um.nj.u «; Chisnall, L. Pozzi, Gibson, Sharland, S. C. Fan*, and Dr Bakewell. Messrs Olliver and Syines having been appointed to act aa 1 scrutineers, a ballot was taken, with the fallowing result : — — Parkes 78 Rev G. Bond 65 M. Sandstein G'A M. W. Green 52 C. P. Hulbert 50 — Smith , ... 38 Dr Bakewell 3-1 M. Murphy 25 C. M. Gray 2-1 — Chisnall 20 L. Pom 10 — Gibson 17 — Sharland 14 S. C. Fan- 13 The Chairman declared Messrs Parkes, Bond, Saudstein, Green, Hulbert, Smith, and Dr Bakewell to be duly elected as the Committee for the East Christchurch Educational District for the ensuing twelve mouths. Whilst the voting was being proceeded with, Dr Bakewell said ho would tako the opportunity- of moving that it bo an instruction to the incoming Committee that tho school grounds in their district be thrown open for the children to play in after school hours, and during the vacation, up till dark. It appeared to him a great pity to see a number of little children playing about i,he streets when they had those beautiful reserves wherein to amuse themselves. There was no reason why these playgrounds should be kept closed, and he thought that, instead of shutting the reserves up, the children should be allowed to play in them until dark. Mr Tohnstono seconde.d this pro forma. The Chairman thought that the children would not avail themselves very much of this privilege as proposed by Dr Bakewell. He generally fbuad that after school hours the children scampered away, and were off to cricket, &c He did not think the proposition a wise one, as someone would require to see that no damage was done. A ratepayer wanted to know, in the event of Dr Bakewell's proposition being carried, who was to look after the children, in order to prevent the windows being broken. The motion, on being put to the meeting, was negatived on the voices. On the result of tho voting for the new Committee being declared, a meeting of the new Committee was held ; present — Dr Bakewell, Messrs Parkes, Sandstein, G. Bond, and Green. K<a* Gr. Bond proposed, and Ms Park<« seconded — " That Mr Sand&tein be elected Chairman of the new Committee." Mr Sandstein proposed, and Dr Bakewell seconded, Mr C. P. Hulbert, On being put to the vote Mr Sandstein was declared elected. It wasresolved — "That the first meeting of the Committee be held on the first Tuesday in February." It was also resolved — " That the question of the appointment of Secretary to the Committee be considered at the first meeting, to be held at half -past 7 o'clock on the first Tuesday in February." The meeting then adjourned.