BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 54, 2 July 1887, Page 5

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The Board met at 2 o'clock yesterday after, noon. Present :Mr Luke (Chairman)Messrs W. P. Moat, R. Udy, J. M. Clark, J. M. Lennox, D. Goldie, J. H. Upton, Carr, and Thco. Cooper.

Resignations, etc. —The resignations of Alice S. M. Gordon and M. Kennedy were received. —Dr. Bodle and , Mr Tebbutt, members of the Papakura Valley School Committee, : protested , againtt tho proposed- removal of Mr Halliwell, headmaster of No 2 school, on the ground that, the meeting at which it had been decided to remove Mr Halliwell had been called irregularly.—The Chairman stated that the Inspector's report regarding Mr Halliwell was unsatisfactory.—lb was decided to refer bhem to the Training College Visiting Committee. West Maukit.—A deputation of thirteen residents of the YVesb Mauku School District waited on the Board to urgo tho removal of the school to Cox's corner.—.Messrs Walker and H. Crispo urged tho views of the deputation on the Board, and oflered to move bhe school ab bheir OWII cosb and to tho satisfaction of the engineer. - After a lengthy discussion ib was resolved on the mobi.n of Mr Goldie bo agree to the removal of bhe school provided the district bore the ! cost. j

Bible ,ix the Schools. —A deputation consisting of Mr J. A.Connell, Sir \V. Fox, Rev. J. S. Hill, MrC. E. Button, Mr F. Larkins and the Rev. P. Mason, Air J. A. Connell acting as. spokesman, submitted tlie motion passed at a public meeting in favour of the taking of a poll of parents regarding bheir views as. to whether they desired the Bible read in the schools or not. Ho .explained that this had been done in Otago, the result being that 4,07-1 parents voted in favour of bhe Biblo being 'read in bhe schools and only 610 against.; The example set in Otago liad been followed in other centres. The information would be of great value to Parliament in dealing with the matter. — Afber discussion, ib was resolved, "Thab bhe Board offers no objecbion to the School Committees giving permission for a poll of the parents of children beiiig taken with respect to the reading of the Bible in the schools."

Albekt-street Scu'ooL. — A deputation of the City Schools Committee, consisting of Messrs Gorrie and Blades, waited on the Board with reference to the decision of tho Board to- dispense with the services of Mr Burlinson, master of the Albertstreet School. Mr Gorrio strongly urged that .Mr Burlinson's services be retained, although lie was aware that there was an adverse' report from tho Inspector. This • report bhe City - School Committee had considered, and had nevertheless decided to recommend the retention of his services.—Several members supported the retention of Air Burlinson, but Mr Goldie strongly opposed this, because Mr Burlinson, being 1111 uncertificated teacher, was occupying the place that should be filled by a certificated teacher. — Several members bore testimony to Mr Burlinson's peculiar fitness for the mastership of a school of this particular character, and it was decided to accede to the request of the Committee.

Reabino Books.—Correspondence, from the Educational Institute regarding the use ,of.Longman's Readers in-tho schools was referred to a committee consisting of the school inspectorsand Messrs Worthington, Healy, Harrison, Hart, Dickenson, Bailey, and the Rev. Mr Coates, to report on the advisability of using the Longman Readers in the first four standards and the Globe Readers in the two higher standards. , ,

, Temperance Lesson Books. —MrCooper's motion regarding the above was deferred for a fortnight.

Retkenciimext.—Mr Carr moved. "That in view of the depression in trade, the excessive taxation (general and local), the privafeions and inconvenience experienced by. a large portion of the people whose incomes are considerably reduced, and the widespread distress among the wage-earn-class caused by want of employment, this Board resolves that, after due notice all salaries' exceeding L4OO shall be reduced to that sum, and thab one of : bhe clerks in the office be dispensed with."— Mr Goldie moved, "Thab after the words 'all salaries,' be added, 'of inspectors and teachers, and that the salaries of the Board's officers be as follows : - Secretary, L3OO ; treasurer, L2OO ; clerk, L 175; cadet, LBs.' ". It seemed a hard thing that persons in business, with every responsibility, should have their salaries cut down in times of distress, whilst employes in public officers should be permitted to have their salaries intact. He was pleased that Mr Carr had brought this motion forward at this time because there were other members of the Board who, with himself, bad been-taking a very active part in connection with the formation of the Financial Reform Association, and had talked very largely of making reductions, but he feared that when it came to applying it to tho individual they would be found wanting. He spoke of the absolute need for retrenchment, but expressed himself averse to the abolition of Boards of Education.—On the motion of Mr Cooper, the consideration of the matter was deferred for a week.