PAPANUI.

Press, Volume XXV, Issue 3311, 12 April 1876, Page 2

PAPANUI.

A meeting for election of district committee, was held at the schoolroom, Paparjui, April 10th, 1876 ; Wr George. Harper, chairman of the district committee, occupied the chair. .1 ThAnjinutee of the last meeting of householders were read and confirmed. ' The followiug report of the proceedings of the committee for the last six months, was read— L . : '• '*Your committee have tq report that, since their election, October 21st,. 1875, they have held ten meetings That tbe following works, in connection with the school, have been carried out and completed by them during their term of office duriog the last six months. New furuiture for the old schoolroom, consisting of desk?, forms, tables, and cupboards ; new range -for the ■' master's house. Additions to the' school building's, consisting of a new schoolroom. 5 ifi x 20ft, extension of porch to boy's entrance, new water closets and urinal, porch to master'B house, furniture, desks, forms. kc, for the new building 1 , knfy the varnishing anipaintihg inside and outside of both old and new buildings. That the plantations have been and the grounds attended to. That the making of a'swimming bah., has ibeen considered, and a grant of £,li(f towards the cost of the same has been promised by the Provincial Government, the total coat of which will amount to not less than £150. That the committee are pleased to l>e able to be in a p-sition to congratulate the householders of the district upon tbe completion* of the additions to tbe Kjhool, amd uppn tbe satisfactory manner; in which the works, including the outside .acCommodation, have been carried out 'and provided by tbe provincial authorities ; arid 'tbejr consider that the school buildirgSj as tbey; now exist, fully meet the retirements of the district, and will add'materially! td the better teaching, discipline, comfortp and ,beajth of the children fhan heretofore, and ~ think , that no further 'expenditure will be' required for some time to came. Your committee feel it rJece-Wy to impress strongly upon tbe householders the great advantages which, will result to the children attending the school by the making of a swimming bath and the teaching of swimming, and they consider tbat the amount, viz, £100. r« quired over and above the Government grant, ought to be r<'.-<dily and easily contributed by the householders, and they trust that the work which has been originated by them duringtbeirterm of office will be energetically carried out By their successors. An examination of the school was ' held by the Government Inspector in December last, and was conducted by him upon the standard system now introduced into the province, and, considering tbat the system has been j but lately introduced into the school, the j result of the examination, and the report of tbe inspector upon the same, was satisfactory. Your committee, however, being unable to ascertain or to test from the report sent in j thn respective merits of the children ex-o'ri'-.ed in each standard, with to tbe ] giving ot piisfp'ta the beet scholars j Q each I

class, engaged the services of Mr Cumber worth to examine the school before the Chrst mas holidays, and lequeated him to con duct the examination of the different elates o?a«sbyclass, the result of which examination and the examiner's report upon the same were very satisfactory. The annual prices were distributed during the Christmas hoiiday?, amounting in value to the sum of £7 and upwards, one half of which amount was contributed by the committee out of their private funds. Owing to the carrring out of the additions to the school, your committee j deemed it advisable to extend the Christmas holidays until the completion of the buildings, and some time has therefore been loat" but which can now be made up by shorter holidays being given at the usual times durine the ensuing year. As there was no room in the district sufficiently convenient to accoai. raodate the children, and without considerable expense during the progress of the build-' ingS, your committee were obliged to extend the holidays as before mentioned. That the average daily attendance during tho quarter ending December, 1875, was 127 ; on the books, 204. That the average daily attendance during, the quarter ending March 1876, was 143 ;* on the books, 205. The committee feel it their duty to state that the daily attendance ought to be considerably more than it ia at the present time ; that after making all allowances for the disturbance of tbe school during the progress of ♦ \ buildings, they are of opinioa that the daii attendance during the last two quarters K% below what it should be. In saying this they do not wish to'attach any blame to the teacher, or to the advantages afforded by the school, but rather to the parents of children, who take away their children upon the slightest excuse offering if they require their services at home! The committee wish to record their thanks to the master, mistress, assistant mistress and pupil teacher, for the services rendered by them duriug the past six months. TBe annual school treat 'was held dnring the Christmas holidays, and was .very satisfactorily arranged and carried out; -Signed— George Harper, Chairman, April 10th 1876." . ; Proposed by Mr Freestone, seconded by Mr Hudson—" That the report as , rend be adopted." Carried. ;<C :,'.' , , Proposed by Mr Low; geconded by Mi Jones—" That a vote of thanks be recorded to Mr George Harper for his services as chairman 0f... the district committee." Carried, The chairman returned thanks,- and bora testimony to the. good feeling) that BSE existed between himself and his colleagues during their term of office. "■ Proposed by Mr Low, and seconded by Mr Derritt—" That the committee for the en. suing year .consist of six members only." Mr Smith moved an, amendment, and Mr Hudson seconded—"Tjiat the 1 'committee consist of eight members." The amendment r on being put to the meeting, was lost- aud the' original regoln. tion carried. j: - ) , All the members of the-oli%mmittee (except Mr Kruse, who was absent Mhrough ill health) having declared theic,intention to resign, instead of only one-half retiring, as provided by the Ordinance, the chairman called upon the meeting' to nominate candidates to fill up the five vacancies npon' the committee. si Mr Kruse being one of the senior members of the old committee, who had not resigned, remaining on the committee, and.thefol* -lowing householders were duly proposed and seconded :—Mr George Harper, Mr-Low, Mr Godfrey, Mr Jones, and M> Freestone. Mr Monro and. Mr; Sjisoh Were also proposed, but declined to act. ; No other candidates havingheen proposed, the chairman declared Messrs G. Harper, Low, Godfrey, Jones, , and Freestone duly elected aY members fit, *the <district com* mittee. >-i*V After a vote of thanks to the chairman the meeting . ■ ' r JW A meeting of the new pommUiee was afterwards held, and Mr George Harper was re-elected chapman p,£ t&e djssricscommittee ior the next.yea^.'", h'n : ,v M v '\ HT