BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Press, Volume XLVII, Issue 7528, 18 April 1890, Page 6

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Anbrdinary meeting of the North Canterbury Education Board took place yesterday afternoon. .Present—Messrs A. Saunders (in the chair), H. W. Peryman, J. RuddenkLauJ P. Westenra, T. S. Weston, T. H. Anson;-.. Joyce, E. G. Wright and Meredith. . . : i

The Secretary reported upon the extraordinary vacancy caused-by Mr Cunningham's resignation. There had been 117 votes distributed as follows:—John Joyce 28, fi. AUwright 22, E. B. Good _l, W.J. Steward 19, fiev. W. _? inlayson 17, J. T. Smith 10. Mr Joyce was consequently elected. Mr Saunders said that the next business was that of the election of a Chairman.

Mr Weston moved, and Mr Joyce seconded, profortna—" That Mr Saunders be re-elected Chairman." Mr E. G. Wright moved as an amendment—"That Mr Peryman be elected Chairman," because he felt that the honor of Chairman should be conferred on the members according to the length of service.

Mr Westenra seconded the amend* ment.

The question of the appointment caused some discussion, after which The Chairman said it seemed to him so undesirable that the matter should go to a vote that he Would retire at once.

Mr Weston asked if, the Chairman wished to withdraw his nomination.

The Chairman—Yes. .The motion was then put and carried, and Mr Peryman was elected. Mr Peryman said that he had to thank them for-the- honor they had conferred upon him, and added that he had not sought it. On the motion of Mr Peryman, Mr Saunders was elected Chairman for tbe day.- 7' ■' *'• * The appointment of Committees resulted as under: — Appointment Committee, Messrs Weston, Anson, and Saunders; Building Committee. Messrs Wright, Westenra and Joyce; Finance Committee, Messrs Wright, Westenra, and Meredith: Normal School Committee, consisting of the Appointment and Finance Committees. The Chairman said the next business was to consider the annual report of tbe old Board. He had consulted Mr Chry.tall on the report, and had made such alterations as he suggested, so that it should be quite tbe report of the old Board. Mr Wright suggested that the Board should go into Committee to consider tbe report, as he had some alight amendments to make.

This was agreed to, and the Board went into Committee.' ■■' Upon the Board resuming the Chairman reported that the annual report had been adopted with some slight amendments. The chair had been taken by Mr Peryman, as Mr Saunders had retired. The Buildings Committee ; reported :— " The Saltwater Creek School Committee enquired what sort of fencing should be put up, and whether the work should be done by them or by the Board. The proprietors of the adjoining land were ready to do their part. It was resolved to leave the Committee to put up such fence as might be agreed upon. The Clerk of Works was directed to report as to repairs said to be required at Heathcote Valley. An amount spent by the Flaxton Committee in the purchase and fitting of a new pump was allowed, An application for a tank at the master's house,. Carleton, as the well was expected to go dry, was de ferred. The master at Rakaia, not having signed an agreement to keep the house in. repair, , it. was resolved to inform him that it was the universal practice to require such agreement, which in his case had been accidentally overlooked. A memorial was received from the householders at. Wainui, through the School Committee, asking that the old schoolroom, now used as a library, should not be removed ; also, letters on the subject from Mr F. Anson and Mr Knight. It was resolved to let the building remain, subject to removal at any time by order of the Board, if not kept in repair, or if used for any objectionable purpose. A letter was received from Dr. Leahy, Ashburton, relative to the sale or lease of reserve 777. It was resolved to invite tenders for a twenty-one years lease of the reserve for building purposes. A pump applied for by the Kimberley School Committee was allowed. On the application of the Akaroa School Committee, it was agreed to allow half the estimated east (__7 15s) of drainage at tbe master's house. TheUlerk of Works was directed to report upon the state of the roofs of the school buildings at Eyreton west, said to be in a very bad condition. A new pump at the master's house, Tinwald, was allowed. The Malvern School Committee applied for refund of £7 18s lOd spent on the well, and for a pump. The pump was allowed. With regard to the other expenditure, the Committee are reminded that it had been incurred in pursuance of an arrangement, by which the cost of the well was divided'bet ween them and the Board. A letter was received from Messrs Harper and Co., advisingon the question taised by the Drainage Board as to the cost of pumping sewage, and was referred to the Board. A. letter was received from householders of Boyd's road, who had applied for a new school, giving information to' the number of children, *&c. It was resolved that the matter .was not of such urgency as in the present state of the building fund to require immediate attention. The Fendalton School Committee again applied for an enlargement of their schoolroom. The Clerk of Works was directed to report how the addition could best be made. The following tenders were accepted:—Dunsandel, painting, &c, Manhire and Co., __t4 Iss -f Winsloe, repairs and painting, Craigie and Co., £59; Southbridge, enlargement, Kill-ride and Hanna, £130 9s; Templeton, repairs, Sec, G. Petrie and Co., £110;. Licile Rakaia, repairs, Killbride .and Hannah, £2517s 6d; Sprlngston, alterations, Petrie and Co., £16; Hororata, repairs, A. Browning and Sons, £35. The reply from the Clerk of Works respecting the" Contract for rebricking the well at Broomfield was considered.. It was resolved to request the School Committee to furnish an estimate of the cost of putting fchAwell in order."

7 The report was adopted. ■ I The Appointments Committee report the j following businesstransacted:—"April 2ad —The folio wing appointments were made— Ruapuna, Mr H. Rayner, master; View Hill, Miss Jeannie Menzles, mistress; Kimberley, Mis_ Edith Walker, sewing mistress. Mr McKeague was allowed an interview with the Southbrook Committee relative to his application for the mastership of the school at Southbrook. Miss A. Humm sent in her resignation as mistress of the Belfast side school, which was accepted. The average of Duvauchelle's Bay for the last quarter being still much "below the number that would entitle the school to a second teacher, it was resolved that the services of the mistress must be dispensed with. Examination reports were received from Dr. Anderson on the schools at Sefton, Kaiapoi Island, Barry's Bay, French Farm, Le Bon's Bay, Gough's Bay, Okain's Bay, Little AkaJoa main and side, Pigeon Bay main and side. April 9th—The following aopointments were made:—Southbrook, Mr VV. D. Bean, master; Leeston, Mr C. Hogg, assistant master % Rangiora, Alfred •Gkey, pupil teacher; Barr Hill, Miss E. Maxwell, sewing mistress. A letter was received from Miss Fleming resigning her position as pupil teacher at Hampstead, and from the Committee asking for the appointment of a pupil teacher in her place. It was pointed out that the average for last quarter was not large enough to entitle the school to a fifth pupil teacher, aud that the matter must be deferred till r-ceipt of the next quarterly return. The appointment of another assistant teacher at Sydenham was'authorised. On the application of the master at Kimberley it was decided to continue to pay him for the current quarter at the rate advertised when he accepted the appointment. The resignation of the master at Governor's Bay at two months' notice was received and accepted. Examination reports were received from Mr Wood on Akaroa, Governor's Bay main and side, Robineon's Bay, Wainui, Duvauchelle's Bay, Little River, Gebbie's Valley, Ash ton, Flemington, Lismore, Mavfield, Ruapuna, Aylesbury, Charing Cross, South Malvern. April 16th—The following appointments were made:—Sydenham, Miss _£. Peacock, assistant mistress; Spreydon, Miss Ml Mayo, assistant mistress; Selwyn, Mrs Hicks, sewing mistress; Woodside, Mrs Watson, sewing mistress. A letter was received from the Wakanui Committee relative to the use of the Royal Reader No. „6, ; also a memorandum from the Inspectors that the book was not to be recommended, as the subject matter of many of the lessons was too difficult to permit of its being used with the ad* vantage expected from reading lessoas. It was resolved to reply to the Committee accordingly. A letter was received from Mr o*Ma*ley. Waiau, complaining that the master had refused to teach his boy grbo had passed the Sixth Standard), and om the Committee explaining the circumstances. The explanation siven7by ; the Committee, of whfch Mr O'Mailey was a member, was considered satisfactory. It was resolved to Inform Mr O'Mailey

that It was impossible for the master to give-instruction in subjects outside the syllabus. A letter from the Aylesbury Committee complaining of the smallness of the master's salary was referred to the Board. The Governor's Bay Committee forwarded an explanation by the master ot the unsatisfactory reports he had received, which he attributed to the bad attendance of the children. As the master bad already sent in his resignation it was not thought necessary to proceed further with the matter. Letters were received from the Committees of Wakanui and Little Rakaia and from the master of Loburn calling attention to the circumstances under which the average attendance at the respective schools had been exceptionally low during last quarter and asking that salaries might be paid on the average for the quarter precedinrz. It was resolved to reply in each case that the Board much regrets the hardship Inflicted on country teachers by the unfair operation of the strict average, but. can of course only pay upon the capitation scale on which alone the Government will supply the funds. The annual report from Mr Wood wa3 received and ordered to be submitted to the Board."

The report was adopted. The letter referred to by the Buildings Committee from Messrs Harper and Co., an opinion on the question of the cost of pumping sewage was read af cer which, Mr E. G. Wright moved— ** That the Drainage Board be informed that inasmuch as that school buildings are exempt by statute from the payment of rates, the Board regrets that it caunot comply with the request of the Drainage Board to contribute £200 per annum to the cost of the pumping station. The motion was seconded by Mr Joyce and carried.

A letter was read from the Aylesbury School Committee complaining of the smallness of the master's salary. The letter was received. The Board elected Mr H. Boyd to represent it on the Rangiora High School Board of Governors. The annual reports from the inspectors were read. The Board then adjourned.