EDUCATION BOARD.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15768, 8 December 1916, Page 5

EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Canterbury Education Board's ; meeting was continued yesterday in open Board. Present —Mr C. H. Opie (chairman), and Messrs J. Jamieson, W. A. Banks, G. V,*. Armitage, E. H. Andrews, J. Grimmond, J. Maze, I . W. Adams, W. M. Hamilton, and C. ; S. Howard. INCIDENTAL ALLOWANCES. The Special Committee appointed to further revise the incidental allowances to school committees reported that letters were received from the Hawkc's Bay, Otago 3 Southland, and laranaki Boards, concurring with the Board in the opinion that the allowances made by the Department were inadequate, and required to be supplemented from the administration account; also promising to urge the Department to increase the account. Several trial scales were submitted foi' consideration. In those brought forward by Mr Andrews and Mr Pcvcrill a new principlo was introduced, viz., a fixed i>aymcut for each group of schools, having relation to the number of rooms generally in use, together with, in the proposal submitted by Mr a capitation allowance of Is Gd for stationery. The chairman submitted a further trial scale, under which no school committee would reccive, less than tho amounts set out in the eighth schedule, while the very small schools from nine upwards would benefit considerably as compared with the scale recently adopted. Under the three trial scales the allowances would amount to approximately Gs Gd per head under the eighth schedule, absorbing approximately £900 over and abovo the r.llow>nnco made by tho Department. This expenditure would leave little or no margin for unforeseen contingencies, but its adoption should convince school committees* that tho Board was anxious to meet them in every possible way. An addition of 3s per head from 'nine to fifteen, so as to make tho increase at sixteen proportionate, was suggested and agreed to. \\ itlx this alteration the committee, alter careful consideration, recommended the Board to adopt the trial scalo proposed by the chairman. In comparing the scale with the one previously in force in North Canterbury, it must not be overlooked that the repairs not contemplated in tho Department's regulations, but required of committees by the North Canterbury Board, would now be done by the Board itself. The chairman said that since the re-, port had been made the other Education Boards in tho Dominion had all written agreeing that the money available for incidental. grants was insufficient. The report was adopted. Mr Banks moved, and Mr Hamilton seconded: —"That the Board meet in conference the school committees and Canterbury members of Parliament, with regard to the inadequate amount of incidental grant." The resolution was carried unanimouslv. FINANCE COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The Finance Committee reported that there was an excess of assets on tho buildings account of £4559 ,10s 2d. The credit balance on all accounts was £7232 6s 2d. With regard to rebuilding it was recommended that from January Ist. 1913, 40 per cent, of the annual building grant be set aside for rebuilding and 60 per cent, for maintenance. It was reported that £4500 be set aside for the rebuilding programme, £1500 each for Ashburton, St. Albans, and Sydenham, the Buildings Committee to be informed that the amount was available. It was recommended that where a residence is let by the teacher to an outsider the rent should be collected by the Board And three-fifths refunded to the teacher. Messrs Andrews and Pevcrill were appointed a sub-committee to enquire into the motor Tepair accounts. It was resolved that no buying orders should be given unless sanctioned by the Finance Committee or chairman of the Board. Mr Anderson's (Amberley) application for a refund of £2 on account of a bath was granted. The Blackball committee's application for a grant of £5 towards a Montessori outfit was referred to the Minister. The Department had informed the Board that £75 had been granted towards the cost of replacing the Bruce Bav School. Among other sums granted to schools there was £220 towards the cost of new sits at Diamond Harbour from the Department. The total cost of the site would be £275, and it was decided to apply to the Department for the full amount. Ths Elmwool School had been granted £750 for enlargement expenses. The Department wrote that £650 had been granted towards the cost of new sanitary conveniences. etc., at the Normal School. Accounts amounting to £1699 4s 9d were passed for payment. The report was adopted. AGRICULTURAL COMMITTEE. The Agricultural Committee reported that a report was received from the Chief Instructor of Agriculture, in which he stated that he proposed to devote a few weeks in the beginning of the row year to developing the work on the West Coast. Th 0 Chief Instructor also reported that the followteachers had been successful in qualifying for the Board's certificate in agriculture and Nature study, namery Messrs L. J. Thwaites, C. F. Pratt, G. M. Pilkington, Miss E Wilson and Miss L. Miles. A. report was received from Mr Moodie on the work in South Canterbury. Special mention was made of the good t -n-ctf-k done in the gardens at the fol- • lowing schools: Or ton, Pleasant Valley, Temuka, Timaunga, Pareora East, • Pareora West. Southburn, Hook, Tim- ' aru Mam and Timaru South. It was

sigreeu that letters of commendation be forwarded to the head-teachers of the above schools, the instructor to report on schools not giving satisfactory -work. Air T. Stagpoole, master of the Springburn school, reported that Mr A. MacFarlane had offered to present a shield for competition in primary schools "under the "Board, also enclosing conditions and design for shield. It was resolved that the conditions be adopted, and the design approved, and that letters of thanks be forwarded to Mr MacFarlano and Mr Stagpoole. The headmasters of Akaroa and Geraldine reported that the secondary department of thoir respective schools intend taking up the rural course during the new year. The report was adopted. APPOINTMENTS' COMMITTEE. The Appointments' Committee reported (inter alia) that it recommended the following appointments: Amberloy, Mr J. Jackson ; Arthur's Pass, Mr 0. W. Williams j Glen Kowhai, Mr W. A. Brown; Lyttelton, Miss I. Mann; Lyttelton "West, Miss Helen Fraser; Marshland, Miss M. Mcßratney; Opihi, Miss A. Mulvaney: Rangiora. Mr John Mackenzie ; Iluatanu, Miss E. Jjeamy; Shirley, Miss M. Rudd; Shirley, Miss F. M* Ritchie; Spreydon, Miss Lillian Brown. The following resignations -were roceived and accepted: Flea Bay, Miss L. ,T. Gemmell; Geraldine 8.H.5., Miss M. Pearson; Long Bar, Miss I. Quartermain ; Lyttelton West, Miss Myrtlo Harris; Irwvll, Miss Ida Mann; Lyttelton. Miss Helen M; Fraser ; Mackenzie, Miss Francis M. Ritchie; Orari, Miss Margaret Proudlock; Te Ngawai, Miss J. B. Robinson; Wakanui, Miss Jane E. Bennett. The report was adopted. BUILDING COMMITTEE. . The chief items in the Building Committee's vcrv lengthy report, were as follows:—That the site ol : the old Akaroa iSnliool be offered to the Akaroa Advancement Association lor £850. The applications for school buildings, in order of urgency, were:—North Canterbury District: Liabilities on account of school sites £2455 9s lOd, Mcthven (new school) £1030_; Methven (addition to residence) £175, Tormoro (new school) about £215, Whiterock (new school) about £215, Parnassus (site and conversion of iron shed into school) £329 10s; Shirley (addition of two rooms) £10S7 3s, Ouruhia (addition to school) £256, Huntingdon (now school) £468 lis. Applications for main schools at Bligh's road and Phillipstown were struck out. South Canterburr District: iSherwood Downs (new school and site) £387, Milford (new residence) £475. Timaru School (addition to school) £320. Grey District: Cameron's (new school) £530, Paroa (rebuilding school, equally urgent) £785. Westland District: Waitaha (erection of two-roomed residence) £180. Sites: Diamond Harbour £278. Sumner (addition to .site) £650, Fendalton (addition to site) £450. A HEADMASTER'S EXEMPTION. The chairman said a letter had been received from the committeo of the Runanga School stating that Mr O'Flynn, the headmaster, had been drawn for military service, and askin" the Board to apply for exemption. The committee stated that thero was a staff of six and a probationer, and if Mr O'Flynn was called up it would, in the committee's opinion, be very detrimental to the school. A letter was also received from the Recruiting Board in Wellington, stating that facilities would bo given to Education for appeal in the case of masters being drawn iu the ballot. . Mr Grimmond moved: "That this Board desires to publicly state that it will assist in every manner it can its employees to serve the Dominion and Empire in its present struggle, and that the Board will not apply for exemption in this or any other case." The chairman said lie thought the motion would reccive the unanimous support of the Board if the mover would alter the last part to read, "in this case," and delete "or any other case.'* Mr Grimmond assented.- and the resolution was carried unanimously. It was also resolved to ask the Defence Department if the statement that exemption had already been granted to the headmaster of the Runanga School, without reference to the Board, was correct. GENERAL. The committee of the Oxford East School asked that the school should be known as the Oxford District High School. The request was declinedA letter was received from the Department with reference to the election of representatives on High School Board-. It was decided to recommend that ■ the present representatives on the Boards be re-elected.