EDUCATION BOARD

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18151, 14 August 1924, Page 6

EDUCATION BOARD

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of'the Canter bury Education Board was held yester day for the purpose of electing a chair

man and standing committers. Present: Messrs H. J. Bignell (chairman),AA". A. Banks, J. Maze, G. W. Armitag.e, AY. H. Winsor, J. G. Gow, E. H. Andrews, i C. P. Thompson, R. AVild. and T. Hughes. Mr TV. Johnson., the new member of the Board, was welcomed by Mr H. J. Bignell before the latter vacated the chair. . A veto of appreciation was passed to Mr A. Pevorill for the services he had rendered during the years he had. occupied a scat on the Board.

The chairman, referring to the work of the Board during the past year, stated with regard to finance that in August, 1023, there was a deficit in .the building and maintenance fund of £S6O. By careful scrutiny, of all requests and the exercise of the strictest economy, the Board had now been able to show a credit balance of about £2OOO, in addition to the value of the workshops, in this connexion the Minister had recognised the Board's building operations by making a grant towards the capital cost of the workshops. The rebuilding fund, which had, : up to the present, enabled the Board to partlv finance remodelling and- reconstruction of schools, was now practically all allocated, and future works of this description would have to depend.solely on Government grants. The administration account was in a good position, and. generally speaking, could safely meet all reasonable calls upon it. This did not mean that the Board, could relax its vigilance, but was an indication that its affairs were being, conducted with due regard to economy and efficiency. An important- step recently taken in this direction had been the appointment of an officer whose duty it would be to supervise the purchase of supplies for the whole of the large district controlled by the Board. In this wav.it was hoped to effect further.saving's! The following were a few of the more important questions that would ■all for attention during the ensuing vear: —The. delay in filling vacancies on teaching staffs by the present method of appointment; tenders versus day-labour in building operations;- consolidation of schools and conveyance of pupils; method of election of-com-mittees in the smaller towns (verbal nominations); centralisation tendencies of the Department; a more satisfactory method of recompensing Board members for time spent on Board business; and the standardisation, cost, and supply of'school books and requisites. Mr Bignell was subsequently reappointed chairman for a further year. The following standing committees were, elected: —

Appointments:' Messrs T. Hughes (chairman), E..11. Andrews, _ AV. A. Banks, J. G. Gow, and B. AVild. Building: Messrs J. Maze, (chairman), G AV. Armita.ge, AV. Johnson, AA r . P. Spencer, C.'S. Thompson, AV.H. Winsor. Finance: Messrs C.. S. Thompson (chairman), E. H. Andrews, G. AV. Arm.J. Maze, AV. Johnson, and AV. P. Spenecr. '"•''. Agricultural, Manual,.and Technical: Messrs AV. P. Spencer (chairman), AV. A. Banks, G. AY. Armitage, T. Hughes; J. Maze, and H. Wild. Normal School: Messrs E. ll.' Andrews (chairman), AV. A. Banks, J. : G. Gow, T. Hughes, AV. Johnson, C. S. Thompson, and AV. H.'Winsor. Mr E. H. Andrews was appointed a member of the Committee of Adviec.