EDUCATION BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 751, 25 February 1910, Page 9

EDUCATION BOARD.

COMPULSORY FARM'SUBJECTS. .;■ THE MASTEETON PROTEST.: " The monthly meeting of the 'Wellington Education Board lvns held yesterday morning, and was attended by Messrs. It. Leo. (chairman), W. C. Buchanan, ;M.l\, .W.,H. Hold, M.P., J. G.'•W/'Aitken, W. Allan, J. Kebbell, Elder, and A. H. Vile..-, ■■;■:- ' : . ■ ■ ■ ■. .

..;'Another;Letter From Petone. -.; Tbo old question of tho proposed establishment of a 'high school at'Petonowas brought up, by the reading of a letter from'tho local School Committee." Tho committee notified.that they had,received a letter from the Minister,.in reply to their application, 6tatihg. that further consideration; would be given to the matter •';when, an application; had -been received from the board, in terms of Section 94 .of: the ; Education Act.. . - Mr.."Allan:moved,that the'.matter should , now bo referred to tho'Finance Committee > for: n. report. ... :■■:,.. . . . MrVAitkon said that ho had bcen'undcr tho impression that tho application had been the expression of the desire of tho Petqne-people, and he favoured Mr. Allan's motion,.in order that, the :': board 1 should ascertain just exactly where they stood,, and' acquaint tho Minister* Mr. Allan: remarked that tho 'Petono Committeo had, gone '"behind the board" .on several "occasions lately,; communicating with ; tho 'Minister ■ direct. ■ It : would be well' that some definite ;understanding should,be arrived at.■:■ •'.'.'•- ■ ~ . ;'/The.motion: was-carried.. ; .. '•/■■■.■ ;■■■';•■

;"■;. ■'-.: ■; .-■.:;•; A Dangerous Ride. ' , •ViThj?- County. Clerk, at/Levin' wrote stating that..the',survey of tk'o Otalti Gorgo iiaa,:been" completed.- •:;;■'.•■ . :j Strong: representations were':■ ma'dot- by Mr. .l'leld.r.in favour 'of :the erection of a school at : tho gorge. : -Ho pointed:! out .that, at present; .children had -to'■ bo carried,, along ..a dangerous road through the gorgo. to .Levin. , ■•:•■. .. ;■■■■, .'i-ItVwtts agreed to apply' to "the ,-Depart- . mcnt;'for.:an, increased, grant towards tho .erection,of a school at the gorge"

■;:,';. ; The .Crowded -Brooklyn ; Schoot. ■ ; .The. urgent* need, of enlcrgemerit of the accommpdation , at the .. Brooklyn School waa;.mentioned,by, Mr. .Vile. Ho. said that, .thoiigh :a ; grant of. 'been mado by,the;.Department for an additional classroom, .evenj that wonld be wholly/ ■ inadequate in;,tho .near future, and more' would.,] la yo to, be' pro- ::':;' -v.'-'".';/', ,-■/::' ■ ■

• 'Members., expressed, the opinion that the most■'.economical--."course, w.ould > bo., to undertake ...a-; substantial enlargement "at one timoi erecting .tivo rooms, and the board- resolved :.tp-.mako: representations to.'tho.,Department,.in "this .direction; ■•

; ; ■■ V.:Protesf-,Against;Compulsipfi. ; ' •' ■ :A,'protest;.was received from-'lhe Mas- . tertdn. School /Gommitteo against '.a 'coriipulsbry coursofin agriculture.-Tho committee iirrpto ,;,'.that.. their .' objection .was ■that such a} courso, would! prevent the cbildren-.'-of'.'poor people, from .'preparing for, the''• Matriculation and;.. Civil' Service examinations.;'■;■.■■■"• ,-'■,'■.' '-.-rfS v"'-".'--' : ■"■' '■■■ ■■ "■■'■ '■'■ •1 J f l \ ■ ,T -; s E ' • Fleming, • chief 'inspector, stated that- the Masterton Conimitteo wero on,; tho wrong track, and ho believed that ho could convince-them, that tho course would bo advantageous. Thero had' been a similar, objection from, other parts,; includiJig i.Greytowir;. but ho "thought t" at all., other, schools .recognised .' that ! tho cbrirso would-not.be other";tb'an beneficial. :..Tho..chief inspector .was instructed to explain, matters, to tho .committees. , ■'"■

:.:' ":-';]• :: i^^Lbave , of Absence., v, 1 ';;' ".. ;.'/Leavq.'Of/absence :, was..granted'to".tho 'following ■ teachers:—Miss:'M./E; c 'Skelley,' assistant,:^;I > otdhbo West;; School;>i from March'.fl'-to'iMarch 11; Miss !E..Hughes, Eketahuna School;- two' days;: Miss ,'E. ; Wai lace, A'assisfeirity.Moiiflt' Cook: -Infants! School, until- end of Februaryj. ,Mr. • R.' /Warwick,., solo!; teacher,' Makairo: School, four days dri/February; Missi Hurreni'sblo ■teacher,/. Judgofoi'd'\Scho6l,thre^ i months from /'March /;1 •>. Miss'i Clifford, , '-' Tokomaru' School,.-six-'.woots; . Miss''.Wallace/'..Mount' Cook, one month's extension.: ..',

5; ':■' '■■'■■'■'':'. :■': Resignations., ;■".;; .\'.'.•'•''.', \. '■ The following Tesignntions were.accepted and dealt : with:—Mr. G. S. "Sharp,, solo teachiir, ■ Stokes; Valley . School j I'Miss , A., Dougjierty, assistant, Hamna , School; Miss M-.'' Earle;> Terrace/School ;;-;Misa I. Watt, Kilbirnie:'.Sclx6ol';' Miss Larsen,/ relieving teacher; Miss M.' Hurley, assistant, Para'paraumu;. Miss, M. L. , Hunt,.;assistant Potoiio ■ School;. Miss M: Bird, -assistant, Wailianae; School';'- Mrs.'-.-F; .Simpson,' c'aretaker;v Cookery... School./■.'.; ■~..,,';.;. "/:■' ';| !/ ; vtrte. Financial .■ Position;' '■ . ; . : ::

.-.The financial-/.statement; showed that "after February-payments had .been' mado there were,tho following balances: Buildings account (dr.),- 10s. 9d.; teachers', salaries' account (or.), i6102C 14s. ; 9d:;' secondary., account I (di'.),v i i£266, Is.; - technical "account (cr.), ■ ss. ;10d.; manual' and technical account,(cr.), iCsl;3s. lid.; general ;,account (dr.),' 7s.- Cd.;. deposits (cr , Us. ,The debit, balance on January. 27; was 7s. 2d.,'and on February. 22 it was / X 3239. 65., 9d. ,-The' 'total;, authorisation / (including.-, ".sites) amounted to; .lls. 10d., and-receipts for: February and part',of: January were £9534..u5; :'■■■'■■•••-;•..'::-: -.i'-i'/v-:':: -<.--r '■■

The '~'chairman, :commenting;., on.,,the' financial ..position- of tho board, remarked 'that tlioVdebit-balajicc. was less than that shown 'at; the, end .of the previous, month; The- sum• of''i≤l9oo,. received -.from", the Commissioner! of' Crown. Lands, ■ had been included in the statement,' and that would be deducted from, future' payments;v -Tho item,, of/ teachers', salaries, , a ■■: credit of dC1026, represented moneys a large , portion of which, had already been paid out.

. ~ :,' • ; Government Grants, : - •'*; .'•: : . Communications•■ were from the Govbrnmeht.'notifying 'that .tho ■ following" grants-had : been ! approved:—Gladstone (residence),'. iCJ()O; Jlastertou, Greytown; teyiii, and Carterton (woodwork rooms), Mount Cook. Boys' (woodwork centre), £136; Mov.nt Cook Girls' (cooking centre), ,£135 55.; .Pahiatua (manual andi technical' buildings), .£412; tool's-for five woodw.ork centres,, dCGOO;. Marahui (additions),: iESOO; Mangamahoq \ (purchase of residence), i! 305. • : : : • . .'

: A letter vras: received-from the TJnder;Secretary for approving/pf , the apjilication of ; a>section for the Hincmoa School. -.■./;-:> •.-•.. ■ :'-, ■■'■...

';• )•. ■'■; Future.Meetings.;' /.: ' .It was .decided-that-future meetings of the: board-:should bo • held on .the-'-'last Tuesday , of the month, at: 2 p.m. '■'■■;;. /