COLLEGE GOVERNORS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 805, 30 April 1910, Page 3

COLLEGE GOVERNORS.

» —. ■. CASH WANTEB. GOVERNMENT FEES CONTROL SITUATION. i . The monthly meeting of the Board of Uovernors of tue Wellington College v and Uu-la' iligh behool was held yes- .' teiuay, ■ there oeing present: ' Mr;' A. de u. iJranUon (clian-man), Hiss : • Richmond, anU uiessrs. W. F. Wsjd, • : W. H. Field, ii.P., Robert Lee, and . Dr. isewman. '■ ; THE FINANCIAL POSITION. i Consideration of the Board's finances disclosed the iact that according to the ■ ■ : nionihly statement of nuances submit- '> ted, tne immediate prospective liabdli- . ties (£ll6l 13s. 6d) exceeded the' " amount of cash in hand. (£866 18s. 6i;) > by £294 15s. Id: Against this prospec- ; > tive deficit, occasioned by payments \ required for current expenses ■ and i other immediate contingencies for tho • i- colleges, was a sum of £1541 10s. 2dv, - due from the Government as fees i<x V - the free-placo pupils—Wellington CU- " J hge, £993 9s. 2d.; Girls' High SchooL • t £648 Is. This amount was included ' > in the item "arrears of fees, £1866 18s. '.■ I 4d. Rents outstanding totalled £171 i 7s. Ud. On paper, therefore, thsra.: , was a prospective credit of .£1743 m. 5 2d. , '•. ' ... The chairman observed that the 1 Board would have to go to the bank f for an overdraft. ■ - ; Mr. Lee could see nothing adanning l in the situation. The Government pay- ■ 1 ment of £1500 odd was due. ■• .. The secretary . (Mr. C. P. Powks) t explained that the Government rea "- 1 were not payable till the,end of the f term. 3 Tlw chairman: We make our own'papzta . - pay in advance, but the Government : • t will not pay tiU the end of the term. 3 Mr. Lee did not consider the point . B very material. ■--'■..' a The chairman: Are you prepared to i go to the bank for an overdraft? .:■' 3 Mr Lee asserted that the bosxtEa . j position was perfectly sound.;' 1 The chairman: On paper, yes. Hi* t position, however, is not sound. A r body like this should have a sufficient f amount in credit wherewith to meet } current engagements-^salaries,. and. eo, n forth. The salaries must be paid. \ . i. Mr Lee said that the bank had the ■• 0 use of the board's money, without in-:.' ~ terest, to the extent of . .£IOOO. at, a , . tim». ' The chairman replied that that was 1 beside the question. The principle he' ] was upholding, was that the . board I should at all times be in a position to pay cash. "We can't pay our -accounts: , because others won't pay us," he said. - Z Mr. Field suggested that the .Go*-. : i. ■j ernment be written to, asking that a ,_ cheque for the amount due be sent im- _' t t mediately. , .'; j Mr. Lee remarked that the.Gov«m- ( I ment had informed the board that the .' fees would be payable at'the end of the term. This arrangement had been in , vogue for some time. That being so, • ■ they had no grievance. "Has the boaid never had an overdraft before?" na asked of the chairman. 1 ~Mr. Brandon: Yes,. we have. Mr. Lee: Well, '.then, -why'..--not ' again? . ..... . '■.. v , -' ■ ■_. j Dr. Newman, impatiently: Let os pay the money and get on. vfr. Brandon; We'll sign the cheojoea . and see if tb.evwill-.be honoured,' ';..•.: v ' This ended the discussion.-. GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL.:. ) The difficulty between the board and •'. 3 the. Government with respect to_ tie. precise nature \ of' ; the .additional ) accommodation to be provided , | at.the Girls' Highi-Mool was.',revjye4 k . - rby ,the, receipt .of v a;, letter, ! Inspector-General of Schools (Mr.' G. Hogben) which stated that the,grant i authorised was for a building in brick, • ; and, as at present advised, ;the'Man-;: . ister could: not> see his Iway, to"'agir4e ( that any .part'.of it should be>used ! for a building in wood. j pear easy, .suggested the writer, -to : a*-. ■; range that all the additional accbinmi>- '. dation required should be provided, by . the "extension in brick at the back or • \ the present building" mentioned by thfl i board. He suggested that a oonfer- - ence between one or more members , of tie board and himself wouW-profc- : ably afford an easy ■■ way of arriving [ at an agreement. without., ujaieoessaiy, | delay. ' . ' - : Mr. Lee:'.Very'likely. , ' ,' ' ■'" The chairman: Is .that a sarcasm of 1 , yours?' . ■ ' '" ''•■":• After a' brief discussion, Mi. W»id suggested that the chairman, ho dsputed. ,to confer with Mr. Hogben. _ : Mr. Brandon smiled. "I am going ~ to Sydney for three weeks. I must , therefore decline.'' •■■■,'■' It was then agreed that Messrs. Leo , and Ward.should represent the board at the conference with the Inspeotop«' General. CHEMICAL LABORATORY, 1 In a letter referring to:the proposal-' of the board that two 'of . the class, rooms in the new building should' be ■ converted into a chemical "laboratory; <the Inspector-General of- Schools statea that such conversion..would-he ; oon» trary to the.express purpose for'whioh. ■ the.new-building was provided, extension of class-room aocommodation. ' The proposal to convert the old gym- : : nasium into class-rooms in substitution ' ■ of the accommodation absorbed' by the ' establishment of the chemical laboratory in the now building would not. be re-. garded as. satisfactory wit&out very;-, material alterations to the gymnasium. The: Department appreciated the 'intention of the governors to add to'.the facilities for laboratory practice, but considered that any expenditure in that. ; : direction must be regarded as a charge ■ upon the governors. ,-■'•■' It was then agreed to accept the;al-'; ternative suggestion offered v by, the. headmaster (Mr. J. P., Firth)—ffiat the old gymnasium be converted into a. chemical laboratory. Instructions . will .bo given for, ' tions accdrdingly. . ""■.'-. ' !,..'.■■"