EDUCATION Board.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4784, 25 December 1872, Page 3

EDUCATION Board.

The adjourned meeting of the Education Board was held yesterday in the Provincial Council Chamber, at 2 o'clock. Present: Messrs. G. M. O'Rorke t (in the chair), H. H. Lusk, J. Sheehan, P. A. Philips, A. Clark, A. Beyeridge, W. J. Hurat, and T. M. Haultain. Mb. Russell's (Vacan^. — On the motion of Mr. Lusk, Dr. Campbell was elected a a member of the Board in place of Mr. Thomas Russell, resigned. . Osticebs of the Board. — In addition to Mr. Shepherd's application for Secretaryship to the 1 Board, applications were received from Mr. J. Moginie and Mr. Frederick Moss, assistant in the Provincial Treasury.— On the motion of Mr. Lusk, it was resolved that the salary of the Inspector under the Board Board be £400 per annum. — On the motion of Mr. Lusk the travelling expenses of the Inspector were fixed at £1 per day while travelling upon the business of the Board. — On the motion of Mr. Lusk, Mr. R. J. O'Sullivan was reappointed Inspector of Schools to the Board. — Mr. Sheehan moved that a secretary be appointed at a salary of £150 per year, and the Provincial Government to contribute a similar amount for services to be rendered by him in the Provincial Treasury, the services of such officer to he at the command of the Board. — Mr. Philips objected, and moved that a secretary be employed at a salary of £300 per annum. He was quite opposed to divided authority, having seen so much of it that he had resolved to set his face against it, and wanted to have an officer responsible to the Board. Under the proposed arrangement no one would be responsible to the Board. — Mr. Sheehan explained the Board could get a secretary at £150, and by the arrangement he pioposed the Board would have the services of two men instead of one, as by Mr. Philipa's motion. — Colonel Haultain seconded Mr. Philips's amendment. On being put, the amendment was lost, and the original motion agreed to. — On the motion of Mr. Sheehan, the appointment was conferred upon Mr. F. J. Moss. — On the motion of Mr. Sheehan an assistant secretary was appointed at a salary of £150 per annum.— -On the motion of Mr, Philips the subject of providing security was considered. It was at last resolved that the secretary provide security for £1,500: his own bond for £500 and two sureties in £500 each. The security to be provided by the assistant secretary was fixed at £300 : his own bond of £100, and two sureties of £100 each. — Mr. Sheehan proposed that Mr. John Shepherd, M.P.C., be appointed assistant secretary on probation. — Mr, Philips wished this appointment to be deferred. — Mr. Beveridge moved as an amendment, " That this appointment be deferred until next meeting," which waa agreed to, and the original motion lost. Office Accommodation. — A proposal to provide office accommodation for the Board was deferred until a future meeting. Pakuranga. — On the motion of Mr. Hurst, it waa resolved that the secretary be requested to write to the Pakui-anga School Committee, asking them to fulfil the engagement entered into with the late Central Board of Education, with reference to painting the school, &c. School Districts. — Memorials were received from Freeman's Bay and Remuera requesting that those districts be constituted school districts under the Education Act. A Committee ojf Inquiry. — Mr. Lusk moved that a committee be appointed to consider the report of the Head-master of the Auckland College and Grammar School, and to report thereon to the Board at its next meeting. — The report of the Head-master had now been in possession for some time, and it was decided that no action should he taken upon the report of the Head-maater until the reports of the examiners should have been received. Those reports had now been received, and the result was that two departments at least were in an unsatisfactory condition. Some action should be taken upon the report of the Head-master, ami, if it should be found that some change should be made, that alteration should be made by a firm hand. It was but scant justice to the school that this be done. The single desire he had was to make the school what it ought to be. He had something to do with the examination of the school on a subject which called into play the judgment of the scholars, and the conclusion he had come to was, that there were two large classes in that school where teaching was thoroughly bad. After his examination he made the remark to the Head-master that he (Mr. Lusk) would not send a son of his to the Grammar School at the present time until a change was made for the better. A large number of the boys at that school were not progressing at all, and he thought that the whole matter should be referred to a committee to consider, and that they should examine as to what the Head- master had said, and take any evidence that the committee may consider necessary. He thought of making a small committee, but if the Board thought a large one should be appointed to investigate the matter he would not oppose it, but considered that it was necessary an impartial and searching inves* tigation should be make. — Mr. Philips considered more things should be inquired into by the committee. The fees were far too large, and prevented many men of moderate means sending their children to that school. — Colonel Haultain said the Head-master had indicated an unsatisfactory system of teaching by one, if not two, masters in the Grammar School, The late Grammar School Board had received the report of the Headmaster, but as the public examinations were about to take place the Board thought it better not to take any action upon the report until tha reports of the examiners had been received. These reports had now been received, and the matter should be dealt with by a strong and firm hand. He had nothing further to add on the matter, but would remark that it would take the Heaiqpnaster some time to test the efficiency 'of the teachers under him. — The motion was put and carried unanimously. -Mr. Lusk then moved that Colonel Haultain, Messrs. Philips, Sheehan, Firth, and himself be the ■ committee to make the inquiry, which was agreed to. , Fixing a Rate. — Some conversation en'sued respecting the amount which was re'ceivable, and which would probably be received, under the new Education Act. — Mr. Ltfsk said that it had been ascertained that the amount receivable would b© about £13,000, but the Government did not expect to receive over £10,000, and he thought it would be necessary, at least for the first year,' to' strike the full amount of rate.— >Ir. Philips and Mr. Beveridge thought ;half the amount might be enough. — Colonel Haultain inquired how much it was expected ! would be required. — Mr. Lusk said -the Government would require all they could get, as many expenses would be incurred the first year which would not take place in subsequent years, and moved, "That the Superintendent be requested to , levy, under the jEducation Act, 1872, a household rate of 20s. ifor the ensuing year.V which was agreed to. : Continuing Present Schools. — On the (motion of Mr, Sheeban, it was resolved that jal^scbools established in connection with the date Central Board of Education 1 be mainjtained on their present footing until such itime as educational districts be found under Sthe 'present Educational jAet.— Instructions iwere given to the Secretary to prepare a cirjcular in.;term8_of the fpresoing resolution,' to ,be sent to the various Schools Committees •established under the Common Schools Act, ,and that they be requested" to make suggesttions as to the boundaries of school district*? HONOBARIUM TO EXAMINERS. — On the .motion of Mr. Hurst, it was agreed that the thanks of the Board be tendered to those gentlemen yrho conducted the late examinations of the Grammar School, and that" there should be enclosed to each examiner, as a [honorarium, a cheque for £10 10s. - \ fl Aftec sprue general conversation respecting unimportant matters,^ was., agreed, .on the motion of Mr. Sheehan,' that the- meeting of !the Board be adjourned until 2 o'clock on the •31st^init*nt;"atnho same place.

"We undentuid th»t Mr. Ooldio feu mado arrange mente with the North Show f •rry-tteamer«, whwoby ft Mturn tioket and itrtwberrles c»n t« Ltd for H. 64.