MEETING OF WELLINGTON COLLEGE GOVERNORS.

Evening Post, Volume XV, Issue 286, 6 December 1877, Page 2

MEETING OF WELLINGTON COLLEGE GOVERNORS.

? A meeting of the Board of Governors of the Wellington College was held at 10.30 a.m. today, haviug been postponed from Monday, when no quorum attended. Present — The Rev J. Paterson (in the chair), Messrs Travers, M.H.R., Brandon, M.H.R., H. Jackson, and P. A: Buckley. The Chairman drew attention to the .necessity of making some more satisfactory arrangement as to the attendance of the Governors at the Board meetings. Mr. Travers said the notice given was too short. The Secretary said that when lor^jer notice was given, a complaint had been made that the date was forgotten in the interim. The subject then dropped. FINANCIAL POSITION. The Secretary produced a statement of the financial position of the College, from which it appeared that the bank account wrs overdrawn £747, and that on the 30th November the deficiency amounted to £852, while to pay salaries due to the end of the year, interest due to Mr. Jacob Joseph and various outstanding accounts, a further sum would be required, which would raise the total deficiency at the close of the year to £1160. Mr. Travers said he had an interview, a day or two ago, with the Hon. Mr. Manandrew, who gave him to understand that a sum would be placed on the estimates in aid of the College. He (Mr. Travels) had pointed out that such a grant would have been available had not Provincial Governments been abolished. In Otago these promised grants were treated as a part of tie provincial liabilities. The Chairman said he too had seen Air. Macandrew, who last Saturday promised to place a sum on the estimates ior this object. The late Ministry also was favourable to this course and left a minute to that effect when they went out of office. Mr. Brandon said Mr. Bunny told him £1000 would be the sum so placed on the supplementary estimates. Mr. Jackson called attention to the fact that accounts were outstanding to the amount of £201, which would be increased to £300 by certain fees due to the Principp', Mr. Wilson. The secretary had asked him (Mr. Jackson) to sign cheques for these amounts, but he had demurred until some definite arrangements should be arrived at as to how they were to be met. Mr. Tolhurst, the manager of the Bank of New Zealand was willing to grant a further overdraft to that extent, if the Board would avail themselves of it. Mr. Travers thought it was unfortunate that they would have to do it by overdraft, as the interest necessarily would be so much higher, but there appeared no help for it. He understood that the Government intended to assist the College, and probably would make a reserve of 10,000 acres for it, including 5000 acres in the Rangitumau Block. He had urged the desirability of cutting up the reserves iuto sections of reasonable size, so that it could be either sold or let with purchasing clauses, when they might invest the proceeds in Government debentures. Mr. Jackson said that such reserves would realise quite £1 per acre, thus if the 10,000 acres were sold, it would give the College an additionp l income of fully £800 per annum, which wou'.v! about meet their p.esent deficiency. Mr. Travers thought they should take advantage of the bank's offer of a further overdraft. The Chairman pointed out that they could not rely on obtaining a Government grant next year, and must take other steps to prepare for their position then. The college was a most expensive institution. There were only about 90 boys, and he thought they might reduce their expenditure very materially, without in any way" impairing the efficiency of the institution. Surely £2400 was an enormous sum to pay in salaries for teaching 90 boys, especially as no mental science was taught, or any natural science excepting botany. Mr. Brandon remarked that they would be obliged to go to Parliament again next year for a grant in aid, as the present expected grant would only clear off the existing deficit, and any reserves would not be available until the following year. He could see no way of cutting down expenditure except by reducing salaries. Mr. Jackson said that would be a saving of only £300 or £400 per annum. The Chairman thoughteven that would be j»n important saving, when they had to get overdrafts to pay salaries. He greatly disliked reducing salaries, but feared they must do so. Mr. Buckley thought that it would not be wise to reduce the salaries. It would be better rather to reduce the number of the staff. Mr. Brandon feared that would impair the efficiency of the College. The Chairman was not so sure of that, hut thoy certainly must alter their whole system. They could not go an overdrawing their account and begging from the Government. The general opinion outside was that the College was a most expensive institution, Mr. Buckley remarked that when the vote was first passed in the Provincial Council it was with the idea that the College before this time would have become self-supporting. It should be -made a more popular institution. They had nothing to expect from the Government except as a favour. The position was most unsatisfactory. The Chairman said there had been the grossest extravagance. It cost £3000 a year to give ninety boys a mere grammcr school education. A discussion here took place on the salaries and engagements of the various mast 3rs, which it is u.nad visable to publish. Especial exception was taken to the salary of £450 to the professor of technical botany, which was generally considered not a necessary branch of instruction. Ultimately it was resolved that the Secretary obtain from other similar institutions in New Zealand information as to how they managed matters, and the proposed further overdraft was authorised. THE FITZHERBERT TERRACE LEASES. The Secretary drew the attention of the Board to the fact that several of the lessees of sections on the College property, Fitzherbert Terrace, had failed to carry out the terms of their agreement. Some had not even began to erect a fence, while Mr.Buchanan, of the Bank, and others werenearly 12 months in arrear with their rent ; and although he had repeatedly applied to them he could get no money from them. Mr. M'Tavisn and others, who had fulfilled the conditions of their leases, complained justly that they -were put to serious additional expense in laying on gas and water to their nouses, in. consequence of the other lessees failing to fulfil their agreement. On the motion of Mr. Travers, seconded by Mr. Bonny, it was unanimously resolved that the Board's solicitor be instructed to take immediate steps to eject all those tenants who had not fulfilled the conditions of their leases, Mr. Travers remarking it was a common complaint against trustees that they were apt to condone offences .against trust properties, which they would not if committed against their own property. *It was decided that the defaulting tenants should not be allowed to retain their leases unless they made a fresh agreement at such an increased rental as now could be obtained for the sections, and the

Secretary was directed to see that this wps carried out at once. THE COLLEGE WATER SUPPLY. The Principal wrote, asking that water might be laid on to the College, as the present water supply had totally failed, the pipes being rotten. The matter was a most urgent oae. Mr. Travbrs said the pipes had rotted owing to their I :iug plain iron— unprotected even by tar — iostend of being galvanised iron as they should have t .on, thus tho silicate of alumina in which the soil abounded promoted oxidization with great rapidity. The Secretary ¥^TfflSfrtrcTlM X1 Itf-TJlnWn estimates, &c, and report at next meeting, to be held at an early "date. \f 'oY APPLICATION FROM SIR P. D. BELL. Sir F. Dillon Bell applied .fbr,^iTnJ|aijm_to erect one bouse, costing £1000, on his Hvo ructions, instead of five costing £400 each, rs he wro required to do by the torms of his le"«o. The Board resolved that he lie poi.nittod to bu'ld two housas, eostiug 'not less than £1000 each, instead of five at £400. but. that no further concession be made to him. Some routine business Ha\^ug been transacted, the Board adjourned shortly before noon .