EDUCATION BOARD.

Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 105, 31 October 1900, Page 5

EDUCATION BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Education Board was held this afternoon, when there were present— Messrs. J. R. Blair (Chairman), J. Kebhell, F. Bradey, A. W. Hogg, J. Robertson, J. Young, and E. Feist. The statement of the 'Board's finances was a$ follows j — Maanteoaanoe, debtor, £3303 9s 7d; buildings, debtor, ti'MuS 17s 4d ; contract liabilities, £410. Payments required — Maintenance, £43u0 5s 10d; buildings, £98 10s 7d. The Chairman gave notice to move — "That the pupil teacher regulations be altered so as to revert to the original position of pupil teachers^ — that when the^ have completed their puipii teaoher apprenticeship, they shall cease to be members of the Board's sLaif." The Chairman added that the whole question, of the Board's regulations could be discussed when that motion was brought on. The Wellington Typographical Union wrote expressing its appreciation of the Board's action in deciding zo u-.e colonially printed readers in pieference to the imported article. Mr. J. Robertson thought it "was a matter of regret thab Mr. Lee (one of the Board's Inspectors) had not asked the Board's permission to act as editor of one of Longmans' Readers, and that he- should have recommended that reader when the Board had decided on another book. Mr. Hogg said at Masterton he found that the children had been supplied with Longmans' Readers, and he thought that was veiy poor encouragement for colonial publishers to have their works suppressed and superseded by a publication printed outside the colony. It did seem a pity that the Chief "Inspector should have identified , himself with one publication or another. Mr. Young said the Chief Inspector had strongly recommended Longmans' book, but he did not know that Mr. Lee was one of the -editors, of that work. He thought that report was in exceeding bad taste, and it was highly regrettable that he should have- attempted to force that book on to the schools. Such conduct was unjustifiable, and it was wrong in every sense for a. higJily paid officer of the Board to accept the position of editor of these books without consulting the Board, but it was worse for him to use his influence to force those books on to schools after other books shad been recommended by tho Board. The discussion then terminated. • The resignations of Mrs. M'Cartie, of Kohinui school,. Miss M'lntyre, Kahutare school, Miss Mabel Roberts, Thorndon School, and Mr. W. D. Gird, Karori, were accepted. Miss Keeling, of Masterton Infant School, was granted six months' leave of absence-. The application of Miss Mulville, of Taratahi West School, for an extra week's holiday at Christmas was refused. j The Chairman was authorised to sign ' conditions of sale for sections adjoining- | the school site at Northlands. Applications for erection of schools at Levin, Hutt, and Makomako were held over until the Board has received its grant from the Government. Mr. E. Look was appointed assistant master at Brooklyn school. The Petone -Committee wrote asking that assistant teachers appointed in future should 1 be' required to live in the district. The Board approved of the , request. The Chairman stated that tenders for the new . Thomdon .School would be in by next meeting, and it was decided to wait, on the Minister with. a. view togetting a sufficient grant to enable a brick building to be erected. It was decided that a male teacher should be appointed at Pirinoa, on aocount of the nature of the accommodation available. ' The Technical Instruction Committee submitted the following resolutions for the Board's consideration:— (l) That tho request of Miss Cowles to be permitted to continue .as assistant to t]ie cookery classes be not granted; (2) that the application of Miss Richardson, for salary for August while, on leave, be not granted, (3) that the cookery and singing classes be continued; (4) that the question of the Technical School being brought under the Associated Classes Clause of the new Teohnioal Instruction Act be deferred pending information from the Department as to regulations affecting representation of contributing: bodies; (5) that the I question of application for grants under the Technical Instruction Act be left in the hands of the Chairman and the Director ; (6) that the sum of £10 be granted as usual, for prizes. The report was adopted.