EDUCATION BOARD..

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 127, 25 November 1904, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD. .

- YESTERDAY'S MEETING. The Board continued its meeting after we went to press yesterday afternoon. A deputation from the Terface School Committee, headed by Mr. G. Mcc, waited upon the Board to protest against the proposal to build a school at Kelbnrne. .The Committee said the proposal was one that would seriously affect its school. As to the proposal to establish a Training College for teachers at Kelburne, the Committee had no opposition to offer. Such an institution would directly benefit every school in the district. The Board decided to, defer consideration of this matter until further communications had been received from the Government regarding the training school proposals. A message was- received -irom the Government to the effect that the' following grants were "made from the special building fund :— Kereru £340, Nireaha £475, Longbush £325. ■ ' The Board decided to proceed at once with the preliminaries "preceding the erection of schools at Longbush and Nireaha, and the construction of new buildings at Shannon. Plans have been prepared, and tenders are to.be called for at once. The Chairman said that the Shannon case was one in which the Government should provide all the cost of the work (£600), instead of the amount granted (£350). The growth of settlement in the district had made it necessary to provide additions to the school as a matter of urgency. ' On the recommendation of the Works Committee, it was decided to procure four stereoscopes and one set of views to aid in nature-study and the teaching of history and geography. An application jrom the Greytown School Committee to have a District High School established in its building was agreed to. Members agreed that Greytown was the most central place in the district, and there was accommodation for secondary instruction. Mr. M'Donald, who had made a reference to the question and obtained a report on the subject at a previous meeting, again raised an objection to the commission paid to the Board's architect. The commission, he said, was as high as 65 per cent., which was far too high. In his opinion 3£ per cent, was encfugh. He gave notice that at the next meeting of the* Board he would move that the question be gone into. Minor repairs' at Khandallah were ordered to "be done,' and reports are to be obtained upon fenoing and-, drainage at Korokoro and fencing at Kilbirnie. Reference was again made to the proposal to hold a camp for Cadets. The Chairman and Mr. M'Donald brought down a report, which showed that there was no likelihood of getting a grant in aid of expenses or of unanimity amongst those whose co-operation was necessary for a successful camp. It was therefore definitely decided not to hold a camp this year. The Chairman announced, amid applause, that the Education Department had agreed to recognise, for tho purposes I of the Manual and Technical Instruction Act, schools at which instruction in cottage gardening was given. An application made by the Drill Instructor (Mr. D. M. Poison) that examinations of teachers should be held, and that certificates of proficiency be granted, as agreed to. The Board decided to a_sk the Department to allow Mr. T. W. M'Donald, a membeT of the Board, to act as examiner. The following tenders were accepted : — Mount Cook Boys' School, painting and repairs, William Douglas, £385; Mount Cook Girls', building and repairs, Standidgc and Co., £14t> 10s; phau School, painting and repairs, L. Arcus, £40 10s ; Mungaroa, painting and repairs, J. H. Turner, £25 10s. Fresh tenders will be called for necessary work at Mount Cook Infants' School, and tenders will be called for repairs to several country schools. Mr. Field gave notice of his intention to move at the next meeting of the Board —"That from ..ue beginning of next year the Tochincal School shall pay rent for the portion of the Education Board buildings used by it."