NELSON NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 65, 19 March 1925, Page 7

NELSON NEWS

TECHNICAL SCHOOL BOARD

(FROM OUK OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

NELSON, 18th March

The -Nelson Technical School Board of Managers met on Monday evening. Present: Messrs. P. W. 0. Smith (chairman), Easdale, M'Conchie, Cross, Scantlebiiry, Moffatt, and Collins. '

The director (Mr. Gookburn) in his report stated that owing to the prevailing epidemic the school had not been opened, but that evening classes in engineering, commercial subjects, art, aud .art crafts Were commencing that day, also an adult class in cookery on Monday afternoons. An attempt was being made to meet the needs of pupils under 16 years ol age by means of- correspondence lessons in theory subjects in commercial and engineering. Application was" being made to the Department for approval to convert the present system of lighting by means of a _ transformer to -permit. linking up with the city supply. The director also Bubmitted a full and comprehensive report. of the work and progress of the school for the session 1924. The expenditure for the year ending 31st December was shown at £3299 15s 6d and receipts £3554 2s 7d. An offer to install a transformer was received from Richards and Peart, electrical engineers, payment for same to be the battery system now used. The offer was accepted. *

A letter was read from the Education .Department stating', in reply to representations, that the Department was not satisfied of the urgent necessity for .the erection of a new technical school building in Nelson, and was not prepared at present .to consider the question of a grant during the ensuing financial year. Mr. Cockburn said jfchat he had noticed that the Lands Department was calling..for .tenders for leasing the site of the proposed new school, and on 9th December had wired asking that steps be taken to countermand the matter. A reply had been receivedi to the effect that the position was that Vanguard street site would not be required for some time yet, and the Lands Department had been asked to lease for a short period. The Department could not. countermand the calling for tenders. The following resolution, moved by Mr. Moffatt and seconded by Mr. Scantlebury, was carried unanimously :— "That we view with much apprehension the intimations of the Minister of Education and the Director of Education that the question- of erection of a new technical/school for Nelson was likely to be postponed to an "indefinite date, and, in view of the fact that the Minister's promise 'that the Director of Education would visit Nelson has not been fulfilled, that we send a letter protesting strongly against the Minister's attitude in the matter, asking that it be reconsidered, and that we request him to fulfil his promise to send the Director of Education to Nelson to confer with the boaTd and report on the.. question of the.new. schooL"; .. The .mover, said that in addition to the evidence they could give in support of the application it could be urged that as the late Mr. Cawthron had left nearly a quarter .of a 'millionpounds to found an IndustrialTechnical School Institute, and : the money had been diverted to establish a Scientific Research Institute, which was now recognised asa Dominion institution 'and asset, and treated , as such by the recent legislation passed in connection with; the administration of this trust,.,it was but a modest request they were making in asking.for about a tenth of the amount bequeathed for the purpose of founding an industrial technical school which they had not got under the will. ■

At the conclusion of the business the chairman stated that'as he was about to leave Nelson on an extended trip to the Old Land, he would be vacating the chair and his.seat on the board. He had been associated with it from its inception, 'and had occupied the chair for a long period. He desired to thank those who had reposed confidence in him and given him their support, and also the staff of the institution for their excellent work and their fine spirit of co-operation in all that the board had endeavoured to do to advance the interests of the school.

Several members and the director, Mr Cockburn, spoke appreciatively of' the services rendered by. Mr. Smith, and all wished him and Mrs. Smith a pleasant voyage, a. happy time, and a safe return. .. • . ■ ■

At the Education Board'meeting on Monday the chairman (Mr. F. W O Smith) stated that the Minister of Education Sir James Parr, had agreed to the v board s Tequest, and instead of seven rooms, as at first intended by the Department, the board was now in the happy position that it could call for tenders for a nine-roomed building at Auckland P omt . a nd Shelbourne Street School would be handed'over to the board for offices, etc., and ample school accommodation would-be provided. He predicted a -happy, future for Nelson schools. A. hearty vote of thanks to the chairman for the manner in which he had stuck to the proposal, also to the secretary and architect, was carried.

On Monday afternoon, afc the Masonic Hotel, about fifty members of the Nelson Jockey and Trotting Clubs assembled to meet Mr. H. Baigent, president of the Nelson Trotting Club, and expresident of the Jockey Club, prior to his departure to the United Kingdom on a visit. Mr. F. W. Hamilton, president of the Jockey Club and a vice-presi-dent of the Trotting Club, occupied the chair. He spoke in complimentary terms of Mr. Baigent's services. Mr. M.. M. Webster, in handing a handsome gold watch to Mr. Baigent on 'behalf of the clubs, said Mr. Baigent's cheery presence would be much missed. They all hoped he would have a pleasant trip. Messrs. F. W. Fairey and E. E. Trask also spoke. In replying,' Mr. Baigent expressed his sincere thanks for the token of regard. He recalled the days when he first joined the Trotting Club, it had then a credit balance of only £1 16s. The late Mr. J. Harjey, the Hon. F. Trask, Miv F. N. Jones, and himself, had to guarantee tba stakes for the next meeting. Mr. Baigent has been president oi the Trotting Club for thirteen years," and was for nine years president of the jockey Club, while he has been a member of both clubs for twenty-three years. Miv and Mrs. Baigent leave Nelson in n few days en ronte to Sydney, to connect with a Home boat.

About fifty citizens met Dr. S. A Gibbs, a member of the City Council.. »t the Nelson Institute on Tuesday evenlug, and requested him to allow himself: to be nominated as a candidate for the Mayoralty at the coming election. After expressing appreciation of the honour done him Dr. Gibb asked for forty-eight hours in which to decide. The request was acceded to.

Nelson readers of these notes we strongly recommended to see tliut their names are on the municipal roll. Although there was no election two yearn ago, the present Mayor and Council beiug returned unopposed, it is consider.

Ed likely that there will be contests for both next April. At the last meeting of the Education Board, the Education Department, for; warded comparative costs of building (at per square foot of floor space) for. 1923-1924, showing enormous variation for both brick and 1 wood. Nelson fwood) was the lowest in the Dominion. The Department was of opinion that the evidence was in favour of day labour as against contract. . The secretary said that the Department had granted £1000 x for the correspondence tuition system in vogue while the schools were closed. Although this looked a large sum, Nelson's share only came to £35. On finding that the board's expenditure for envelopes alone would be £10 10s per week, he had interviewed the postmaster, who had given him every consideration, and the result was' the present system of posting exercise books. The Department had congratulated Nelson on the system, and had recommended it to other boards. The newspapers had kindly consented' to publish the weekly lesson free of cost. The secretary's action was endorsed. The board resolved to proclaim a separate school district for Brooklyn school. Hitherto one committee had, administered the affairs of both Riwaka and Brooklyn (Umukuri) Schools.

In addition to the great pleasure it gave to the citizens of Nelson to so hospitably entertain the officers and crew of the visiting flagship H.M.S. Dimedin, a corresponding benefit to a very worthy section of our citizens resulted from the visit. It is stated that over £20 was taken in the silver coiri; collection at the gates- at the Botanical Reserve on bunday evening to provide winter com. forts for old age/pensioners. The thanks of the citizens are due to the-ship's band, not only for the very excellent and most enjoyable music it provided on * !? ay lvenin&> and which brought forth such warm expressions ot appreciatoii from t h e large crowd present, but for its kindly act. .