EDUCATION BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 11296, 18 July 1900, Page 5

EDUCATION BOARD.

The meeting this aftefnoon ’was attended by Mr H. Harraway (chairman), Messrs P, B. Fraser, D. Borrie, A. Kyle, j. Mitchell, J. Sim, and W. Snow.

MR PHASER AND, THK HIGH SCHOOLS. Mr Snow said that before the ordinary business was gone, on with he would like to say a few words with reference to the action of one ..of the members during the past month. This member, according to the papers, had been travelling through the various districts, holding forth to the householders and commenting on the action of members of the Board with reference to the fees charged at district high schools. He (Mr Snow) did riot find fault with that, but in stating the facts the gentleftiau referred to had not told all. He did not deem it proper to say that the question of high schools emanated from Mr Sim and him (Mr Snow) trying to got a high school at TapanuL The member referred to said they were trying to disrate nil. There was no such intention. Their object was to increase the number. Then this gentleman said that they liad raised the fees 150 per ceut. When be made that statement ho must have known that it was not correct. What the majority of the Board did was to raise the fees by 50, not 150, per cent. That was contained in a letter sent to the Minister of Education. Not content with that, this gentleman had at the Port Chalmers meeting used Mr Kyle's name as the seconder of. a certain motion. There was no truth in that. Ho also said that a member of the Board supported motion because. Mr Kyle seconded it. What he (Mr Snow) had said ,was that Mr Kyle’s remarks','ibout the Port. Chalmers Behoof bad influenced his vote. This member of the Board in travelling round the district had been making statements that were not fact. He (Mr Snow) said so publicly. The member referred to had been seeking popularity at the expense of other members of the Board. They were, of course, country yokels. But he (Mir Snow) held that they were there to do their duty according to their light, and he for one could say that he had given his vote in the best interests of {-he country districts, his object being to provide more facilities for education in distant places like Naseby, Clyde, etc. But to be ridiculed by a man like Mr Fraser, who Would sacrifice his great grandfather for his Own aggrandise ment! If Mir Fraser could raise a laugh at his (Mr Snow’s) and Mr Kyle’s expense, he was welcome to do so, for he (Mr Snow) did not mind a little fun, but Mr Fraser had no right to injure people’s feelings. He felt very keenly about it, because Mr Fraser had been going about like a lord of the manor. Ho (Mr Snow) had now given vent to his feelings, and he and Mr Fraser would shake hands, Mr Fraser going one way and he another.

Mr Kyle said that he had a word to say. Mr Fraser was reported in the ‘ Evening Star 1 to have said at the Port Chalmers meeting : “ The motion had been moved by Mr J. MacGregor, and be (Mr Fraser) understood that Mr Kyle had seconded it. This Mr Kyle repudiated. Another member of the Board got up and said that he voted for the school being disrated because another member, who, he thought, understood about it, seconded it. That was all the reason he had heard for the disrating of the Port school. The member who seconded the motion had only taken his seat for one day, find did not know much about it.” The fact was that in a private conversation with Mr Fraser outside, he (Mr Kyle) told Mr Fraser that be did Pot second the motion. After that Mr Fraser lectured him on the point, though he knew perfectly well that he did not second the motion. A man who would do that did a mean thing. Members of the Board were unanimous as to the lisraling of the school. Being a stranger, lie (Mr Kyle) did not vote on the subject. The Chairman, to Mr Fraser: You will take an opportunity of denying these statements, I suppose. Mr Fraser: lam not going to make this . a public platform. The proper place to reply to him Is on the platform, and not make a sham pretence of privi’ere 'where is no privilege. I'll not take Up the time of the Board by replying. Mr Snow said that according to the 'newspapers Mr Fraser said at Milton he did not appear as a member of the Board, but as a private citizen. Yet though that was his position, he had taken things out of the Education Board office and made them pub|io— Tnaking public the secrets of that Board, if.there were any secrets. Mr Fraser; I will not reply just now. HALF-COST OF UII'ROVFMFNTS. The following claims for half-cost of improvements were passed :—Broad Bay, £3 ; Owaka, £l2 10s; Portobello, £2 10s (claim for tree-planting disallowed); Rae’s Junction, £4 10s 6d; St. Clair, £5 (wash'tubs disallowed); Waiareka, £3los: East Taieri, £l3 10s. THE SF.CRETARY AND MR FRASER.

The following memo, was read from the secretary" As the accuracy of the statements about district high schools supplied by me has been called Tu question, 1 have to ask the Board to be good enough to atvpoint a select committee to inquire into these statements, and my action in connection with them I shall bo glad if this can be done at once.”

Mr Snow moved—“ That a committee Consisting of the chairman, and Messrs Borrie, Kyle, and the mover be set up to make the inquiries requested/ 1 Mr Sim seconded the motion.

A discussion followed, during which the Chairman mentioned that when he read the discussion on the matter in the papers he Went down to the Education Office and made a memorandum in the order book to the effect that any member asking for returns On any subject must be referred to him. He qualified this, however, by adding a clause stating that members of the Finance Committee were entitled to information relating to the finances.

The mo'ion was carried, and the Committee will make an interim report to-mor-row: