CANTERBURY EDUCATION BD.

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 August 1933, Page 5

CANTERBURY EDUCATION BD.

MR SPENCER NEW CHAIRMAN. CHRISTCHURCH, August 16. Mr AV. P. Spencer was elected chairman of the Canterbury Education Board at tho annual meeting to-day, in place of Mr H. J. Bignell. On the motion of Mr Bignell, seconded by Mr S. R. Evison, Mr Spencer was elected for the ensuing year. There were no other nominations. As a representative of the middle ward, Mr Spencer has served on the Board continuously since 1920. He was chairman of the Board in 1926. It was decided, on the motion of Mr Thompson, to place qn record' the Board’s appreciation of Mr Bignell's services as chairman. Members referred to the most capable manner in which Mr Bignell had discharged the duties of office. In reply, Mr Bignell thanked the members for the loyal support he had received. His year of office had been most happy. “I feel that Parliament will now hesitate to take action that will in any way impair the proper functioning of the Education Boards, which arc naturally in a better position to administer the Education Act than a central department in Wellington,” said . Mr Bignell. The proposals of the National Expenditure Adjustment Commission appeared, unfortunately, to have been formulated on a very meagre appreciation of the real work of local boards, and the calling of a conference to place the matter in its proper perspective was a wise step. The Board should jealously guard its prerogatives, and not allow them to be filched away without the substitution of something equally effective. The following committees were, set up: —Appointments, Messrs S. R. Evison (chairman), G. Benstead, AV. A. Banks, S. Baird, S. Smith and R. Wild; buildings, Messrs J. W. Preen (chairman), G. AV. Armitage, H. J. Bignell, J. J. Hurley, AV. P. Spencer and C. S. Thompson; agricultural and manual training, Messrs S. Smith (chairmanl, S. Baird', G. AV. Armitage, W. A. Banks, S. R. Evison, J. J. Hurley, ,1. W. Preen and G. Benstead; finance, Messrs C. S. Thompson (chairman), S. Baird. G. Benstead, J. J. Hurley, S. R. Evison, J. R. Preen, W. P. Spencer and 11. .1. Bignell; Normal School—Training College, Messrs AV. A. Banks (chairman), S. Baird, G. Benstead, J. AV. Preen, S. Smith, R. Wild and C. S. Thompson.