TECHNICAL SCHOOL

Grey River Argus, 22 July 1941, Page 8

TECHNICAL SCHOOL

BOARD'S MONTHLY MEETING. Mr. T. E. Coates (Chairman), presided at the monthly meeting of the Board of Managers of the Greymouth Technical High School last evening, when there were also present: Messrs J. E. White, W. H. Parfitt P. J. McLean, C. F. Shapcott, J B. Kent, and the Principal (Mr. W. M. Stewart). : Accounts amounting to £203 IDs lid (school £92 17s 3d. hostel £llO 13s 8d) were passed for payment. The Chairman of the Finance Committee (Mr. Kent), drew attention to arrears of boarding payments due as follows: 1939, £9O; Ist. term, 1940 £22; 3rd. term, 1940, £2l 0s Od; Ist term, 1941 £59 7s 6d. Unless some of the back payments were made he said, it would become necessary for the Board to take action. The fees were very reasonable, and it was cheaper than keeping children at home. If anyone was hard-up, the Board never pressed, but those able should pay. He moved that final, notices be given defaulters. I Seconding the motion, the Chair-. man said that the Board had to pay the accounts incurred in keeping the children. The motion was carried. Rev. M. A. McDowell, South Island Youth Director Methodist Church, applied for the use of the Hostel or school buildings for a summer school lor Sundav School teachers and Bible Class leaders in December or January next. It was decided to advise that the Board had previously decided not to make make the buildings available for outside organisations. The Technical School Teachers Association asked the Board to make representations to the Minister with a view to having deducted from the i basis on which the public servants’ bonus is calculated, overtime paid to teachers. It was pointed out that this applied to other sections of the Public Service. „ P j tAsked his opinion, Mr. Stewart said he felt the teachers had a just • case. He held that when men were I asked to work overtime, that was i their own business. He felt bitter about it because for 19 years he had I worked overtime and paid additional superannuation without benefit to himself. However, a letter from the Board to the Minister would not do any good, and he suggested that the Member for the District be asked to make'representations. It was decided on the motion of Messrs Kent and McLean to forward a copy of the letter to Mr. J. O’Brien, M.P., and ask for his favourable consideration. The Department forwarded a circular letter on lighting restrictions, Mr. Stewart remarking that it was three months overdue. It had been stated that Government Departments would be advised, but he had to take i action because he had received no such advice until now. The Canterbury Education Board advised that a grant had been made to cover the cost of repairs at the Hokitika Manual Training Centre., Mr. Stewart said the application tor a grant had been made a year and a | half ago. , . , j The Department auvised that teachers attending Home Guard or Cadet refresher courses could do so on leave without pay. I Replying to the Principal’s request for a grant of £l6 15s 3d for equip-' ment, the Department advised that a grant of £ll had been made, but that no grant could be made for the physics laboratory as it was considered any alterations should be part of a considered plan. In his reply, the Principal stated that a comprehensive scheme of alterations had been arranged but the Board did not wish to incur unnecessary expenditure at present. In a further letter, the Director of Technical Education stated that prior applications should have been made for the grant of £5 15s 3d. Mr. J. Finlay, Secretary, West 1 Coast Trades and Labour Council, wrote in regard to the election of employees’ representatives on the Board, that his Council considered they should have a direct nominee as they represented organised Labour with a membership of 5,600. The Principal’s reply that the matter was outside the Board’s control and was governed by regulations, was approved. In reply to the Principal’s letter, the N.Z.R. Road Services advised that the Blackball School bus had been unavoidably crowded twice in June, clue to a mechanical fault developing in the workers’ bus on the way to Greymouth, and regretting any inconvenience caused. The Wellington Technical Board forwarded a lengthy report on the rehabilitation of soldiers. Mr. Stewart said that the report had been based on large schools with ample equipment. In the smaller centres, it would be almost impossible to conduct the classes, but it might be possible to take one or two part time pupils Tor special courses. Mr. Parfitt said that wherever possible the Board should assist. The Principal said he would be only too glad to do so, within the limitations of staff and equipment. Messrs Adams and McLean were appointed a visiting committee for next month. The Principal’s report was adopted as follows: — The number on the roll is at present 289—140 boys and 149 girls. Improved weather conditions and the lessening of the amount of mumps and other mild epidemics, have produced a great improvement in the average attendance, which for this past week has been 95.1 per cent.; *cr the whole period of five weeks it has averaged 90.7 per cent. Miss Helen Parnell whose appointment to the position of commercial teacher was approved by the Department, took up her duties on July Ist. As requested by the Board, I have taken steps to secure the appointment of a successor to Miss Watt in the Manual Cookery Department. As it will be impossible for a new appointee to begin her duties till the third term, while Miss Watt will be leaving on August Ist., I have sought the Department’s approval for the appointment of two part-time relieving teachers—one for Greymouth centre and one for Hokitika —to fill in the last three weeks of this term. Fortunately, two teachers are available, and their appointment will enable the programme of manual work to go on unbroken. The staff have not escaped the effects of prevalent sickness and there have been a number ‘ of cases of teachers having to seek short sick-leave. Flowever, the loyal co-operation of their colleagues has enabled the School to carry on its normal course without too great interruption. The school half-yearly examinations will be held from J’uly 22 to July 25—three weeks later than usual, owing to numerous interruptions to the course of the year’s work. The Manual Training and the Evening School continue to function smoothly. On Wednesday, 9th. July, the School had a visit from Rugby and Basketball teams of the Hokitika District High School. In very enjoyable matenes, at Basketball, School won both games, while in Rugby the match between the two first fifteens was also won by Schoo], Hokitika 2nd. XV defeated School 3rd. XV. The annual matches in Rugby and Netball with Papanui Technical High School will be played near the end| of the term in Greymouth. Since' 16th. June, £ll 15s Od has been received in School subscriptions (progress total. £79 Is Od) and 7s 9d do-1 nation to the Library. Payments have totalled £8 18s 3d (basketball £1 16s 0d; medals and engravings,

£5 18s Od; sundry, 19s 3d). Accounts outstanding, nil. Balance in hand, £94 6s lOd.