GREY TECHNICAL BOARD OF MANAGERS

Grey River Argus, 15 November 1949, Page 3

GREY TECHNICAL BOARD OF MANAGERS

Board Allows Tennis Club Use of Courts on Sundays There was considerable uproar and fierce verbal exchanges when the Board of Managers of the Greymouth Technical High School discussed a motion which asked, "That the_ November, 1948, resolution be rescinded, and the use of the tennis courts on Sunday by the Old Pupils’ Association be granted;,” at the monthly meeting last night. The motion was moved by Mr R. W. Sansom and seconded by Mrs G. Blair. Mr F. L. Turley said he was “dead against it, asd thought the whole position scandalous. He asked if the motion was in order. Mr Lindley: It is al read v ruled that the motion be accepted. The Principal, Mi - W. M. Stewart, said the Old Pupils’ Assn, was prepared to recommend that the Board sanction them the use of the courts on Sunday, as long as the rights ol the pupils were not infringed. Mr Turley: That’s for the board to decide, not for you. Why take up the time of the meeting with yov.i views? Mr H. H. Hutchinson said the board should give’ the fairest consideration to the club, provided the space was available. He asked whether the formation of the club would take prospetcive players from other clubs in Greymouth. “It mighi bring about a great disservice to the sport in the town,” he added. “Are we discussing the motion?’' interrupted Mr Turley, leaping to his feet. x

Mr Hutchinson; “Mr Chairman, i appeal to this meeting. Mr Turley is trying to brow-beat, this board.” Mr Turley: “Tkere’s no one browbeating. I say again it is a positive disgrace for some tennis club to use the courts on Sundays. Did the Government spend £9OO on the courts for the club to use them on Sundays? And the position is not going to end just here. If this motion is carried there wiil be an outcry from the public. If we grant them the courts on Sundays, they will be laying down their own suggestions.” Mr Turley said it was plainly absurd to say that the children were not going to be penalised. “Are you going to stand here and let our ‘children be taken advantage of 7 Morals will be ruined. Il will lead to damnation. It’s a disgrace to this board.” Mr Henry: “1 am in sympathy with Mr Turley, and associate myself with eevrything he said.” Mr R. W. Sansom maintained that it would be better to see young people engaged in sport on Sundays than seeing them lounging about street corners. “A*school is greatly assisted by a healthy Old Pupils Association,” he said. Mr L. C. Lindley said the matter was purely domestic. If the membership of'other clubs was menaced, then that was their own business.

Mr Henry said that the request for sport on Sundays was “not much of a compliment to the home.” Mr Lindley: “That’s the trfend of life.” Mr Stewart said the club’s suggestions for the conditions of play on Sundays “definitely safeguards the interests of the pupils.” He said that if he knew otherwise, “I would not help the club one iota.” After more discussion, the motion was carried, by seven votes to four The board then decided, with the same four abstaining again, that a special sub-committee discuss conditions of play with the Old Pupils’ Club. The committee appointed were.— Messrs Lindley, Sansom, and Mrs G. Blair. There was an exchange of views until Mr Henry asked whether there were anv Church-goers on the board? Mr Hutchinson: “I go.” Mr Henry: “Well. You’re a corker.” Mr Turley gave notice that at the next meeting he would move a motion disallowing the club to play on the courts on both Sundays and week-days. “By that time,” ho added, “the public will be aware of the position.” CORRESPONDENCE The secretary read a letter from the Canterbury Education Board, which gave the board permission to proceed with the renovation of the interior of the Manual Trailing Centre and improvements to the hot water system. The board indicated that the Greymouth Borough Council would be asked to investigate the conditions of the Shakespeare entrance to the school. Those present were. —Mr L. C. Lindley (chairman) and Messrs W. S, McClymont, P. C. Thompson, J. Grant, H. H. Hutchinson, J. H. North D. Pankhurst, R. W. Sansom, F. L. Turley, E. 0.. Henry, Mrs G. Blair, Mr Stewart (principal), and Miss Costelloe, (registrar). PRINCIPAL’S REPORT In his monthly report, the Principal, Mr W. M. Stewart, stated:— During the period, one boy has been admitted, and seven boys and five girls withdrawn, leaving the school roll at 170 boys and 149 girls, a total of 319. Of the twelve withdrawals, three have been in the first year, and seven in the second year. Despite a considerable amount of influenza and other seasonal sickness, the attendance has maintained the very creditable level of 92. S per cent. No success has yet been achieved in securing a permanent assistant to the caretaker-groundsman, but the position has been eased for the meantime by the engagement of a temporary assistant, whose efficient services have been of great help to Mr Newcombe in maintaining the premises and grounds in. a very creditable condition. Mr Judkins has in hand the obtaining of prices for certain maintenance works which were authorised by the Departments property supervisor, and approved at last meeting, and also other works for which the Board was authorised to obtain prices. Evening school: Owing to a fallingoff in numbers of students, two classes, the radio-technology and the book keeping classes, have been closed. One further class, that in wiremen’s theory, though near the danger-line as to numbers, has been continued with the approval of the Departmental inspector. AU other classes in the list have continued to be very satisfactorry in numbers and in standard of work. Manual training: The programme at the Hokitika and Greymouth manual training centres has proceeded along the normal efficient lines. Arrangements are in hand for securing estimates for certain improvements at both centres recommended in Miss McKenzie’s report, and the Canterbury Education Board has advised that it has authorised its works staff to carry out a number of renovations and replacements at the Greymouth centre. The annual fete and exhibition of work, held on November 2 under favourable weather conditions, was well supported by parents and the public, and provided an exhibition of the work of the various departments of the school well up to the usual standard. Thanks to the work of a large and enthusiastic ladies’ committee, and with tiie full co-operation of the

staff and the pupils, the financial result was again very satisfactory, and will enable a sum in the vicinity of £4OO to be made available for the benefit of the school. On the financial side, this fund is in the same position as at last meeting. There have been no receipts, and payments have amounted to £1 10s sd. With no accounts outstanding at the moment, the credit in hand is £46 9s 3d. With the advent of some fine weather, cricket and tennis, and various tribal competitions will continue to play their usual useful part in the school lives of the pupils to the end of thq school year. Though no definite arrangement has yet been made, it is hoped that the annual match between our first cricket eleven and the second eleven of Nelson College will take place towards the end of the year.