TAWHITI SCHOOL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 18 June 1924, Page 11

TAWHITI SCHOOL.

MONTHLY MEETING. 'The monthly meeting of the Tawhiti School Committee was held last evening. Present: Messrs. Chadwick (chairman), W. E. Williams, Duncan, McDonald, Winks and W. Williams. The secretary stated that he had received no reply to his letter to> the board asking for a definition of the headmaster’is duty in regard to instructions given by Dr. Gunn. The headmaster (Mr. Jackson) reported that the weekly roll now stands at 205 and the average attendance at 179. There had been a good deal of sickness, chiefly in the nature of sore throats. Two cases of diphtheria and three of chickenpox had occurred among the school children. In each case the family had been excluded from school for the prescribed period. On June 5 the school had been visited by Mr. Wyllie, senior inspector of schools in the Southland district. Mr. Wills (pupil teacher) was absent from school owing to illness. His medical advisor considered that he would need three weeks to recover.—The report Wa,s adopted. The Prime Minister wrote acknowledging receipt of the committee’s letter of the 26th inst. forwarding a copy of a resolution passed by the committee in reference to Bible* reading in schools. He had taken note of the representations contained in the resolution and would give them careful consideration when the proposed Bill comes before Parliament. The secretary stated that a further subsidy of £3O 4s 2d had been granted. , Mr. Winks thought- that it wo-uld be a good idea to use some portion of the credit balance (£185) in making improvements to the school grounds. He suggested that tennis courts he laid down.

Mr. McDonald w r as strongly in favour of spending some of the money available in further concreting. It was pointed out that the road from the front gates was much in need of improvement.

It was decided that the whole committee, with the headmaster, meet at the school grounds with a view to formulating a- scheme of improvements. The liability of the committee in the. event of an accident occurring during school hours to any of the pupils was discussed. . Mr. Winks referred to a case heard at Wanganui with a view r to determining whether the school committee or the Education Board was liable for injuries sustained by a child, and said that the matter was one of great importance. If members of school committees were liable in -such cases, many seats on committees were likely to become vacant. . It was stated that there had been some correspondence with the Education Board on the subject, and that there were certain cases which Were covered hv a policy taken out -by the board, and the sebretary undertook to make inquiries with a view to learning the true position, and on the motion of Mr. McDonald, the secretary was given authority to take out an accident policy covering any accidents for which the committee might be held to ■ be responsible.

Mr. McDonald, reporting on the last general, meeting of the South Taranaki School Committees’ Association, said he had been surprised at the large number of delegates present, and was satisfied that the association was going to be of great advantage to- the school committees, who would be enabled to have a bigger voice in school affairs in the future.

Accounts totalling £4 ]7s were passed for payment, including the amount due to the School Committees’ Association.

It was decided, on the motion of Mr. McDonald, that the committee discontinue supplying towels for the school. Mi- Jackson said he had urged the children to bring their own towels and keep them in their bags or desks, as the use of a common towel may spread disease and did not fit in with proper ideas of cleanliness.

Mr. Duncan said that a further subsidy of £9 16s had been approved and had yet. to be collected, and the committee could claim about £2O in addition to this, so- that they were in a good financial position.