TAWHITI.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 20 August 1924, Page 9

TAWHITI.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE. The monthly meeting, of the Tawhiti School Committee was held last evening. Present: Messrs. Chadwick (chairman), Duncan, Winks, McDonald and W. Williams. The headmaster (Mr. Jackson) reported a 101 l number for the month of f 202 and an average attendance of 183. I The regularity of the attendance still : left much to be desired; but m most cases absence was due to illness. In a case of one member of a family getting diphtheria, all members of the family were excluded from school for the prescribed period. The school had been visited by 'lnspectors Valentine and Ballantyne on Thursday and Friday, the 7th and Bth inst. Two slight accidents had occurred at the school on the previous' Wednesday, and in both, cases medical attendance was resquired. The school would close on Friday for a fortnight's holiday. The secretary reported a credit balance of £179 10s lid. The secretary also reported that a price had been received for extensions to the sheds, and had been submitted to the Education Board for approval. Donations on which application was to be made immediately for a subsidy amounted to £23 18s. Mr; W. Williams wa,s nominated for a. seat on the executive of the South Taranaki School Committees’ Association. Mr. McDonald stated that cows were being grazed at night in the school grounds, and were doing much damage to trees and hedge plants. He suggested that a letter be -sent to the Hawera County Council requesting that the ranger be asked to give the matter special attention. The chairman thought it would be better to first give public notification that the committee intended to take action against the owners of stock found trespassing on the grounds, but it was decided to carry out Mr. McDonald’s suggestion. It was reported by Mr. McDonald, for the grounds committee,- that a man had been engaged to dig round the hedge plants, and that the eleagnus plants for the hedge along the front of the school had been obtained and would be planted in due course. Accounts totalling £l3 15s 9d were passed for payment. Reference was made by Mr. Winks to the question of the responsibilitv for compensation in the event of an accident to anyone employed by the committee to work on the school grounds. Mr. Winks said that though this matter had previously been discussed and had been referred to the board, thev were still in the dark. The law with regard to compensation imposed heavy responsibilities, and committees with their slender funds should know where they stood. Tf members of committee, or those in a position to nay. were liable in case of accident, there would be, he thought, a large number of resignations once that responsibility was established. He that immediate steps should be taken by the committee to hove the whole position cleared up. Not only Tawhiti. but other committees wer'j concerned, and he had had a number of inquiries from men interested in the question.

One member was of the opinion that in view of the very limited powers enjoyed by school committees, and the iuyt tnat control was almost wholly with the Education Hoard and the department, ihe responsibility would not he with the committee. Tt had been decided by a magistrate in the case of an accident at Wanganui to a child that any action taken for damageshould he against the Education Hoard and not the committee.

The secretary read a letter he hod received from the Taranaki Education Hoard, which stated that the board covers bv insurance accidents to caretakers and regular employees of the hoard in accordance with the Employers’ Liability Act. In each Vase whore damages were claimed it would be necessaiy for the caretaker to prove negligence. The hoard had no poli-y covering accidents to children in school building-; or playgrounds during school hours. This matter was one for the Education Department. After some fmiher dismission Iho sociology was asked to again write to the Education Hoard in the hope’ of getting a reply that would coyer Ihr cases referred to by Air. Winks