HAWKE'S BAY EDUCATION BOARD

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 3909, 8 May 1877, Page 2

HAWKE'S BAY EDUCATION BOARD

Mokday, May 7. The Board met at 11 a.m. Present — The Chairman (Mr J. Rhodes), Mr Lee and Mr Newton. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Secretary read a copy of a letter he had forwarded to the Hon. C. 0. JBowen, in reply to a telegram asking for the returns required by the Education Boards Act (section 27) to be sent to the Minister. Mr Fannin's reply enclosed a list of the schools, number of scholars, attendances, &c. , and a statement of receipts and disbursements. From the latter it appears that wliile the income of the board (irrespective of Government aid) is £648 3s for the year, the expenditure for the quarter is £758 15s. The items of expenditure are as follows : — Inspector of schools, £62 10s ; secretary, £25 ; miscellaneous, £6 5s ; capitation to schools, £665. A letter was read from Mr Colenso, forwarding a statement of the number of schools open under the board, the locality of each, number of scholars on the roll and average attendance. The number of schools is 27, scholars on the roll, (828 boys, 652 girls) 1480 ; average attendance, 1140. Mr Colenso reports as follows : — " (1.) That all our schools are steadily progressing both in number of schools and attainments. (2.) That several of our school houses need enlargement. (3.) That the chief and general complaint respects the irregularity of attendance. (4.) That during the coming year four more additional schools will be opened, viz. , at Woodville and Wainui, at Wallingford and Tukituki, Ruataniwha (beyond Ashcott) which will also have to be provided for. (5.) As the Government are about to bring forward at the approaching session an Education Act for the whole colony, it is to be hoped that such will not only be liberal, unsectarian, and compulsory, but also provide for the payment of teachers by the Government (at least in small country schools), which would place them in a much better position, with a moderate scale of fees to be paid to the Government ; such as was contained in Sir Julius Vogel's Education Boards Act, 1876, clause 26." A letter was received from MrYautier, offering £50 a j r ear for reserve No. 512 at the Spit,if a lease for 21 years were granted to him. The Secretary stated^ that the land did not belong to the board. He was instructed to reply to Mr Vautier to that effect. Mr Lee brought imdor the notice of the board the desirability of the board keeping in their hands section No. 70, in Carlyle-street, as it was very likely it would soon be required as a site for a school. From One2>oto G\illy to Miss Gascoigne's, he said, there was no school to which children could be sent. He really believed that about that neighborhood there were from 60 to 70 children who were not attending school, simply because there was none at hand. He had been spoken to on the subject by several persons, and he had told them to petition the board. Mr Newton said that a school was \ cry much wanted in the direction referred to by Mr Lee. It was then resolved, " That sectionNo. 70, Carlyle-street, be withdrawn, as it will shortly be required as a site for a school in that district." The board adjourned until the 4th of June.