NAPIER.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5292, 28 January 1879, Page 2

NAPIER.

The annual meeting of householders for the election of a new school committee, and for the reception of the report of the outgoing committee, was held last evening in the Council Chamber. The Rev. D'Arcy Irvine was voted to the chair, and opened. the proceedings by reading the several clauses of the Education Act relating to the business of the meeting. ,-, ■ { Mr J. W. Craig, the secretary of- the outgoing school committee, then read the following report : — "When this committee was elected twelve months ago, the position and the work |were altogether new, and, consequently, we have had to a great extent to feel our way in seeking to carry out the functions of our office. " We have held our meetings monthly, and have given our careful attention to all matters bearing upon the educational interests of the district. Almost the first duty to which we applied ourselves was to ascertain the number of children of a school age (i.e., between five and fifteen years) in the district, and how many of these were not attending any school. The result of this canvas over the flats showed that there were then (May, 1878) 458 children between these ages in the district, and of that number, there were 143, or rather over a fourth, not attending any school. The reasons given for this state of matters, when any were advanced, were mostly the want of proper school accommodation in the district. " Upon these and other representations a deputation from the committee visited the schools. They found that the accommodation was not sufficient, and that the rooms were almost wholly unprovided with school appliances. The rooms, how*ever, being only rented for a short period, and not being exclusively used for school purposes, we did not consider it advisable to fit up for permanent school use, but added what school furniture was most urgently wanted to carry on the work more successfully. Neither did we consider it advisable to recommend the renting of another room, as we were aware that the board, as soon as funds were at its disposal, contemplated erecting a large school building, fitted with all the proper appliances. By far the most important educational work of the year in this district, then, ia the erection of the large new public school in Olive-square. But in reference to which we can neither take credit nor responsibility. The Education Board of this district choose to act independently of the committee equally in choice of site, design, accommodation, tender for and carrying on the work. We do not find fault with what the board has done, it is possibly better done than if the committee had been consulted. We give the members of the board credit for zeal, disinterestedness, and energy in attending to this matter. But we did complain, and we believe justly, that the committee was ignored in the whole transaction. However, explanations have been given, and we are glad that so large and commodious a building is being provided for the educational wants of the district. We understand that there will be accommodation for between six and seven hundred scholars. " The next thing to be done after the ochool building was ensured was to provide a proper staff of teachers. The board gave three months' notice of determination of engagement to the teachers then employed in the district, but acquainted them that they would be at liberty to apply for any of the appointments in the new school, that their applications would be considered along with others that might be received. In this matter we, as a committee, believed that, under clause 45 of the Education Act, we should have been consulted prior to this step having been taken, and we accordingly communicated with the board. We received a courteous reply stating that there was not sufficient time to consult with the committee, and that the board was entitled to act as it had done under clause 47 of the Education Act. "In answer to the advertisement for five teachers, which was inserted in the principal papers of the colony, over fifty applications were received. Early in November last we met to consider these applications, and recommend for the sanction of the board the five whom we thought most suitable for the appointments. Mr Hill, the secretary to the board and school inspector, met with us at our own request, as we were sure that his greater knowledge of and experience in educational matters would be of service to us in considering the applications. We desire now to acknowledge the assistance given and the courtesy shown by him, while he carefully avoided manifesting the slightest bias to any candidate. In the applications we had to consider not so much who were ablest and most accomplished, but, keeping in view the educational condition of the public schools in our district, who were best suited to step in and organise and carry forward the work of education in the new school until it should be known and spoken of throughout the colony a3 a model school. We carefully perused the applications with testimonials that were at all suitable, and after a close division our choice fell upon those whose names were publicly announced at the time. The board sustained our recommendations, and all signified their acceptance of the appointments, with the exception of Mr Wright to the post of third master. The appointment of that vacancy is still held over until the school is opened. The seven pupil teachers who were appointed to the schools in August last continue to act in the new school. "To the smallness of the space around the school reserved as a play-ground for the scholars we drew the attention of the board, but found that nothing more could be done then to enlarge it. At the beginning of the present school year, Napier was divided into two school districts, besides the Port Ahuriri. The board requested our opinion on the advisability of amalgamating the three districts into one. " The decision of our committee was that we did not see that anything would be gained by such amalgamation. The board decided at its next meeting to amalgamate the two Napier districts into one, and leave the Port Ahuriri district separate. "Prior to the recent public auction for the school reserves in Hawke's Bay district, we noticed there was included to be disposed of the section (Lot B, 289) in Hastings-street, adjoining Mr Garry's foundry. We decided, on account of the extending of population in that district, and the increasing school requirements of the town, to petition the board to have it withdrawn. The board took up the matter heartily and induced the Education Commissioners to withdraw it from the auction. "With the district Education Board we have worked harmoniously, excepting in the instances noted in this report. We believe there is a sphere for the board and a sphere for the committee in attending to the educational matters of this district ; and if each, understanding what that sphere is, acts with purpose, the issue can only be harmonious and good. While we have shown no wish to interfere in matters that don't belong to us as a committee, we have manifested a keen desire to act to the full extent of our i powers, in all things educational, as, we doubt not, the public who elected us to office expected us to do. "In closing this report permit us to look forward. We have now got a handsome and commodious school building, adequate to the requirements of the district, which will be ready to be opened in a month ; we believe we have got a thoroughly efficient staff of teachers, and from these premises we predict a greatly successful educational year in the one tha.t is just opening. "J, W. Craig, Secretary."

Mr Knight moved that the report be adopted; The motion was seconded by Mr St. Clair, and carried unanimously. # The following gentlemen were nominated for election on the new committee i —Messrs Lawes, Shanly, John M'Vay, R. G. Graham, J. W. Craig, F. Tuiford, M'Dougall, and the Rev. D'Arcy Irvine. It was pointed out that if more than seven candidates were proposed it w^ojdld necessitate a ballot being taken, a proceeding which would occupy a good deal of time. Mr M'Vay said that he had held the office for a year, and sooner than be the occasion of the trouble of a ballot he would retire from the candidature. Mr Shanly said that MrM'Vay had been a regular attendant at the meetings of the committee, and his services had proved very valuable. It would certainly be a pity that he should retire. There was a general expression of opinion to the same effect. The Chairman said that, though most willing to give his services, he was very much occupied, and he could not be sure of attending the meetings of the committee regularly. He thought it would be better for him to retire in favor of Mr M'Vay. The Rev, D'Arcy Irvine's name was then withdrawn, and a motion that the seven other persons nominated form the committee was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.