HAWKE'S BAY EDUCATION BOARD.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5374, 6 May 1879, Page 2

HAWKE'S BAY EDUCATION BOARD.

\ j - ' ' Monday; Mat 5. "■ . ..■: ! The board ftiet at l^L a.m. • ■■'."> Present— The chairman (J. IX- Ormond,' Esq.),' Captain Russell, Messrs Harding,' Tanner, Williams, and Sutton. . '' "' ; iL ■'■ minutes' of the previous meeting wejre read and jConfirmed. ; \' K . | ,:... rARCHipOT'S REPORT. ' ".,.,'['., A. report was read f rpm tte arcnifiect detailing the progress made in ;th"e rafious school buildings, teachers', resi-, dances, &c.', sinde the last meeting of jthe board, and drawing the attention of, the. board to the necessity of .at once proceeding with, the wall and fence round' the site'of *the' ; Napier school, so that the levelling and gravelling of the ground might be completed. : . ' .

j „. ,; -^TENDERS. • _ ( " . jThe board decided: to accept the ten v der of Mr.'Bobert Houlder.for the ereo-. tion of a teacter's .rfefeidence at. Mata■syher6for£27o; * iMso, that the expenditure, of ,'£3 Bo 'for the Danevirk school; and teacher's residence be approved. . ;,

j . THEiGLTVE SCHOOL. ■ ;.; i A letter was received from the 'Olive school committee stating, that a meeting oi the committee was held on. the 25 th ult. ; to take into, consideration the action of the board on, Mr Hardy's nomination, and that Mr 6rr had nioved and Mr Davidson seconded, the .appointment of Mr James Reynolds, with which the chairman- of the committee stated: he agreed. An amendment was, however, moved by MY Laseelles, seconded by 'Mr Danvers, and oarried by 4 to 3 as follows :— " That the committee having hacl aniple , oppprtunities of enquiry into the allegations against Mr- pardy; 1 and,' with full knowledge of the mariner in. whic|i the petition against his application 1 brigi riated and has; been sigued,- beg .respectfully to adhere to their, original recom; lhendation.V A !

Mr Sutton presented a petition from 36 re&idents of Olive expressing, « hope that the board would proceed to the appointment of a suitable teacher, If the board would appoint Mr Reynolds/a s suggested by three members of the committee, „it . would meet,, tlie petitioners believed, with general approval.

i The petition was received, f Mr Tanner said' the question was one of considerable ' difficulty. ; The committee had/, now, twice nominated Mr Hardy as s teacher to the school. On the other 'hand' there had been a spetitions petition presented at the last meeting of the board from some , 50 residents of Olive against the appointment, and now there came another petition asking the board to appoint, Mr Reynolds. He did not think the board would be justified in constituting themselves the judges between Mr Hnrdy and Mr Reynolds. In-deedy-he'was'not sure that, the board could appoint teachers, except>when the committee refused to do so. ''At 'all events, he could not see how the board could make an appointment in the face of the decision "of the committee. Mr Hardy had been nominated by the committee, and if the board appointed Mr Reynolds they would be complying with the wishes of the minority against those of the majority. Ho considered it so because he must take it that the committee as a whole represented the majority of the householders. The board, he thought, ought to hesitate before taking such a. step as was proposed by the petitioners. „ . I The Chairman said that the question before the board was whether the recomraendation contained in c the school committee's letter should be adopted by the board: . „......'.. ... v.,

' Captain Rusaell said that he observed that the members of the school committee j were. present, and' probably some of them Jwould. like to be heard on the matter. He moved to that effect.

The motion was seconded by Mr Tanner and carried.

Mr Lascelles said that as representing the majority of the committee lie would state why they had recommended Mv Hardy and_ why they adhered to the recommendation. The majority considered that failing any disqualification the master who had been so Jong teaching in the district should be recommended for appointment. Mr Hardy had been teaching in Olive for nine years, and had succeeded in passing as many scholars as any other master. There was nothing tangible that could be \irged against Mr Hardy, while on the contrary he was highly spoken of by the present incumbent of the pariah and by his predecessor, the Rev. Mr Marshall. As to the petition, it had originated in a public-house, where anyone who signed it was shouted for; it was kept on the Farndon side, and was signed in one instance that he knew of by a wife without the husband's knowledge. Then there were several signatures of Mrs This and Mrs That, ; without any Christian names. Indeed, it (was evident that many; of the signatures '.were not bonafide. Some of the persons 'whose names were set dbwn to the petition

had assured him that they did ndihaigri? it, 8 on * others stated; that they ;were; led to ve|hat#wa|sfor procuring the\besfc er.||siiothe)r thing was that^jthe bersjj^cjf [children jset against 'the nta|inapes^re^soj put, that it made iffiquli; if hot impossible ;to flay to h xiatiie they^really'belpnged. '> In. one ,nee' % respectable bachelor was actuall^^|edited with three children, while tjJjaJe were four given to a lady who certainly had none yet. The school had been carried on under very" grsat'dil^ advantages iby Mr ; Hardy, in a budding that waa.old andico.tten/and whioh|h^§ an ~ unbearable stench in-iWet wqatfier, " ano?'^ yet the_ progress of thY scholars would bear comparison .with any other school; — ,~ A report" had/been '.circulated. tha^djir'SHj iHardy did not possess the certificate's* he professed Jto hold. But it- had |been sho"w)n that the Government s Inspefitpi/ < { q had Mr Hardy in class D. This "" representation liad created a string feeling against Harder," as. ttiere wwav"S v"u "a J^ notion that he had practised imp^sitjpnj^n and haxL.peen passing/ bogus but -at ; 'the : .last, meeting qf. the committee. .Mr^;.^, HiM^ly, tad produced'tTie papers? There *" wa'a I therefore nothing whatever againlt^ Mr. Hardy— eitKer against his private 'ci^rp.cter or his l prbfessi6nal! abilityH-|gid jjh-e majority of the committee^gonsidered . that', he should be >i recommended for ap- ltu , iPpantment. ••• '.•-' j:im ; // < ,;.:.-, , i( at ue * 6 i said tKat'-Wthotfglit that.Mjr^' .Suttpij^::peing the ■ cftairinau' ' of the cftm-haii mitte^VwoUld haVe'^tatepl f ;to' [ the.bQardr3/flii •wHal jw'ere the vie^i-i bitlie hiihority. Hboqva' -wou|4i::^pweyer hi as f oij'e' "'.of ; i%k minorityjOiUi 1 poinjt 6 lit that in the first place the boafdA^Aj had ; requested tho committee Ho* TQc6^B ati ' menji^^ano.ther,; teache]? instead, of ,M| Har^ and tlie "committee. had^^iEileatp"?! » 'do so.v> Mr Reyjipjds had; been^roloaSitij „r* x but jthe majority' of the cpinmitpeejiM'"" persisted' 1 in r'ecbmmending ,, Mr " "HardW 1 He (Mr; Hardy) had cer:tainlyjbeenj { ni)^ej B ai yearly I ,teachingy -but ; with' whatxeauit^]ioy'/ )a { )^ could f see' by 'the, slow progress made^a^hesii g Inspectop'had;^epdr^e'd 'that^MtUHarcfylasLliQ systimVwas^^pti^e.' and' if ii' r watj: ( 8o:now r 9l££ whap !wpul!i'it jKe ,with;a' la'rgef(Jhb v dl ! ? ) '?rh^ts9i condition of £he scliooi building '^a& 'Bee^^ao CompMjied 9 f ; pn% ftf^|^i^wpan the condition^wag .s6 f ; b]a<i|;^hy; r i£' %a§ r !? ' . the jteaoher,^ fault. ; ' He^wft^pudJaJkiP^ 1 quarterly sto; keep ;the, Bchp9lU^e4n^u| O f^j nothing was r done;in that i direction., yrh§p he l(ad to. r say'againstiiMr;Har.djt wftff,ijp E gi ( i want "of ! : k^owled^e,(hls , quajS^oa^tA tions Hot beirig suitable^ ana »hisi nob. bSitfgi^ c a traifieiii'^acher. : "As;-t6 <the ; dpoura«n<i»vao referred to -by 'Mr' ; La's'delle'sf tfiey3C(Sfl^fio] proved that Mr Hardy had 1 bfeen'Miebla^eaa^i tpjbje fit to go into, a College' -to sftidy, npfc that heA^ad.Btu^ifed.in.one. Gross mia'repijesentatio'hs"had'"been''made by Mr \i '.Ij^sfellesj and it was very unbecoming of Hintf t'o'make-'them. ... : r : . IAAIhTUvJ VIQtW \i,\ ,jMrDanve r ra saidJie thorpughlygndojs^tt all .that Mr Lascelles had said. He had been) six years. :at> Olive,, ancU had ij^yer heaird any thing- against,. Mr'rHafdy&t^itife^v, what had ! been'said lately..' . He fiadj^'ajdfe^ enquiries, and had satisfied himsejO^^^^ th'ere'jvas nothing that could be brought' to tjhe'pharge of Mr Hardy. iHelfead^^een/jO. thei late inspector) : Mr s Oplenso^Twjxojya^^ quife willing to testify in favor of'.tMfoj Hardy.M i •.-. ,< ■■", v; • r ; ," :, ~y;\- _ ..--] — • ----•■■ p^r.iSiittoti'said : that; r speatipg.'as., );i 4' ! /^. member -the Clive. school ..committee, hem/ mukt say,' w'itH'alP Jes.pecbtP' 3S^r[Hard^,-j^ tliat he (Mr Suttoh) ihad neyerj. ftear^ or anj| heads rof families in the district who.. w,ere-;desirous that Mr Hardyish^ld hol3V:j f / the! appointment of teacher at the!!Cliv^l,,;_ schopJ., If thejee.had been any misunderstanding,about the certi^cates^ Mr HaniyJiO had only himself-, to blame/for' it'.f'i •E'tiiel fact was that th"e_ papers Mr' Hardy 1 ' had prq'duced, showed, that he had n^ssed "tlj^~ matriculation examination at the/iLbndon/;,^;; University, merely entitling; hiii to atudy/.^ 1 in [the university, an examination which ._. .. he believed any advanced scKopl boy- T c6iild; ! o'' pass,. and' ii was believed that Mr ; 'HaVdyX had. led the department to ; believe --- differently. If there was any misconcepiioii, 1 '^ on! that point the fault was Mr.Hardy'a. _

only. It was J a ' : very general' wiahCot" AhgLO't! fathers of families at Olive that a change . shiuld take place i«i the teaoher'at thftt'^Vi pldce.' ', At' the last meeting of ■' theubtt&rdlO r »j ; he;(Mr Sutton) had' presented a petition from a very large majority of the intisbtftants; against ■ the ; apppintmerit , of 'M&r~~ Hardy. He did not know what grounds'! "!i Mr "IJasceiles could have f qr.the 'assertions/ [ he' had made, but the principal signatures crqj were well known to him (Mr Sutton), and he 1 was satisfied, that they were genuine. -Keeling as'he did' that the ipp'oiritmentPof/oO • Mr" Hardy would' militate against the interests of the -people :bf Olive by inpairing the efficiency of the tuition to which I they were entitled ; under the Education Ait, he would ask the board not jpj:|ati|jjfp the appointment i recommended- r-b^jiSbEes " committee, an appointment^ too^ '^wnidir" 2 " was against the wishes of the maj&ri{s ( tff , B [ the .inhabitants of the place. , jH^'fbtijd^ 1 move, as an amendment to th'e""q'ues£i'di.^p,/ before ttya ) board,^that ,Mr Reynold^ ,' be appointed teacher of the Ouve^,>~-j ;. school. "• ' The, Chairman, sajd.he was not sure thalT '.# it would be in order to take 'fchVqiiestionup that way. ' ' J ' '- Mr Williams said it seemed to, him that the whold question resolved itself into whether Mr Hardy "possessed the qualification he^asser ted heheld.: If he d^a^tix the committee ' appointed him, therepwaOf, then .nothing for the board so do^ftut, •!s&&, confirm the' appointment. ; " *" Captain''^Russell scarcely ' agreed << with.<.-;i the last speaker. If- the' oase were aßiMiji :r Yfilliams put it, where would be. thafcotff trol of the board? And there-could be ,no doubt : that the : board ; ' was • invested : \yith control in the .matter. If the board took a yie^. which ran 1 counter with the decision of a committee then the board" * ■must assume the responsibility of -eeleot- - ing a teacher. Wjithy-regard to Mr . .Hardy's qualifications^ \/tm, ..Government Inspector had classfi^:hito^ and it must be taken that he knew what he was about. He (Captain Russell) did not. therefore think the board should look to that, but if it were, true that a great many of the. parents were averse to Mr Hardy being appointed, as was stated by. Mr Orr_and Mr Sutton, that should be sufficient foi! ' the board to refuse to confirm , thg appointment. As to Mr Lascelles'. assertion : about the bogus signatures to the petition,.;, there was no evidence to show that, tli^jj signatures were net genuine, and it was a very, common thing for married women to^ , sign themselves "Mrs" without their 1 ' Christian names. The children credited to the bachelor, might be easily'accounted for by the ( impprfecb ; way . in which the numbers of children were setdo.wnaga^it the parents' haines in .the petition;^^Mfar ,as hah^d b^en . able to ascertain,£'^^^ . fe'ej^n^ " . against' "TSOlc, Hardy^ ViaaTj; votjt, strong.; .^he report of the inspecjorralso^ >vas not favorable to He Harjlyt,' iVjea^f not only that the school building" was rotten, but it was not kept pleanj.aa „was evidenced by the " festoons of cobwebs,*' and ; the , " spitting on the floor" mentioned in the report. He would suggest that the matter be again referred to the committee, instead of the board at once appointing Mr Reynolds. i ■ • ■ Mr Tanner thought fche board ough^ to bo careful and not take a course which was not justified by the Education Act. , He found it there enacted that no ap- ;' pointment " shall take place until the j committee have been first consulted;'' l -. and it would be flying in the face of jthe. spirit of the Act to say that the committee, was to be consulted and yet the board was to do as it pleased. What was the use of consultiug if it was' to have no-re-sult ? He did not believe that the board, would be justified in appointing a teacher that was nominated by the minority of a committee. . . J J . Mr Sutton said the .board had perfect power to appoint, having consulted ,. tie committee. - • -'. • „., /.'.y/ Mr Tanner could not betieve • that c, the consulting of the committee was-toi-'ba/ii mere niatijer of form." "It must mean thai; a wi^.;^,;^; m^y^^^ c

ascertained, and the board be guided by them. Mr Harding considered that there were times when the board should step in, or else why should the board haye been invested with the power of appointing 1 As to the statement that Mr Hardy's certificate had been granted on false representations, it was quite sufficient for the board that Mr Hardy was classified. There would be no reason on that ground for not confirming the appointment, but there was ground enough in the fact that the majority of the inhabitants of the place were opposed to Mr Hardy holding the appointment, 'He would therefore support MriSutton's amendment. At the request of Capt^ii^Russell a, letter was read from the Rev Mr St. Hill certifying $o, the; good,, character, of Mr Harciy. '' ' ... : , , :.'.'',. ; ,; : „.. . , ;3Jh§ jOhairman sa^that in all , the discussions on this matter there had been no reflection by any member of the board on the character of Mr Hardy. It seemed that the question was one of very great difficulty, *TKe' board" Had "endeavored all sjlong to avoid conflict with the committees, and had yielded rather than oppose their wishes, but he had no doubt whatever that the board had the power ; to qeal with this question in the way that wasj proposed by Mr, i-Sutton.^ * With , regard to the allegations: Jagaihst;. MrHaijdy, it was sufficient that.. a . , large. number of parents disapproved i'tofi the ' appointment. The question as . to the . qualifications could be^'e^sily set at rest: It was no doubt in the' power of the board to jjet from "Wellington IG the information upon which *-MiA Hardy -was 1 clasied. .:.-'< 1/. v Williams : If we got the information ( of what use would it be,l>; ■ • > ()J . .. v . Tie Chairman: It would settle one question.

The board then divided on the question raised by the committee's letter, * ( That Mr Harding's appointment be confirmed," the ayes being Mr Tanner and Mr "Williams,' and the noes Captain Russell, Mr Hasdmg, r :and Mr; Sutt6nJ ; v

Some discussion then ensued as to the <L appointment dfc a [.teacher, for the Clive j school. Mr Sutton desired that Mr /Beynolds be - appbinted, ; while Mr Tanner thought it would be better to refer the matter to the ; committee Mr Sutton could not see theuse of that, as in all likelihood Jhe committeee would again nominate' "Mr" Hardy. It would be only,, going over the same ground again/" 4 " Mr Tanner jiid not think it would be exactly the* same. " Oh 'the last occasion the board had referred thepetition to the committee, and bo,' in a manner, had reopened the question as to Mr Hardy. Now the matter was quite different. The question as_to : Mr Hardy was decided, and the committee could not recommend him again.

The Chairman said it would be perfectlyoiin; order for: the board to appoint a teacher for the school at once, but he agreed it would be advisable to ask the committee's ,adyice,. .though he ;regrettedthere'sho'uld' be any delay. Mr Suttori, moved that . the board now appoint,, Mr,. Reynolds as .master of the ofegfihq^.V.lj ',".'.', /X "."..•—: .:"■/'• $jf y^ajaner . moyed, as an ; .amendment, " sPha|"fthe^boar.d's decision )be communicated to the committee, and that they be- requested to appoint another master." Thftrime'ridnient' was -carried. •

•^■|;|^y'/.',7 ?o SiiwiKfa ; prices. ;':' ( ! - ( •;■' ' ' d^ptain^Ru'sseil ' placed ..the following ofl^s| prizes ;board .: — . {Dhreß:;prizeß. arel offered by .Captain Russell to the girls attending any! of the schools in the Hawke'sißay Education district. The followingtare/the.prizes; the work to be done, and thexsoriditions r ;= — :■• • ■ . Eirst prize — A sewing machine, for the best seating of a boy's or man's old trousers.

Second prize— A; work box, for tho .best * attempt at making a boy's or man's nightshirt. Third! prize^A lady's companion, for the best darning a pair of worn-out socks or stockings. 1 1 iKj'i. 1 si ■ - ' ; ■.-.,!>. . 1.

■Each'.'Cdiripetitor must forward her work tos>fche ! office- of the Education Board on or before'-Noveinber 30, 11879,. with a certificate. froin ; jfhe : sewing mißtress of the school to which 1 She 'belongs,' stating, that the work is tif&'unaided-'work of ' the competitor, done during- school hours. The night -shirt may be cut out for ( the competitor by anybody, but the piecing of the 'trousers must be done by the-'"competitbr • herself. The articles so mended or made will be examined by a committee of three ladies, who will decide upon tKe' -merits 1 of ; "'the various 1 specimens of work,' and adjudge the prizes. Should it be im^ possible to decide in" either instance' which work is the mQre dpserving, the prize •will bo awarded,to tli'e' girKwho lids the higliest mitnbOT s c!f during tlie term, and should that attendances haye 1 been equal, then -the- girl ' whose conduct in school has been most satisfactory.' Two prizes will not be awarded to, any ( one competitor. It^jWas 1 decided, that. Captain Bussell's L-~6ffef sliould be communicated to the I various school committees.

COBBESPOIirDENCE . The following letters were read : — From the Education Department, stating that the Government were unable to make any increase, in the amonnt allotted for the technicaktrainirig. of teachers. From Mr Sydney Johnston, respecting the grant in aid for a school-house at Takapau, and other matters. It was decided that .the grant in aid be paid as soon as the conveyance is made out, and that the other matters stand over until the inspector's report had been From Mr T. B. Manning, teacher of the Patangata school, whose term of notice had expired, asking for a month's

grace. 1 It was decided that Mr Manning should remain until Mr Ballantine was ready to

tak~e his/plajse;,ian,d, that the latter should remain in the 'I*ort Ahuriri school until ff^- tne*OHye ; central school is ready, when he " wiil ' Be Relieved by Mr Gush, who would then leave Olive. From Mr Charles Evans, of Te Aroi, Poverty Bay, respecting the formation of a school, district. . The bpar.d' directed that Mr Evans be Tef erred'to the regulations. From Mr Charles Hurtzfil, secretary to jbhe 3?qrangahau. school committee, stating that he was unable to give any informajbiomafcito, expenditure by the late school <committ.ee.: ; i .-. ■ t. - ■: ■• • ■ ■ The secretary was directed to apply to Mr A. } ;§t. ; Hill; on the subject...; : . Prom the Napier school committee—in reply to letters from .the board— stating th»tWe' : commitfe : e ; wduld be willing^that stke.Aohool.be used from the 26th of May to the, Bth of "J[une as requested- s by the board"; "that'the furniture for the committee room it. was estimoted would coat *%19 ; and' that tlae suggestions of the in"sTjector would receive careful consideratiVrf? X ' ! "■ '■""' From the Norsewood school committee, pointing out that the building was badly 'bra'cedi" and' suggesting a remedy. ' ( . n ' The board decided that the remedy 1 'suggested should be adopted. ..'. THB INSPKCTOR. "'A letter was read from the inspector pointing out that the salary he was at .present receiving was inadequate. t 'The Chairman stated that he had ascertained from Mr Hill that in con- "—' sequence of the higher cost of living in Njipier he was far worse circumstanced Here than he was in Cnristchurch, as "there he was putting by money, while here he was going back. Mr Hill had received an offer to go back to Cliristoaohurch, and though he wished to remain •here, he would have to accept the offer 1 .unless the board increased the salary. Captain Kussell moved that the salary be increased from £400 to £500 per . ~ The motion was seconded by Mr I /.Tanner, and carried .unanimously. ACCOTJNTS.' . . Thep month's accounts were passed for payment.