HAWERA SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 38, 21 August 1880, Page 3

HAWERA SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

The usual monthly meeting was held on Wednesday evening. Present — Rev. Mr. Tony (chairman), Messrs. Hobbs, Syme, and Macfarlane.

CAPITATION ALLOWANCE.

From A. A. Brown, Secretaiy to the Education Board, forwarding the following resolution passed at last meeting : — " That notice be forwarded to all school committees in the education district that, in consequence of the action of the Government in withdrawing the vote for education, it will be necessary to stop the payment of the usual capitation allowance, from and after the Ist August."

Mr. McFarlane asked whether the whole of the capitation allowance would be withdrawn ?

The Chuirman thought that the resolution would imply that it was to be withdiawn altogether.

Mr. McFarlane wished to know how they would act in the matter of supplying pens and things of that kind to the children, in the event of that being done.

The Chairman said the children would, he supposed, have to buy them, but it would perhaps be the means of educating them to be a little more careful. He (the chairman)' was of opinion that the Education Board were altogether exceeding their powerfe in withdrawing the capitation allowance, and he considered the committee should signify as much to them. Mr. McFarlane thought that if the capitation allowance were to be withdrawn altogether, there would be little work for the committee to do. The best thing they could do would be to resign in a body. Mr. Syme was of opinion that the board should point out to tbe committee some means of carrying on the work of the school .

Mr. Hobbs thought a resolution should be forwarded to the board, to the effect that they were infringing on the Act, in withdrawing the capitation allowance.

There was a general expression of opinion that if the capitation allowance were to be withdrawn altogether, the present arrangements for keeping the school clean would havi to be modified, or else that a small subscription would have to be solicited from the parents. Mr. Hobbs proposed — " That the chairman be instructed to write to the board, expressing the hope that the withdrawal of the 'usual capitation 1 does not mean the ' entire withdrawal' of a fund, without which it will be impossible to carry on the work of the school, and calling attention to the fact that such withdrawal would mean a change in the present Act."

Mr. Syme seconded the motion, which was carried unanhnousty.

It was resolved that, pending an answer from the board, the present arrangements should continue in force, as the chairman stated there was about in hand.

ACCOUNT.

An account for £1 75., put in by the teacher, was passed for payment.