SOUTHLAND EDUCATION BOARD.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1060, 30 May 1878, Page 3

SOUTHLAND EDUCATION BOARD.

(Condensed from Southland Times.) An adjourned meeting of above body was I held at luvercargill ou Monday last. Present: ! —Messrs T. M. Macdonald, (chairman), M'Ardell j Menzies, Lunnden, Shanks, Buldey, Sproull, and Sir John Richardson. Mr Pryde, secretary to the Otago Education Board, was alio present. Minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. Mr Hislop, secretary Education Department, telegraphed suggesting that the Otago Board receive all moneys on account of the Southland Board up to the end of the linanci.tl year (30th June). Correspondence on the subject was also read. It transpired that any payments made up till the end of the financial year were simply made on account. Mr Macdonald thought that the Otago Board should credit the Southland Board with the capitation allowance, and debit them with any moneys paid on their account. He had telegraphed accordingly. His action was approved of. The Cardrona school committee wrote asking the Board to take action with regard to their teacher, who had absented himself without leave and otherwise misconducted himself. They recommended that his resignation be accepted, add that a substitute be appointed without delay, as the school had now been closed seven or eight weeks. The Board adopted the recommendation, and the committee was authorised to make temporary arrangements, as the question of the appointment of teachers, by the committee, or by the Board, was a large one. In this instance the Committee were requested to send the applications for the teachership with their recommendation thereon. The Committee of Miller's Flat school complained of the incompetency of the teacher. A statement was also made that Mr Petrie had recommended the teacher to resign, but it was held improbable that the Inspector made public information of this kind. The matter was postponed for further particulars till next meeting. The following gentlemen were appointed a Finance Committee to embrace in their jeport sub-sections 5 of the 4:2 nd clause, and 7 of the 43rd of the Education Act :—Messrs Macdonald, Menzies, Sproull, M'Ardell, and Sir John Richardson (mover), and to report at next meeting. Upon the motion of Mr Lumsden, seconded by Sir John Richardson, Messrs Macdonald, Sproull, M'Ardell, Baldey and Lumsden were appointed an Executive Committee to consider applications for teachers, erection of school districts, and such other matters as the Board may direct. Three to form a quorum. Sir John Richardson moved, and Dr Menzies seconded, that the chairman communicate with the chairman of the Otago Education Board, with the view of ascertaining what change, if any, was made or intended to be made with regard to the status and salaries of teachers. Carried. The following applications for grants were referred to the Executive Committee for report at next meeting :—Myross Bush, repairs £b 10s; Gummie's Bush, grant in aid ; Cainpbelltowu. insurance premium on ,£7OO, on school and residence ; Otaria, i'7s for completion of school and fencing; Lower Shotover, £55 per annum for sewing mistress ; Waikiwi, for appointment of school-mistress; luvercargill, for increased •teaching power. The force was said to be five teachers to 234 pupils ; Waikaka, grant for fencing and water tanks ; Queenstown. £IOO for repairs and out-buildings ; Arrow Flat, for new school, enclosing reports from Mr Petrie and Warden Stratford ; Otatare Bush, asking for a school; Rosyln Bush, aid towards erection of a teacher's house and chimney.^ The special committee appointed at last meeting to consider applications for aid, recommended the following :—Lower Shotover, £l5O ; Arrow, £6O, North Forest Hill, £2O with a recommendation that the committee be empowered to invite applications for a teacher, Forest Hill, similarly treated ;Ryal Bush, £6O ; Upper Shotover, 4.75 for school fittings ; it was stated that at the Last mentioned place over £3OO had been expended upon a stone school and residence, and the above sum was required for internal fittings, and would make up the third, the remainder of the cost being defrayed by the residents. The number of children was reported as 120; Campbelltown, that an explanation be desired of expenditure of previous balance; Kingston-£6O per annum, as from January last, for female teacher; Chatton, that further" particulars be desired ; Waikaia, that the application for a new district be not granted till further particulars are furnished; Moke Creek, that the application for a new district and £6O be granted, on the understanding that the residents raise the remaining two thirds ; North luvercargill, that the application for anew districtbe granted, conditionally on includingone or more municipalities, and the erectkn of a suitable school; North Ward of South Invercargill, refused, on the ground that a new school was about to be erected in the southern portion of Invercargill. The report concluded with a clause representing the importance of a definition of school districts. Full consideration of the report was deferred to next meeting, with the following . urgent exceptions, the recommendations concerning which were adopted : Kingston and Moke Creek. The plan of a school for the latter to be submitted to the Dr Menzies moved,and Mr M'Ardell seconded —That the list of teachers and schools ordered at last meeting be supplemented with a statement of the teachers' qualifications, and printed for the information of members of the Board. Carried. . Mr Lumsden gave notice that he would move at next meeting that steps be taken to obtain a definition of school districts, to be shown on the education map and publicly notified, and that it be a rule that no locality be included in any district the distance of which from the school is greater than %\ miles. The Board adjourned to Friday, 7th June, at 11 o'clock, a.m.