School Committee Elections, &c.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1700, 26 April 1889, Page 3

School Committee Elections, &c.

QUEENSTOWN MAIN SCHOOL.

The annual statutory meeting of householders in the district of above-named 1011001 was held in the sctoelroom on Tuesday evening, 23rd instant, only 12 or 13 persona being present

Mr H. Manders was voted to the chair, and on opening proceedings, expressed regret at such a small attendance of houseimUlers, as compared with meetings held a few years b*"k. He could only account for such a state of things as arising from the apsthy of the public, which be thought was not complimentary to the ontgohv Committee. Tb<« Chairman then read the official ~i 'tification of mee tbfr Minutes of previous annual d t eting were read and confirmed.

Mr Hotop (hon. see. and treasure! ) then read the annual abstract of accounts for yeur ending 31st December, and also the annual report of Committee. The abstract showed the receipts tc« have been as follows:—Balance in bank on Ist .January, 1888, -£22 10a sd; grants for ordering incid eutal purposes, £l7 6s 8d ; ditto for painting and M pairing, £5 4s ; private donations, *c, £l3 Us 7rt ; total, £59 Is Bd. The expenditure was—cleaning school and outbuildings. £l4 3s ; fuel, £7 3s; reps ire to building, 4kc., £8 12s; Acts, postages, 4c., 6s ; special grant lor painting. £5 4s ; clock, &c. £2 13 s lid ; balance in band, £2O 19s 9c'.; total, £59 la *L Below is copy of the ANNUAL REPORT.

QsmsMiv,—Tour Committee hare pleasure In submitting manual balance-sheet for year ending 1888, fro m which will be sea that the credit-balance on the Slat December, 1888, amounted to £2O 19s 9d, the total expenditure being £3B Is lid, while the income amounted to £36" 11a t i, the different* with the credit-balance left at the end of 1887 of £22 10s 6d making up the present balance. Thanks to the efforts of a certain number of ladies and gentlemen, bat especially of Mrs R. Ross, our income baa been mainly derived from the proceed* of two entertainments, and «s without these aids to our revenue the Committee are unable to carry out their functions, it is satisfactory to note that the pubbc so liberally respond to our calls. The Committee would take this opportunity of urging upon the householders the advisability and necessity of insisting upon the regular attendance of their children, especially as by 'ebssnsnui of this duty they will enable the Committee to obtain the services of another (pupil teacher, a matter of considerable importance to the efficiency of tb a achool. Aacording to toe rules of the Southland Education Board, no school is entitled to the services of a pupil trachet unleseit shows an average attendance of 110 for a continuous period of 6 months; our average attendance daring the last 11 saontbj amounted to ML

The members of Committee attended met tings as follows : F. W. Geisow, It; R. Davidson, 11; L. Hatop, H; B. Boss, U; Caps. Wing and J. Bodkin, 8; J. Beid, d (died in October); •J. O. Bryant, 3 (elected in November). ssaa through the death of Mr Jas. Reid, and Ids place on the <lh«ium was taken np by Mr Geo. Bryant. Ob the ISth and 17th ins*, the school under* ent its annual «xaMr*tioa nader Inspectors Hendry and Braik, aodtheCoruratttoeare (dad to be able to report that the i*rcentsge of fames b 87 per cent, whkh is S per cent mors than last year. The total number of scholars presented forcxamim tion was 7C of which 6* passed their respective standards, 15 fa led, 7 were exempt, and 1 was absent. - The Ossassattos wish again to acknowledge the courtesy srhkh they have received in their dealings with the band teacher and Mrs Michael. ' Mr Hotop (in reply to Mr Dewar) stated that it had been the custom of members of Committee to visit the school periodically, bat, at the same time, it was doubtful if they had any right to dt> so. Nevertheless, Mr Mehafley, the head teaciier, seemed glad to see them present The ■uuaher was glad the matter h\d been brought «p, Bad was willing, if desired, to include the results of Visiting Committee in the report W The Chairman and Capt Wing corroborated the, statement as to the duties of Committee, as witnessed in similar cases occurring elsewhere. •. L Mr Dewar said he had no desire to press for a rekort on the matter, but only on account of outside I Mr Geisow said the school inspector was supposed not only to examine the schools in the disKrictonce a year, but also to visit scch schools at I Ether times occasionally in order to see bow the ■teachers were working their schools. The manageuaent and working of a school rested on entirely beItween the inspector and the teacher; and nearly all ■ the Committee had to do was the financial business I and looking after the buildings. Two of the ComI mittee had been requested to attend the late exaI tninataaa, bat they thought it better not to do so, a* their presence wss likely to do more harm than S)d by disturbing the attention of the scholars, e same remarks would apply to the ordinary school hours. On the motion of Messrs Dewar and Upsdale the balance-sheet was adopted, and a hearty vote of thanks wss passed to the retiring Committee (more especially to the secretary) for their exertions in the fast. The Chairman said the next business wss the election of a new committee. Mr Hotop siggested that, as at the previous annual meeting, that they should take no notice of the i Act so far as eumoUtory voting was concerned, bat simply give not more than one note to any candidate. Mr Dewar was agreeable, as long as the pro* posal was not taken advantage of ss expressing the opinion of the householders of the district generally —otherwise he wonld oppose it Mr Hotop said it was not absolutely binding on anyone, but simply an agreement among those present It was intended ss a protest against the f existing system. Mr Bodkin did not see any gain, as the subject was not new, and it had already been iutrodnced into Parliament Mr Dewar said he called attention to the matter, M be saw a newspaper touching some political question, that the action of the Queenstown meeting was quoted. The following candidates were then nominated, it being agreed to adopt the plan of voting last year : Messrs J. Bodkin, J. 6. Bryant, B, Davidson, S. Dewar, F. W. F. Geisow, L. Hotop, and W. Warren. There being only the required number of candidates, a short discussion arose as to the necessity, ' according to the Act, of voting at all, and it was ultimately decided to go through the form, when the csndidstfs were declared elected.

Immediately after the above the new Committee \ Bet, all the members being present. Mr Geisow was proposed for re-election as chairman by Mr Hotop. \ Mr Geisow proposed as an amendment Mr Hotop, who being an old and valuable membi. of committee was entitled to the honor. He also thought it would be as well to make a change sometimes. I Mr Hotop begged to decline. Mr Dewar, in seconding the motion, said he qmte agreed with Mr Geisow. Qneenstown had generally been looked upon as a one-horse place, on account of citizens holding the same office year after year, bo: he believed in the office being a rolling one. Mr Bodkin seconded the motion. Mr Hotop said he was agreeable to let the motion goto the vote, and if not elected would net U. ' offended and should be happy to continue to act as Secretary. However, he thoocht Mr Geisow was fairly entitled to continue another term, as he kxd only been in office nine months and had more aoare sjma on hand than the speaker. Mr Hotop waa duly elected. Mr Geisow was elected Hon. Secretary and Treasurer Mi—■ Davidson and Bryant were elected aa Worki Committee. .... It was resolved, on the motion of Mesrrs Dewar and Bodkin—That the ordinary meetings of the Committee be held, as nsnal, on the hut Monday in each month at eight o'clock, p.m. Mr Hotop referred to a matter previously mentioned, namely, an oner by Mr Ganimell to deliver I three lectures on the French Revolution, similar to thorn given by him in Dunedin. He considered the otfer was a very kind one. and thought, if the night chosen wore moonlight ones, that good attendances would be obtained. Mr Bodkin doubted whether the proceeds of the fcfJMM vtaaioover the torn of the halL

After furtiier short discuss-on »t was resolved, on the motion of Messrs Bryant and Bodkin—That the Chairman tnd hoD. secretory be requested to see into the matter and, if thought desirable, to make the necessary arrangements for delivery of lectures by Mr Gammell. M r Bodkin said he considered that the attend an at the public meeting that evening a disgrace to the town, and would suggest that the press be requested not to refer to the very small attendance. Mr Dewar disagreed with the previous spesker, and thought that every publicity should be given to their proceedings, and that the press should give householders a good •• wigging " over the affair. On account of the short interval between and nothing important being in view, it was proposed by Messrs Warren and Geisow that the next ordinary m*ittng of tie Committee appointed for Monday next be allowed to lapse. Messrs Bodkin and Davidson proposed, as an amendment, that the meeting be held as ususl, the mover stating that be thought it very advisable the Committee should stait energetically to business and try to. work up the school. The amendment was carried. m ARROWTOWN. At the annual meeting of householders for abovenamed school district, the following were duly elected members of Committee:—Messrs Boyd, Graham, Heller, Jenkins, Mackay, Marsh, and P. Smith. At the first meeting of Committee Mr Jenkins was re-elected chairman, and Mr Marsh secretary and treasurer. GJJBBSTON. The following gentlemen were elected members of Committee for the current year at the meeting of hecseholders on Tuesday evening:—Messrs J. Cosgrove, A. Cameron, P. Ennght, J. Gibson, T. Kinross, J. Leslie, and D. Reid. The financial statement of the secretary and treasurer showed a credit balance of £2O. At the first Committee meeting held just afterwards, Mr Kinross wss reelected chairman and Mr Leslie hon. secretary and

treasurer.