SECOND EDITION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVII, Issue 162, 13 July 1903, Page 3

SECOND EDITION.

EDUCATION BOARD.

«» — The monthly meeting of the Education Board was held this morning. Present —Messrs Litehfleld, Macey, Ferguson, Chaytor, Fell, and Parker. Mr Luchfield wae elected to the chair in the absence of Mr Seymour. I Accounts were passed for payment. The financial statement showed a credit balance of £1465. A communication from the Education Department asked the Board to forward for the information of the Premier particul irs as to the material, age, etc., of school buildings in the district. THE SPKINGLANDS SCHOOL. Mr Fell reported an interview ho had had at Wellington with Sir Ed. Gibbes (of tho Education Department) on bahalf of tho Board. He was un abio to sse Mr Hogben, whowas away. He explained to Sir E. Gibbes the necessity of enlarging the Spnnglands School/and was toli that a special ■grant for this purpose could not be made, as the increased attendance was not dneto a sudden access of population. The period taken for this calculation was tho last three years; and Sir E. Gibbes produced the census returns to show that the population of Springlands had not increased during that time. This was contrary to local knowledge, and on examination Mr Fell found that the census boundaries did not correspond with those of the school district. Then the Department took up the position that the additions were really not necessary, the school not being overcrowded, and the children not being worse off than in schools of similar size in other parts of the colony. What Mr Fell gathered was the Department were besieged with applications for money from all parts of the colony, and their instructions I were to resist all demands but what! could not possibly be refused j In a lengthy discussion the Board agreed on th© urgent necessity of re ; lieving the overcrowding at Springlands, and ways and means were discussed. Thei balance in hand w»s £667, and, said Mr Fell, th© main require- i ments were the works at Springlands and Grovetown, estimated to cost £255 i and £250 respectively, and the rebuildingof the teacher's residence at Tua Marina, which would absorb another £200. The Chairman suggested that the Board should draw up a scheme of works on the assumotion that the building grant (making" up the funds to £1600) for 1903 4 would come to hand as usual in December. The question between the Health Department and the Board's architect were discussed at length, and after consulting Mr Huddlestone, it "was resolved that the additions to the Springlanda school be proceeded with at once on the lines of the architect's original plan, modified in regard to the windows as suggested by Dr Frengley, and that the lowest of the tenders received some time ago be accepted. THE TEA.OHERS' APPEAL CASE. The minutes o£ a special meeting held on .Tnne }Bth were confirmed. On that occasion the Board' passed resolutions in regard to the teacher's appeal case. One resolution instructed the Secretary to write to Mr Sturrock, Headmaster of the Borough Schools, informing him that the Board would not recognise him as Headmaster after July Ist. Another resolution voted the sum of £10 aa the fee for Mr J. B. Rayner, as the Board's appointee to the Appeal Court. The outward correspondence having been read, Mr Ferguson asked if any reply had been received from Mr Sturrock, Headmaster of the Borough School, to the Board's letter giving him notice that the' Board would not recognise him after Jnly ist. The Secretary replied in the negative. He had repeated the notice, but no reply had been received. . Mr Ferguson asked what was the position. He did not wish the Board's action to have the appearrnce of persecution, nor did he think that construction could be fairly placed upon it; but he pointed out that they would stultify themselves if they allowed Mr Sturrock to continue in the position. They should come to a definite conclusion one way or the other ; other wise they would be condoning a position they had all along protested against. It was stated that the application for a writ of certiorari to quash the decision of the Teachers' Court of Appeal was awaiting the convenience of the Supreme Court. The Board went into committee and consulted its solicitor, Mr Rogers. The Board appointed a committee to wait on Mr Sturrock during the afternoon. GENERAL. The Nelson Board asked for cooperation in their representations to the Government of the hardships inflicted on School Committees by that clause of the Education Act which imposed on them the expense of keeping a bank account. —It was remarked that in this district this portion of the Act was more honored in the breach than the observance. It was resolved to support the Nelson representation. A request was received from thp Fairhall Committee for assistance €o enable them to establish technical classes. Fully twelve boys at least would attend classes for such instruction. —It was resolved to enquire what the Committee proposed to do. The Fairhall Committee asked that the r«of of the school be attended to. —It was resolved to obtain an estimate of costr and particulars as to super' vision.

The nomination of Mr E. Barker as correspondent for Fabian's Valley was approved.

The Board ad journed till two o'clock.