EDUCATION BOARD.

Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 62, 14 March 1916, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD.

The monthly meeting of tho Marl-1-orough Education Board was held yesterday and \(as attended by Messrs J. J. White (chairman), J. S. Storey, C. 'Ferguson, C. Nees, A. iUackay, J. Fulton, and E. B. Penny.

FINANCIAL. The credit balance 'vas stated to be £529 !2s yd, and accounts amounting to £221 4s Id were passed for payment. A BLENHEIM APPOINTMENT.

The TJlenhenr. Committee asked thai applications bo called to fill the vacancy caused l»y the enlistment for active sorvico of Mr F. Gibson.

The chairman moved that applications ho called for the temporary appointment. Mr Maekay seconded pro forma. Ho said •ihas it was not necessary to remove Mrs Mil'er, who was filling the position. She was a capable teacher. Ho thought the matter should bo deferred until it was known thao Mr Gibson hud proceeded to the front.

Mr Penny said that he was certain that Mr Gibson was now on his way ■o or had landed in- Egypt. Mr Ferguson said that no matter who was appointed, the Board would have to find a, place for Mr Gibson on his return. He saw no reason, for advertising for applicants, when they already had a. thoroughly competent teacher Temporarily filling the position.

Mr Penny pointed out that the .committees' rights were being whittled t'.way, and the Blenheim Co.nmittee asked that the applications be called for in order to uphold those .rights that were left to them.

The committee were perfectly satisfied with Mis Miller. It was only a question of sticking up for their rights. Mr Mn>ckay pointed out that Mrs Miller was not appointed to the position, but simply had been transferred tcinporarily in Mr Gibson's absence. Mr Penny said that temporary appointments were made only for three month?, and the lady had been in the position for '.hat period. The appointment should be made in her interest.

The notion that- a, temporary teacher be ad mortised for was put and carried, on the chairman's easting vote. A PROTEST.

Two ieaohsrs in the Blenheim Borough School wrote protesting against the placing, of an uncertificaied teacher above them on. the school staff and asking for redress. The committee wrote asking that the matter be inquired into. Mr Storey .said that lie understood his daughter was connected with the protest, and he would leave the room white the maitor was being discussed. Mr Storey then luft the room. "Mr Penny f,aid that the point was tii,\t these two teachers were properly qualified, and because they were teachers in another hranch of the school—a subsidiary school—they had reached their maximum salary. The secretory explained the salary grading of the teachers in the side schools . The chairman proposed that the matter lie deferred, ponding a report from the inspector. He was sure that there was no personal element in the matter. • j Mr Mnckay said that Miss Storey had been eleven years teaching and f-ho had been transferred to Blenheim. It was another case of transfer. Mr Penny said that it was a departmental affnir Were these two j teachers, because they were in a side I school, to be placed in the iniquitous! position of having their career stopped, when they were two of the Poard's best teachers ? They were doing such good; work that, it would be unwise to allow them to leave the side school. The secretary said thai; there were, two uncartifloated teachers at the Blenheim school. The protesters hud not mentioned \vhich teachor they objected, to. The motion proposed by the chairman was earned. TENDF.RS. The ■ following tenders were accepted. Septic tank at Uedwoodtown, Le<slio and Costello, £74 4s; renovation of teicher's residence at Blenheim,' J. A. Morcland and Co., &&. No tenders were, received for the new shelter .xlietl at Picton, and the master was left in the Viands of the ~ eliait man and secretary to act. The sauio procedure was taken in regard to a lew well at Tua Marina, in thij* ra.se also no tenders having been received. GENERAL. The Usual budget of applications for grants, rcpiiis, arid other ■ minor works in connection with the schools of the bhtnet were considered ami ordered upon. ■Vpphc-Uions from resident of outlying pl-ices Tor teachers for1 aided schools were received and dealt with.

It was decided to continue the Ajyple Ray Sclmol as an aided school, with Miss Berg as teacher in the meantime.

A requisition was rocoivod froliu t.hrw> houseliolders of JJlitid River to lo.'opon die school thore, on tho ground ihat tho children were too young to send any groat distance to school.---It wi.s decided ' that the writers be informed' that the utmost tho Board wuld do' would lie to reopi n the school as on aided .school at the usual capitation. Mr HoUis Hill, Grovetown School, wrote expiaininj; his overstay; of two <!avs from holiday leave, the boat being held :.ip at Nelson.—The Board miiettod that Mr 'Hill had not it'turned to liis duty on the resnntption of school, and pointed out that the Board was put to the expense of filling Mr Hill's place for two days. Airs Jackson, Rydeholm, asked fua teacher for her two children, a,s they had no1 access to tho nearest school. —It was decided to allow her 2s C(l per week boarding allowance for her children at some convenient school.

The Blenheim Committee asked for n grunt of £6 for drinking fountains for the children.—Deferred for a month.

An application was received from the Blenheim School Committee for three new clocks for the school.—The secretary stated that sometimes a. pendulum clock such as these stopped owing; lo careless management.—The matter was left to the., secretary.

A request was received tlmt tlie Riverlands School be removed two miles further from its present, position, towards Seddon.—The chr.innnn said that Mr A. Bell would give £10 toward*1, a site on Mr Armstrong's property tit the junction of the roads. T|\cre were no obstacles to removing the school.—The secretary said that if the present site were sold the proceeds would pay for the. removal.— H was decided that the Department he approached with the object of Hiving die school removed.