EDUCATION BOARD.

Marlborough Press, Volume XXVI, Issue 1574, 4 March 1886, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of the Education : Board, held Tuesday morniag, was attended by Major Bailie, Messrs Ward, Parker, Lambert, Hutcheson, Henderson, and Paul. In the absence of the chairman, Major Baillie was, on the motion of Mr Ward, voted to the chair.. The m'nutes of the previous' meeting were read and confirmed.Mr William Nosworthy, as Borough Valuer, wrote stating that he had appealed to the ASuesament Court for the Borough of Blenheim that the Board’s name had been onritted from the Borough valuation roll in reipect of part of Allotment 74 (with dwelling)' of 1 and 3 Omaka and that the rating value was L4O. The communication was minuted as “ received.” Mr Hodgson, Inspector? in compliance with the request of the Board, wrote stating that he was willing to hold special examinations of the two pupil teachers at Havelock school on the 22nd and 23rd inst. MrsTosswill applied for an increase of L2O to her present i-alary of LSO. She stated that the attendance had increased from 18 to 24 during the past year. The Chairman of the Kaituna School Committee wrote stating that the Committee wi re unanimous in recommending that the application be granted. Mr Lambert gave notice tha the Board should grant the increase of salary asked for. The Education Department wrote that that the following amounts had been passed for payment as grauts to the Board Statutary capitation, L 364 7s 6d ; sp ci«l capita ion, L 24 oj lOd ; inspection, Ll 6 13* 4d. It was rtso'ved that a proper title totheacreou which 8 ands the sulioolhouse and tea-her’s residence be procured at a ccst of L2O The Kekerangu School Committee wrote stating that Mr A McLaughlau had iesiguel his position as Chairman, and Mr E. L. Rogers had been appointed in his stead. Miss Ethel Harris applied for the post of pupil tcteller at the Waitohi school in room of Miss Morrin, whose term had expired. A letter was forwarded from the School Committee, which had been forwarded to the Committee by the head master of fhe school, Mr James Murray, recommending the Board to grant ihe application, which was accordingly done. It was decided that the fence at Mr Lucas’ residence be removed as requested, and that tenders be called for the work, and that Mr Lucas also be permitted to remove tbe stove at his own expense. It was decided that as the average attendance of the Grovetown school is 74, and as there is space for 91 children, the proposed extensions be Dot proceeded with at present, and that the Inspector be asked specially to report theron. An application Lorn Miss Prichard foran increase of salary, was held over till next meeting. It was resolved that tenders bo cal : ed for covering the lean-to with iron,The Inspector reported that it was necessary that certain repairs be made to the Wairau Valley school, and recommended that the roof be covered with galvanised iron. It was resolved that tenders be ca'led for the work. An application was considered from the Marl borough town school asking for assistance. During the discussion that ensued Mr Lambert explained that the grant to schools were unfairly divided in some cases. He had heard of "ne school somewhere iu tbe Waitohi Valley which had a credit balance of from 1/40 to LSO. Major Badlie said he was on the Committee for some time, nnd they had saved their money for the purposes of buying a good school ground. “ They had done their own cleaning, and found their own firewood.” The Board decided that they could not entertain the request of the MariboroUchto«n School Coiunti tee, It was resolved that the Inspector be instructed to prepare plans for a new teacher’s residence at Piston. The following accounts were pissed for payment. : —lnspector’s, Secretary’s, and Teacher’s salaries for the month, John Jordan, (well sinking, Okaram’o). Ll2 Us, Inspector’s travelling expenses L3IOB 6d, printing L 3, and F. Craig (well sinking. Renwick) Ll 7. Mr Lambert moved, That application be made to the Grverne s of Nelson College to giant a scholarship to Ernest Rutherford, pending the Tinline bequest becoming available. He found that LI2OO was the amount of the fund and it was invested in October last. He explained that tha conditions of the Tinline scholarships were “ Two scholarships are to be offered of the annual value of L4O, one for the boys nnd one for the Girls College in N.l»on, the same to be tonabie for three years each, and to be ■competed for tnennially in the month of D cernber, and the same conditions as to time, place and subjects as the scholarships award d by the Nelson Board The soholamhips to be opea to all competitors under fif’een years of age, who have resided not less than a year in the Education district of Nelson and Marlborough (the city of Nelson excepted) at the date of the examination. The holder of the scholarships must reside w.thin the college. Mr Lambeit then read a return which he had prepared showing that the scholarships in Marlborough were not in proportion to tbo-e of other districts, and saw no reason why Marlborough should not endeavor to obtain as many scholarships in proportion to the number of children attending its schools as other parts. He urged that the Government should be asked to colonialise the reserves in ordor'thit Marlborough might be placed on the same level as other districts. Re referred to the high standard attained at the recent Marlborough examination and thought that as the scholars attjnding our schools had sucoeeded so well, and tbe teachers also, that their efforts should he encouraged, lie showed that the scholar* who passed here were far before those attending the Ne ! son schools, ami said that Ernest Rutherford, who was second in the Marlborough competition, wa3 ahead of any competition in Nelson. In seconding the motion, Mr Parker said that Marlborough had not. its fair proportion of scholarships, and MrLim* I e t’s motion was a step in the right direc-* tion. After some discussion the debate was adjourned till next meeting. , The Secretary was instructed to take the qeceisary cteps for the School Com- ! mittee elections next month, and the Chairman (Mr Seymour,) was requested to prepare his annual report.

• Mr Parker . moved a motion to the effect, that ward correspondence of the Board be read at every meeting. He stated that ach’ai man of one of the Committees had told him that he had to look to the newspaper reports to see what was done regarding matters afieutiug his school, as he seldom received a co.-i.muui-cation from the Board as to what had been done, The Chairman remarked that this would entail a lot of extra trouble, Mr Ward pointed out that unless tha Correspondence was read there would he nothing to show that the Board’s resolutions reg r ding letters were carried ont. Mr Lambert said that when he was on one of the IMorus Boards he had to liste.. for an hour while the outward correspondence was being read. The Chairman : That was her an infliction (Laughter)* Mr Lambert seconded tbe motion, which was carried. Mr Lambert said that considerable dissatisfaction had been exp: essed about the appointment of Mr Dobson to the Onamaiutu school at LIOO a year, he being unc r’tificated.and not even a pupil teacher It was not fair to those pupil teachers who only received a salary of L4O a year. The Board must admit that it was unfair to confer the appointment on one who had never passed an examination. It was stated that the school was an aided one. Mr Ward said they could not say that the teacher was incompetent. The Committee had recomnrepded him to the posi tion. *• He is the chos<-n of the people, and they are tbe educators of the Board.” (Laughter). It was resolved on the motion of Mr Lambert —That Mr .Dobson be requested to present himself for his certificate examination in December n-xt.