SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND THEIR ACCOUNTS

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 67, 21 March 1935, Page 8

SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND THEIR ACCOUNTS

Education Board Will Hear a Deputation

MR M. 11. ORAM GIVES NOTICE OF MOTION (Special to Times.) - WANGANUI, Last Night. A request from the Manawatu-Oroua School Committees’ Association that it might send a deputation to the Wanganui Education Board on the subjects of the audit ot school committees’ accounts and capitation grants, has been granted by that body though the chairman (Mr E. F. Hemingway) had at first refused the application. Mr Hemingway stated that his action was in accordance with by-law 14 of the board’s by-laws, which reads: ‘•Deputations shall not wait on the board on matters which can well be submitted for consideration by letter. Due notice of a proposed visit of a deputation shall be sent with a statement as to the business on which the deputation desires to upproach tho board at least seven days before the dato of the board meeting. The board delegates to the chairman authority to deal with all applications for permission to interview the board.” Continuing, the chairman said the bydaw was very definite on the matter 'and he had no hesitation in requesting that the matter be first dealt with by letter from the school committees concerned. He Anew of no district that was better served from a school committee's point of view than the Alana-watu-Oroua district, which was represented on the board by four exceptionally able men. They had Mr Hornbjow, who, besides being connected with education for many years, was chairman of the Palmerston North Hospital Board; Mr J. S. Tingcy, who had also been closely connected with education for some time, and besides being a solicitor was also a successful business man and an ex-Mayor 01 Feilding. Then they had Colonel Whyte, chairman of the College Street committee, Rnd a proved administrator of ho mean order; and last, but by no means least they had Mr Oram, a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws. Surely if the committees in the Manawatu-Oroua district required anything at the hands of the board, it was for these gentlemen, and not outsiders. That was what the members of the board, who were elected by the- committees, were for. Surely if any committee had a grievance it was for it to lay it before the board and inform its representative on the board of the facts and not employ outsiders to plead their cause. The suggestion of the deputation was that the four members could not accomplish what was required, and the deputation could. He could not subscribe to such a doctrine.

Mr Tingey said he agreed in the main with what the chairman had said, but he considered this case to be a little unusual. They felt that they had a grievance, arid that they would be happier if the deputation were allowed to’meet the board. The main grievances were of the amount of capitation and the auditing of the school committees’ accounts.

Air Oram also put in a word for the request. “Surely a conference of school committees must thrash out matters of great interest to themselves. Among other matters they all feel that the capitation of this country is totally inadequate and wish to place the facts, and figures before the board. Only good can be done by allowing the deputation to meet the board. Colonel Whyte backed up Air Oram. Mr Hornblow said he hoped that the school committees would not forget that tho Wanganui Education Board had been successful in its application for many things in connection with the advancement of education in this district. Air Hemingway said that he was only too happy to receive any deputation which would make for harmonious working in the interests of the children. Air Oram moved that the secretary of the Alanawatu and Oroua District •School Committees’ Association be informed that the board would receive the deputation and this was agreed to. Air. Oram pointed out that the newspaper reporting a member of a school committee in Palmerston North, stigmatising the board as an “Ogpu,” was totally incorrect and he regretted that such an- inflammatory and unreasonable statement should be reported. Colonel Whyte endorsed Air Oram’s remarks, adding that the statement was mado by an irresponsible member of the committee. Air AI. H. Oram then gave notice of motion as follows: 1. That the resolution passed on 19th September, 1934, relative to the requirements for the audit of school committees’ accounts be rescinded. 2. That all school committees in the board’s district forward their account books to the board’s office for the purpose of annual audit commencing with the year 1935-1936.