WHANGAREI SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Northern Advocate, 12 May 1915, Page 3

WHANGAREI SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

MONTHLY MEETING

i The monthly meeting of the Wlia-

I ngarei School Committee was held In : the school-room last evening. The>v> ■ were present: .Messrs C. R. Lovact ; (chaii-inan), \\\ Strugnell isecertaryi, iW. Tracey, W. L. Hopewell, R. H. { Hughes, G. Sargent. R. R. Rule, C. 1 ; Robinson, and F. Cutforth. j A GLOOMY OUTLOOK. I The secretary read a letter froca J the Education Board, notifying him j thai £'o~ lSs had been paid into their account. He said he expected .£SO. i and was sure they were entitled to it I The Board, he said, had omitted t ) j include the -supplementary grant. If that were to be excluded this yoav, the committee might as well go out ot office as it would be impossible for them to carry on with the money allowed. He had written asking the board for an explanation. It was decided to let the question remain 'a abeyance pending a. reply from the board. I TECHNICAL SCHOOL REQUIRE- ; AIEXTS. A letter from .Mr Layzell, instructor at. the Technical School, stated that 1 there seemed to be a strong demand for a course of commercial subjects consisting chiefly of shorthand, typewriting, and book-keeping. Book-keep-ing and shorthand were already being taught, but £50 was needed to purchase typewriters, the board refusing to supply them unless half of the cost was paid by the Technical School. Money, the letter continued, was required for the purchase of typewriters and he wished to know if the committee could help.

It was the general opinion of the committee that no help could be given, in their present financial state

-Mr Hopewell ■ thought that typewriters should bo part of the equipment of the Technical School and moved that th e secretary should write to the north ward member, Mr J. D. McKenzie, asking him to try to procure typewriters. The motion was carried. HORA HORA SCHOOL. The report 6f the Hora flora school showed the number of children on the roll as 202, the average for tho month being- 182. Several minor items were asked for, and were granted on the motion of .Mr Hopewell. Mr Higginson was prepared to give ££ of the funds in hand to the filling of two big depressions in the playing ground. This, with the Government subsidy of £ for £ would make £10. He did not think the', cost would be more. When done it would allow more space for the chii- I dren for drilling, playing, etc.

Mr Lovatt said the drainage would be soon commenced, and he thought that if Mr Higginson waited he could have the holes filled up free of cost as there would, be a lair amount of spoil from the drains, which could y yused. No doubt the contractors would be glad to utilise the space in disposing of the spoil.

On the motion of. Mr Hughes, seconded by Mr Hopewell, it was resolved that the secretary write to the contractors and ask them if they would fill up the holes. A REPORT IX QUESTION. Mr Hopewell drew the attention of the members to a report which appeared in the local paper in which it wtts stated that the headmaster attended the meeting and dominated the committee. lie personally objected to the term, "dominate" and also to a heading which appeared over the report entitled "Wheedling Headmasters." He did not think it was any encouragement for the masters to continue as they had done. A great number of people might place a wrong interpretation on the report. Mr Tracey held the same view, and thought the committee could work better if tho headmasters were prosenr. Mr Sargent did not agree with tho previous speakers. The headmasters, he said, took'up too much of the committee's time, and he thought they could better discuss business in tho headmasters' absence. Mr Cutforth said the fault was largely due to the chairman. It was his place to pull a speaker up if he spoke too much. Mr Lovatt said he was new to the position and did not realise the full extent of his responsibilities.

Mr Strugnell said he had given particulars of the meeting to tho press, but he did not outline the heading:?. He also contended that the headmasters should not be present, and that they occupied too much of the committe's time. Continuing, he said ;t seemed as though several points hail been laid against him during" the evening and he would ask the committee to accept his resignation.

Mr Hopewell said he intended no personal reflection on Mr Strugnell. Mr Strugnell had always done his best in the interests of the committee and in his opinion it would be hard to get another man to fill his place. VISITORS. Mr C. J. Robinson was appointed visitor for the Hora Hora school and Mr R. 11. Hughes for the Whangare: school for the coming mouth. This concluded the business.