TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 29 September 1908, Page 2

TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

L 1 The Board resumed at 10 o'clock this y morning, all the members being present r Mr Fair brought up the matter of the i- improper use of the Inangahua Sunday * School, and it was resolved, after dis- - cus&ion, to ask Mr Shepherd to report. . on the complaint at the next meeting A letter from Mi- R. W. Patterson o,i , the same subject was also referred to ">ir e Shepherd. e The Inspectors (Messrs HarkneSs and e Crawford) submitted their report on the s examinations for the month. The schools . classed as good were :— Westport DhS Burnett's Face, St. Caniee's, Millerton, - Waimangaroa, Denniston; satisfactory tc s good : Fairdown and Cape Fouhvind ; t I satisfactory, Birchfield, Brighton, Char e ' leston, Granity, Land of Promise, Prov mised Land, Little Wanganui, Seddon 0 ville. The Inspectors reported on n refolui. tion. passed by the North Canterbury & Board in reference to the primary school y syllabus, that while a re-arrangement of 1 ceitain parts of the syllabus might be i made with advantage, they were of opit nion that the spirit of the present sylla. - bus afforded liberty for a liberal treati ment oJ both forward English grammar s and history, and that it would be inr advisible to make any alterations to - the syllabus at present. As regarded ; geography, the Inspectors thought the . scope of work as laid down in the syllas bus was so wido that it would be un wise to extend the syllabus without a ■ more lengthy trial of it in its present form. The Inspectors also reported, in con nection with the Whakarewa school, that a technical broach of th? Act had beer committed by allowing the pupil teachei to havj charge of the side school ever for the one half-day a week. The dif fiVulty could be overcome by having al the girls at Pangatotara one half-daj during tin 1 week for instruction i> needlework ; or by having the headmas tei- in charge at Pangatotara whil> the Whakarewa girls wcro having sewing al th-3 main school. Mr A. A. Hintz. Director of Technical Schools, submitted his monthly report. He stated that he had re-organised the method of keeping the technical accounts, which were now on such a basis that any details of receipts and expenditure were immediately ascertainable, Separate ledger accounts of the various centres were being kept. The school classes were doing satisfactory work, and the teachers' classes at Nelson were being well r.ttend-d. At Westport, however, where the dsts-es were within the reach of only those few teachers on the railway lin.>, they had been very poorly attended, and it was questionable if they had been worth the expenditure on them. There was a marked incroaf? in the attendance of students at the Nelson Technical School this term, the enrolments being 271, against 185 for last term. The attendances at the West Coast technical school were : — Westport, 53; Denniston, 31; Waimangaroa, 16; Granity, 13; Millerton, 18; total, 131. In a supplementary report, Mr Hintz drew attention to the inadequate accommodation for classes at the Ni'W'O'i Te( hnical School and to the need of various improvements. The building was too small for its purpose. It was also sugecMril that a teachers' summer school should be held for the West ('cast teachers, the courses to continue for a week. The Chairman said that he would not have the temerity to approach the dovernment at present for a grant for the Technical School. The director would have to do the best he oculd with the available space. It was resolved that the Inspectors and the Director of Technical Schools ascertain the degree of support a summer school would receive, and report next month ; that the gas at the Technical School ha attended to ; and that the spouting at the Technical School bo cleaned out. It was decided to grant Mr \V. H. Bryant permission to attend a military class at Wellington, provided the Brightwater Committee was agreeable ; the Inspectors to make arrangements for a substitute during Mr Bryant's aWnce. Mr Bruce, Instructor in Agriculture, reported on a. letter from the Nelwn branch of the Educational Institute, that it was inadvisable to interfere at tho present time with the existing arrangements of his engagement. Mr Benke moved that no alteration bo made at present in regard to Mr Brace's engagements. Mr Shepherd moved as an amendment that tho Board at its next meeting take into consideration tho desirableness of determining the arrangements so far as Westland and Grey were concerned, with i view to Mr Bruce being retained m the Nelson and Maryborough <3' st , rll ;tfThe motion was withdrawn, and the unendment, becoming the motion, was :arried. Mr McDonald was appointed clerk of ■vorks at the Westport Technical School it £3 a week. It was resolved in connection with a •equest from Lower Moutere, that Mr Jruce give lectures on agriculture in that

district, that a reply be sent that Mr J liviK.3 could make no nrrangemenrts for this year. Plans of the proposed new Board offices were laid before the Board by Mr A. R. Griffin. It was resolved that no action be taken this month with regard thereto. Resolved that tenders be called for additions to the Karamea school. It was reported that the contractor for clearing the school site at Summerlea had thrown up his contract. The Committee therefore asked permission to acept the higher tender of. £37. Members . generally considered that £37 was an • excessive sum for clearing half an aero > of land. It was resolved to decline to . wive the permission asked for, and to in- ; form the Committee that a sum of £21 i was available for the work. a It was resolved to offer £20 for a site b for a teacher's residence at Seddonville ; s and that the architect prepare plans for - a £340 or £350 building! It was resolved that the Neudorf i School Committee be informed that the e Government approve-d c-f the exchange - of school site. The matter of the medical eiamina- - tion of school chikk-en was brought fort ward, and the Chairman sought the per--1 mission of the Board to consult with lot cal medical men and dentists as to an examination being made. — It was ri<- ivf ed that the Chairman have the au'Jiof rity of the Board to initiate a scheme s for the medical and dental examination i of school children. ; The discussion of the subject prose - out of a paragraph which recen'.ijr *ps peared in the "Mail" in reieron :e to 1 a scholarship examination ia Londrii. t At that examination 10 per 'ent. of the . girls suffered from defective teeth, 14 per cent, from unhealthy cond : tuini of - the throat, 30 per cent." from ar^ecl-ive i hearing, and 12.5 per cent, from anaes mia. i (Left Sitting.)