EDUCATION RESERVES COMMISSIONERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5372, 4 February 1879, Page 3

EDUCATION RESERVES COMMISSIONERS.

The monthly meeting of Commissioners of Education. Reserves was held at the Board of Education Offices yesterday. Present:—Dr. Campbell (in the chair), Messrs. D. A. Tole, J. Dilworth, and J. M. Sliera. Te KorURA.—In this district a survey had been made, and a township allotted, of which a lithograph plan was submitted, but no arrangements had been made as to offeriug the sections for sale. —The Secretary reported having written to the local committee as to when and where the sale should take place.—lt was agreed that, on receipt of the necessary information from the committee, the leases of the rescrvo should bo advertised for sale. Proportion" of Revenue to Education Boards.—This question, which had already been before the Education Board, came before the meeting. The Auckland Provincial District and the Auckland E lucational District are not the same : the Cook County and a portion of the Wairoa County being included in the Hawke's Bay Educational District, although in the Aucklaud Provincial District. The Secretary of the Commissioners had written to the Auckland Education Board, asking what proportion of the revenue the Board claimed. The Secretary of the Board of Education wrote as follows:—"I am directed to state that, in accordance with section 21 of the Education Reserves Act, 1577, this Bo\rd expects to receive according to subjoined basis of population of the revenue accruing from the reserves for primary education under the administration of the Commissioners : Auckland Provincial District, S2,GGI; Auckland Educational Dißtrict,|i79,lo7; Hawke's Bay Educational District, 3554 (Cook County and Wairoa). —I have, Arc., V. E. Rice." The matter had been referred to Mr. Brookfield, solicitor, who gave it as his opiuion that, under the Act, the revenue from reserves was only divisible in the Provincial District. The circumstances are these: The Cook and Wairoa Counties, which are within the Auckland Provincial District, are in the Hawke's Bay Educational District, and they claimed to have a proportion of the revenue from reserves. Their claim appeared to be for a full proportion of the revenues of the whole district, and the Auckland Board appeared prepared to recognise their claim in proportion to population of Cook and Wairoa Counties, but Mr. Brookfteld, who quoted tho Acts in support of his opinion, jisserted that the revenue was only divisible within the Provincial District, that being the district named in the Act.—Mr. Shera thought they could not take money the property of another Education Board administering the Education Act within the Provincial District. The Education Reserves Act evidently contemplated more thau one Education Board within a Provincial District, and it was for the commissioners to divide the revenue between them in proportion to population, as provided for by clause 21 of the Educatiou Reserves Act. Mr. Tole said there was evidently a defect in the Act, for which the Commissioners were not responsible. They were manifestly confined to distributing the revenue from reserves within tho district. After lengthened discussion it was decided to refer the letter containing the claim of the Auckland Board of Education to Mr. Brookfield for his opinion. Secondary Education. —As regards the division of revenue for the purposes of secondary education, it w - p-dntcd out that only two institutions in the Provincial District, viz., the College and Grammar School aud the Girls' fcligh School came under this head, although there might bo more established. In order to enable the Commissioners to apportion the revenue, the secretary was instructed to procure information and ascertain the financial position of each of the institutions named, in order to enable the Commissioners to make an equitable allotment of the revenue.

Crown Grants. —In reply to the application for Crown grants to the School Commissioners, the Umler-Secretary for Lands wrote to say thnt as, under clause 10 of the Education Reserves Act, these reserves were vested in the School Commissioners, a Crown grant was unnecessary. Mr. Brookfield'd opinion had been taken, and while generally agreeing with the correctness of the opinion given by the Under-Secretary for Crown Lands, he pointed out certain circumstances in which Crown grants would bo absolutely necessary. After some further business, chiefly of a routine character, had been transacted, the meeting terminated.