BOARD OF EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7341, 30 May 1885, Page 3

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

A meeting of the Board of Education was held yesterday. Present: Profeeaor Aldis (Chairman), Messrs. Carr, Upton, Luke, Goldie, and Professor Tucker. • Gibls , High School.— The Visiting Committee reported ae follow*:—Your committee, having visited the school and conferred with the headmaster, recommend as follows : —That class singing be taught by the permanent staff of the school, and to pupils oi forms 1, 2, 3, and 4 only. That the restriction of the competition tor school scholarships to pupils of tne fourth form be removed alter the preiient year. Your oommittee recommend that Professor Brown and Professor Thomas be naked to undertake the aunual examination of the school in August next ; and that tbe conduct of the examination of forms 1 and 2,, whether by means of written papers or oraliiy, be left to the discretiou of the examiners. Your committee have invited the head-master to report on the question of awards of merit'to the sdcceaaiul pupils at the auaual examination. Your committee have* under consideration a list of books submitted by tbe headmaster for the reference library authorised by tne Board. Your committee recommend that tue head-master should be empowered, at his dikcretion, to admit pupils to the upper forms (4, 5, and.6) in the following single subjects at a separate fee of one guinea a term for each* subject; English, Latin, German, French, mathematics, drawiug. Your committee having examiued the accounts and statistics of the [school for the yesrr 1884, and for the four months ending April, 1885, report as followu :—" The yet.r 1884 began with a credit balance of £9tO 15s Sd, and ended with » credit balance at £291 3s 10d. Tue exams of expenditure over iboome contained a sum of £206 15s, expended on additions to thu wooden building, £135 13s Id expended on repairs, and. £305 Is 3d on rent, ratee, and insurance. Since January, 1885, the oredit balance haa been reduced to £98 14s lid.. The number of pupils hae decreased from 220 to 187, causing a probable decrease of £30l) in the annual income from fees. Your committee recommend that replication be made to the Government for a Parliamentary grant of £1200, until an adequate endowment is provided for the rohool. The name of Herr Louis Tutschka has been added to the list of visiting teachers of the pianoforte, &c.—W. Stkadman Aldis, Chiiruia.n." Chairman's Report. —Auckland city : Tenders have been invited' for enlargement of Nelson-street School, in terms of plan approved by committee and Board. Huia : Memorialists asked to furnish information as to qualifications of teacher selected by them for " aitiod" school. Mangawai: Application has been made to Waste Lands Board for reservation of ten acres of land as iodi cated by committee. Papakura Valley : Dr. Bodle has been referred to the conditions and contract for supply of school furniture. Fort Albert: Committee have reported the resignation of sewing teacher. Principal of Training College has been requested to provide temporary assistance for Wellealey-etreet and Mount Hobeon Boys' Sohool. Mr. W. H. Herbert : Resignation aa teacher of '1 e Rahu School accepted from 31st instant. Miss E. F. Hawkins: Permission given, subject to committee's approval, to reach Maketu School late by train, via Drury, on Monday morning. Miss M. Griffen : Informed tbat her request for removal from Wbangaroa North will be considered. A number of minor application* from teachers, etc., were dealt with.—Same discussion took place on the question of supplying teaching assistance at Baresfordstreet during the absence, through illness, of the' jead-ma«ter, Mr. Harrison. No communication having been received from the committee, no fresh action was taken. Scholarship Regulations. —The following letter was received from the Minister of Education re scholarship regulations:—"l am directed by the Minister to inform you that he approves of the Board's proposed regulations as submitted, subjeot to the adoption by the Board of his suggestion that in regulation 2, lines 2 and 3, the word ' examination' be substituted for the words ' entering on such scholarship.' The clause would then run, '13 years at the time of examination,' When tbe regulations are printed send me these copies, and I will return one of them certified aa approved by the Minister.—John Hislop."

Resignation of Gβ fton-boai> School Committee.—The following letter was received from the Grafton-road School Committee: — "To the Secretary Board of Education. Sir, — We, the undersigned members of the Grafton-road School Committee, beg respectfully to inform you that since the Board of Education support the Drill Instructor in his unjust treatment of one of the boys of the school named Eidale, declining either to make enquiries into the matter themselves, to accept the evidence in the' possession of the committee, taken by them with care and impartiality, or to adopt the measure recommended by the committee to prevent a recurrence of such a cruel injustice in the future, we deoline any longer to act as a committee for the e -jvenamed school, and forward herewith our resignations. We feel that to continue any longer in office must extend to us also the responsibility now resting exclusively upon the Board of a course of action which can ouly be the result of an utter ignoring on its part of the first principles of right and wrong, as well as an entire disregard, so characteristic of the Board of Education, of the wishes and rights of School Committees. —Signed by James W. Phones, S. J. Clarke, John A. Beale, Charies Laver, Wallace C. Good, John Robertson."—lt was agreed to inform the committee that the Board have no ■ power to accept their resignation, or relieve ..them of their responsibilities ; and that the committee be reminded that the regulations are being revised. Dkvonpokt.— The following tenders for additions to school building were received ; —H. Pitts, £343 10s; W. B. Smith, £353 ; Haj wood and Glasgow, £377 ; Sakey and Synse. £384; A. McKay, £385 j P. Duder, £410 Oβ 6d.—Mr. Pitta's tender was accepted. Tauarit.—£lo granted to drainage. No action taken on committee's request for accommodation. The committee said they required a smaller room than the school building to meet in. Howb-stbbet School.—lt was resolved that the entering upon tho Howe-street Suhool be deferred until after the midwinter holidays. Kawhia. — Arrangements having been made by the Government for a suitable building, it was agreed to appoint a teacher. Mb, O'Donoghub.—Mγ. O'Donoghue, late head-master Waiokaraka School, wrote applying for re-employment by the Board, or for a testimonial.—Several members thought , that Mr. ODonoghue might receive employment. His engagement with the Board had not been terminated on account of any misconduct beyond the writing of a hastilypenned and injudicious letter to the Secretary and disagreements with the lnspeotor. The results of his teaching had been creditable,—Agreed that a record of his aorvices be forwarded to Mr. O'Donoghue; also, that temporary employment be offered to him, if possible. Increase or Salaries.—Several applications were received for increase of salaries. —It was agreed that they stand over till adjustment of salaries. Some discussion took place on the question of the salaries and status of assistant teachers. Mb. Ponsonby Pbacookk.—The Official Assignee wrote stating that the Board having paid over six months, salary to Mr. Ponaonby Peaoooke (ia lien of. notice), instead of paying it over to the Official Assignee, for the benefit of Mr. Ponaonby Peaeodke's creditors, the Board wonld be held responsible for the money- so paid over.—The letter was received.

TO THI BDITOB.