BOARD OF EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9380, 1 June 1889, Page 5

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The regular meeting of the Board of Education was held yesterday. Present : Mr. Upton (in the chair), Messrs. Lennox, Luke, Udy, Golclie, Carr, and Cooper.

Chairman's Report.— report dealt with a largo amount of routine work since last meeting, including arrangements made regarding the teaching staff. The report was adopted. Balances.—The following statement of accounts was submitted balances to date were —Education fund (ciedit), £6947 13s 9d ; building fund (credit), £2364 14s lid : total, £9312 8s Bd. Girls' igh School (credit), 19s '2d.

School Committee Elections.—A complaint was received from Mercer as to the illegality of the election of a school committee, and asking that it be declared invalid. it had been referred to the Committee for their report. An application of a similar nature irom Victoria Valley had also been referred to the Committee, and the reports being now received, the elections were declared valid. Agricultural College.—A circular was received from the secretary of the Agricultural College, Lincoln, Canterbury, in reply to a communication from the Board, on the question of admission of district scholars to the College. He intimated that _ the fees were reduced to £40, but he reminded the Board that no travelling expenses to speak of were allowed for students living in other provincial districts. The College governors hoped that the reduction would enable the youths of Auckland to attend the School of Agriculture. The consideration of the letter was deferred. The Chairman said that a question had been raised as to whether there was any Government inspection, and the reply was that there was no inspection, but the matter would be laid before the Governors at their next meeting. Dune din Exhibition. — Messrs. Carr, Luke, Lennox, and Udy were appointed a committee of the Board to act with committees appointed by the University College, and the Grammar School Board in arranging regarding exhibits at the exhibition to be held in Dunedin.

Kaitaia.—An application to sanction a change of school hours so that the school might be open from ten to three o'clock, with half-an-honr for lunch, was agreed to. Mr. Smith, the chairman of the committee, complained of certain statements made by Mr. Grierson, the head master. It was explained that a public meeting had been held complaining of unseemly conduct prior to Mr. Grierson's appointment, and that was the chief reason why a teacher of Mr. Grierson's ability had been sent there. It was agreed to write to the committee stating that the Board had every confidence in Mr. Grierson, and that his statements had been sustained. It was also agreed to write to Mr. Grierson recommending him to cultivate a more harmonious spirit with the committee. Manoere. —The school committee recommended the erection of a new school near the bridge. The question arose as to which side of the bridge offered the most suitable site, so as to interfere least with the Onehunga and Mangere schools. Finally the letter was referred to the Onehunga School Committee for their report, and the whole matter was deferred for further consideration. Pakia School.This was a school which had been taken over by the Board. It had been a native school, and a report on it was to the effect that the building was in a very bad state. It was agreed to forward the report to the Minister of Education, and request him to have the schoolhouse put in order. Ponsonby.The chairman of this committee complained of the frequent changes which were made in the teaching staff, as such changes tended to impair the efficiency of the school. The chairman explained the changes which had taken place, and submitted a reply which he had drafted explaining those changes, and submitting that there was still a large standard of teaching power in the school, and asking the co-operation of the committee in the future. It was agreed to forward a reply in accordance with the draft submitted by the chairman. Tauranga.— Chairman stated that the names of Messrs. Madden and O'Donoghue had been submitted to the Tauranga School Committee for the appointment to the headmastership of the school, but no reply had yet been received. Waiuku.—The Chairman stated that the Waiuku Committee had accepted Mr. Large for the position of headmaster, and he moved that Mr. Large be appointed. The motion was agreed to. Oruru. —A letter was received from Miss Re veil declining the appointment to Oruru School, and it was agreed to consult the City School Committee re the appointment of Miss Harris to this school. Office Assistant.—There were 57 applicants fer the office of assistant clerk aud office cleaner at a salary of £1 per week, and the selection was left in the hands of the | chairman and secretary. ! Miscellaneous.—A large number of applications for small grants for various pur- ! poses were received from country school S districts, but they were of minor importance.