EDUCATION BOARD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 995, 27 March 1891, Page 26

EDUCATION BOARD.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Education Board was held on Wednesday. Present—Messrs J. R. Blair (Chairman), G. Beetham, W. C. Buchanan, M.H.R., J. Young, F. H. Fraser, Rev J. Paterson, Dr Newman, M.H.R., and the Mayor. Accounts amounting to £3607 4s 6d were passed for payment. The Chairman reported that the credit balance at the bank was £7224. The annual report of the Board was read and adopted. Consideration of the Inspectors’ reports was allosved to stand over until next meeting. . . A circular was received from the Minister of Education, asking for the Board’s opinion on an artiole on “Education,” whiqh appeared in the New Zealand Herald on February 7. The Mayor thought it would be beneath the dignity of the Board to take any notice of the article. The Chairman said that in courtesy to the Minister, who had askod for an opinion, they should consider it. The article was then read. Mr Young characterised it as a tissue of utter nonsense. The Chairman then read a very lengthy reply be had prepared. Mr Young moved that the Board should adopt the report of the Chairman an a reply to the article. The Rev J. Paterson thought it was an excellent reply to the artiole, but in would be beneath the dignity of the Board to reply at such length to a newspaper article. It was a pity the Minister had taken any notice of it, and whatever reply the Board sent should be brief, The Mayor agreed with Mr Paterson that the Minister should not have taken any notice of the article. He suggested that the Chairman’s report should be sent to the Minister as the reply of the Board. Mr Buohanan expressed great surprise that the Minister should have asked the Board to consider the amide. Messrs Beetham and Young expressed similar opinions. After further discussion, a resolution was passed to the effect that there was nothing in the article warranting the serious attention of the Minister or the Board, but as the Minister had asked for an expression of opinion, the Board approved generally of the report read by the Chairman. It was decided to grant a scholarship to Miss Marjory Fellingham. The resignation of Mrs Benney, sewing teacher at Cross Creek, was accepted. The question of the retention of several pupil teachers was referred to the Finance Committee. The appointment of a pupil teacher at Hastwell was apptoved. Miss Cundy was temporarily appointed pupil teacher at Manakau. Extended leave of absence for one month was granted to Miss J. Monorief (Belvidere), and a month’s leave was granted to Miss Grace Young (Te Aro). A resolution expressing sympathy with Mr George Woodward’s proposal for an arbour day was passed, and it was decided to ask the School Committees and teachers to assist as far as they could in carrying out the project. An unfavourable report as to the proposal to establish a school atKhaudallah was read from the Kaiwarra School Committee. They did not think it would be necessary to have a school there for some years. The Board deferred consideration of the matter. Mr J. Macara wrote declining the Board’s offer for a site for an infants’ school at Mastertou. It was decided to make another offer. Grants for repairß, &a. f were made as follows Pahiatua, £3l; Masterton, £3 ; Manakau, £6 10s ; Johnsonville, £2O ; Hutt, £9. It was decided to call for tenders for effecting repairs to teacher’s residence a£ Park Vale, and the Inspector was instructed to report on the application for repairs at Kaitoke. It was also decided to call for tenders for the erection of teachers’ residences at Belvedere, Porirua, and Paraparanmu. A letter was received from the Newtown School Committee asking the Board to ob tain from the law officers of the Crown a definition of the term “ householder,” as the qualification for voting at School Jommittee elections.

The Chairman was instructed to communicate with the Minister for the purpose of getting an authorative opinion on the subject. ■ . - The Board then wont into committee.