DISTRICT SCHOOLS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9621, 29 March 1917, Page 2

DISTRICT SCHOOLS

EDUCATION BOARD BUSINESS AT MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting cf the Wellington Education Board was held yesterday, the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken (chairman) presiding. The members also present were Messrs A. W. Hogg, W. H. Field, H.P., B. A. Wright, M.P.. A, Mackay, E. H. Penney, G. Lpndon, E. P. Rish.vortli, and T. Forsyth. Messrs Mackenzie and Rishworth were appointed to represent the board on the Pelone Technical School Board of Managcmciit, a vote of thanks being accorded to Mr McEwan for his past services. Mi- W. H. Field, one of the board’s representatives on tho Wellington Technical Education Board, resigned in conjequenco of the great pressure on his I time, and the ot her representatives—'Messrs Aitken. W. Allen. C. M. Luke, end C. L. Stewart (secretary)—were reelected with the addition of Mr Forsyth. Tho statement of finances showed that since the February mooting *616,473 9s 4d had been received, while tho payments amounted to *616,743 15a 3d; and there was a debtor balance of *0714 10s <d, as against a debit balance of 26414 4s 8d on February 2Sth. The board consented to tho cancelling of tho balance of a grant for purchasing and improving the teacher’s rosi. denoe at Mauricevillo, subject to tho Education Department undertaking to reinstate tho amount when the board lis in a position to carry out the improvements. A letter was received from tho Board lof Agriculture suggesting that school ! children should bo instructed in the control of noxious weeds. Tho board resolved that copies of the letter be sent to the head teachers of all country schools within its area. , , The Education Department declined a grant for a school building at Pukenui, (for which Mr Holmes had given a threeacre site. The Department pointed out that, as the district developed the site I might not prove sufficiently central. 'They, therefore, objected to putting up a permanent building-, and asked nf a building could not be rented' for the purpose. Tho board decided to act upon a suggestion from the Education Department that ex-training college students on military service be appointed as opportunity’offers positions in the boards service and granted leave of a bsenoe, and that their military service be counted ’or promotion and superannuation. The board approved also tho Department’s suggestion that they should endeavour to induce teachers entitled under ordinary conditions to retire on /uporanuuation to continue in the service at least during tho continuance of the war. Advice was received from tho Education Department that under the Department's scheme for the localisation of Inspectors Mr Stuckey had been assigned to Masterton subdistrict. A member commented strongly on the fact that the board had not been consulted in regard io tbo matter. The‘board was treated as of no account, he declared, and they were going to be ruled by an autocracy as bad ns -the Bussiao: autocracy. , A letter from the citv engineer (Mr W. H. Morton) calling attention to the need for the conservation of water was referred to the head teachers of all tho Tchools within the area of supply.; A proposal from the Petone School Committee that a store depot should be established to supply school children at wholesale prices with books and other school requisites was referred to a committee to consider and report. J '.’U S'.'./:"} tfifTl 1