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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 988, 19 June 1879, Page 2

iSI'RELV those of the Oamarn School Committee who read in yesterday's issue of our contemporary aii explanation of how* it occurs that that body is incapable of making both cruta meet, in reply to the Homing Herald. eJa-tatrued "Save tss from oar friends." The Herald stated that Oamarti was in receipt of the same allowance from the Board as that granted to Port Chalmers and other places.'and expressed an opinion that the Committee should, with care, be able to fulfil its functions withont getting into difficulty. Our contemporary, with a zeal that

was ■worth more than ita knowledge of the snbject, championed the Oamaru School Committee's cause by explaining that there are more schools in Oamaru than there are in Port Chalmers and the other places mentioned. As it happens, it is not by the number of schools that the allowance is computed and granted to School Committees, but by the jiumV'r of children. The inability of the Oam.-ru School Committee to meet the current expenses of the schools under their charge as they coulil wish is due to totally different circumstances. At the commencement of its career the Committee were left a legacy of L 135 indebtedness by their predecessors under the old regime, which amount the Committee lias considerably reduced. It will be unnecessary to enlarge upon the injustice of saddling a new committee, charged with certain duties and entrusted with but meagre funds to enable those duties to be performed, with the liabilities of their predecessors, and if the people of Oamaru had refused to undertake the local management of schools under such a condition as that of starting with a millstone about their necks they would have acted wisely. It was the duty of the Board to undertake the responsibility of meeting such old engagements. Again, the Committee, desiring that our children should growup erect in body as well as in mind, and be nosscsscdof all thcmoral,physical, and social advantages which the study and exercise of vocal music bestow, engaged a drill instructor and music master, at an expense of LlOOper r.tmuin. So far n3 we can learn, no other school under the jurisdiction of the Board his been so careful to alike fulfil the provisions of the Act and benefit the children. The Act states distinctly that vocal music and drill must lie taught in schools, and, recognising the fact that although schoolmasters might be able to teach drill, yet there are few of them who are qualified to teach vocal music, the Committee determined to do their utmost to squeeze out of their miserable pittance the salaries of two competent teachers of these branches, hoping, at the same time, that, [ crliaps, the Educa ion Board would eventually relieve tl.em of the responsibility. But when the Committee applied for a refund of moneys expended on what tlicy wry properly viewed as part of the system of education which the Board professes to dispense, they were met with a wail of impecuniosity. The Committee may with propriety feel proud of the position they occupy. It is not their fault that they are short of cash; they are merely custodians for the Board, and, as such, th»y have performed wonders with their wretched allowance. From what we can learn the Committee has resolved to clear oil' the old liability at any cost in order that the} - may be able to enjoy as much as possible under the circumstances the luxury of a clean sheet. Fortunately the debt was not an alarmingly large one, and the Committee have well; otherwise we suppose that by this time the children would have had to dig their way into the schools through filth without receiving any relief from such a pitiable situation from the Board. The impertinence of the Morning Herald is chronic, but it is puerile, ami the Committee will be more amused than annoyed at it.