UNION STREET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8791, 29 April 1890, Page 4

UNION STREET.

The meeting of householders in fchis district was attended by nearly 200 persons, and Mr J. h. Gillies (chairman of tho retiring committee) presided. The report (already published) was adopted. The Chairman mentioned, in regard to the play shed, that the amount expended on it represented the accumulations of several years. It was first started with a sum of £50, and £30 was added last year, and when tho fund reached £100 tbe board, according to promise, provided the balance required to build the shed. A number of substantial forms had been constructed by the janitor, aud the building Wuuld comfortably seat about 600 persons. It had been suggested that during the winter months they might by a series of entertainments provide funds to farther improve the shed, which would be found convenient for public meetings, &c, and allow of the school premises proper being devoted strictly to schoo! purposes. The filters tbat had been provided had proved a source of great benefit. The school had been singularly free during the past summer season from epidemics or illnesses, and for his own part he attributed that to the filter,). The committee were entitled to a considerable amount of credit for providing them, and the children had been gettiDg during the summer something like a gallon of puro drinking water per head during that period. Tho ouly unpleasant thing iv tho report was the low state of tho funds at the disposal of the committee. Tho latter regretted equally with many people who took an interest in the school that they had not been able through waut of funds to carry out the improvements to a larger extent, and with as much expedition as they could have wished. The present condition of the school aud the grounds bore evidence to the fact that if the progress had been slow it had at all events been sure and in the right direction.—(Applause.) He mentioned that tlie school had been successful in gaining a junior scholarship at this year's examinations under the board.

Mr John Mathews congratulated the chairman on the lucidity of his statement, and on the truthful statement that tho oommittee hai presented, He would not hava spoken had it not been for the fact that he had seen it in print that to tho outgoing committeo belonged the credit of making tho improvements mentioned in the report. As an old committeeman of four years' standing he felt very raupl; hurt

on reading such a misstatement. The fuiid for the shed had been raised by successive committees and placed at interest. As to the macrocarpa hedge, that was initiated more than two years ago, aud the credit of it was due to Mr Gillies. He (Mr Mathews) had no hesitation in saying that Mr Gillies had done more for the school than any other man who had ever sat ou the committee.—(Applause.) He moved the adoption of the report. Mr John Reid seconded. Mr Sheewin called attention to the anomaly of two balance sheets having to be preparedone at tho end of December for the board ; tho other at tho end of the current quarter. The incoming committee should endeavour to havo au end put to this state of things. Mr ConEN said tbis was not the only anomaly in the act that those who daily administered it were desirous of removing, In eucceiisive sessions and in successive Parliaments Major Steward had introduced an amending bill which had invariably paseed the representative chamber, but met wiih no favour at the hands of the Lords. The anomaly referred to by Mr Sherwin had been brought under Major Steward's notice by the City and Suburban Schoojs' Conference, and Major Steward last year attempted to cure it, but the Lords would not accept tho bill. He hoped that the nominee chamber would provo more amenable to reason this session. Mr Jackson, as a treasurer, said it was necessary that this reform should be carried out without delay. As it was, "cooked" accounts for four months could easily be presented to the householders' meeting. In answer to questions, the Chairman said that the board's allowance to this committee was £83 a year. The attendance bad been looking up a good deal of late, and if that were continued their grant would of course be increased. The act was rather loosely worded, but he understood_ that it had been generally accepted that residents in tho school district, together with parents or guardians of all children attending the school, were i ntitled to vote for members of committee. He invited'gentlemen interested in the school to look over their libraries and see if they could spare some of their volumes which would ba very useful in school, but which had outgrown their purposes for household reading. In this way the usefulness of the library could be much increased for the benefit of the scholars and no real loss to the donors. Eleven gentlemen were nominated, and Messrs Sherwin, Horder, and Mathews were appointed scrutineers. The voting resulted as follows :— 1. 2. 3 4. 5. 6. 7. Voters. Total.. Selby ... 13 4 1 - _ - 22 42 - 184 Shelton... 0 6 4 4 2 18 34 — lie Cohen ... 18 11 5 3 - - 7 44 _no 1 Heenan... 15 5 9 3 - - 4 :o — 92 , M'Laren 13 4 8 - -'- 3 28 -69 Swan ...18 4-95 - - 2 38—87 > Gillies ... 23 9 7 1 - - - 39-65 . Uutliio... 22 2 2 3 - - 1 30-61 Sneddon 6212--4 15—49 • Jackson 14 1 2 1 - - 2 20—40 : The Chairman declared Messrs Selby, Shel- , ton, Cohen, Heenan, M'Laren, Swsn, and Gillies , duly elected. The first meeting of the commit- > tee takes place on Friday night. i Votes of thanks were passed to the retiring . committee, the scrutineers, and the chairman.