WELLINGTON EDUCATION BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11795, 26 July 1900, Page 5

WELLINGTON EDUCATION BOARD.

(Per United Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, July 25.

At the Education Board meeting the chairman (Mr Blair) said they had a debit balance of £3936 for maintenance and £1513 on the building .account, with liabilities of £1974—a total on the- wrong side of £7424. He referred to the falling off in the attendance, last quarter being 380 less than the previous one, but ho could not account for it. A discussion on this 'subject elicited various opinions as to the cause, the weather, prevalence of holidays lately, and the removal of children to Catholic and private schools all being blamed. A metion -was unanimously carried that the chairman be authorised ■to draft a circular giving three months' notice of 'contemplated reductions in the teaching staff and salaries in excess, and impressing upon committees and teachers the advisability of securing increased attendances at school to obviate the necessity for drastic measures. A report from the Technical School, Committee was adopted, requesting that, in the absence of provision by the State for technical education, three months' notice be given of the discontinuance of. the cookery classes. The ouestion of continuing the other branches was postponed. A schedule was presented, showing that in all £881 10s per annum was being paid to teachers in excess of the scale allowance, and £1490 in excess of the staff. Against, this 16 teachers are paid £335 too little.