EDUCATION BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23219, 17 June 1937, Page 13

EDUCATION BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING TERMINATION OF MILK SUPPLIES “ That Is a strong charge to make,” commented the chairman of. the Otago Education Board (Mr James Wallace) at the monthly meeting of the board yesterday when the report of the Normal School Advisory Committee included a copy of a letter forwarded to the Civic Milk Committee protesting against the termination of supplies of milk in the'meantime. While it was stated that the stoppage was due to lack of supplies, the letter stated, the committee was strongly of the opinion that sufficient milk was available and that the stoppage was due to the action of the contractors in failing to pay the price at which the milk was available, Mr D. C. Cameron: I am on the committee, but this is the first time I have heard that charge. If it is well founded, there certainly should be an inquiry. There was no further discussion. The meeting was attended by Messrs Wallace, Cameron, D, T. Fleming, W, Cooper, E. Morgan, D. Marshall and W. D. Sutherland. The board approved August 5 and 6 as the dates for the election of managers of the Technical School and parents’ representatives respectively, and reappointed Mr Sutherland as its representative. OPOHO SCHOOL Advice was received from the department that a grant had been approved for the erection of a school at Opoho. “This decision is very satisfactory,” remarked Mr Cameron. “It is long overdue, and it will be appreciated by the Opoho residents,” —lt was decided to invite tenders immediately. ' SUBSIDIES GRANTED The application of the committee of the Tokomairiro District High School for assistance ip forming a path to the dental clinic, the cost of which was estimated at £7 4s, was granted. It was decided to meet half the expense. A similar decision was made when the Henley Committee asked for assistance in installing a new type of electric heater which circulates heated air. The cost installed would be about £l2 15s. The architect (Mr A. B. Welch) reported that the hot-air stoves for which the Cromwell District High School Committee applied in place of the stoves at present in use would cost about £l3 each installed. It was decided to supply the stoves provided the committee contributed £3 toward the cost of each, according to the usual custom. The architect was authorised to act in regard to the Purekireki Committee’s application for assistance in erecting an iron fence to serve as a breakwind. An offer of £5 toward the cost of the removal of a shelter shed (£3O) was received from the Miller’s Flat Committee and accepted. ARCHITECT’S • RECOMMENDATIONS The architect’s report on works completed and in progress was received, and' Mr Cameron congratulated him both on the quantity and the quality of the work. The architect recommended repairs and, renovations to the Tarras, Oamaru North, Henley and Maori Hill Schools. The Tarras application was for a wash-hand basin in the bathroom of the schoolhouse and the painting of the bathroom and kitchen, the architect’s estimate being £6 and £7 respectively. A new type of concrete wash-hand basin was recommended for Oamaru North and decided upon, the estimated cost being £ll. The Henley head teacher applied for the renovation of the kitchen and sitting room, the work "being estimated to cost £lO 10s, and the Maori Hill application was for a renewal of the furniture in the teachers’ room. The architect reported that the furniture was now 18 years old add that to renovate and renew it where necessary would cost about £2O. An application from the head teacher at Awamoko for improvements and renovations to the residence was held over until a decision was made concerning the site of the new school. • The Upper Junction teacher was granted material to make a roadway into the garage, at an estimated cost of £6.

Renovations at Kaitangata were approved, and an application for electric light in the Maheno School was granted along with applications for a shelter shed at Lindis Pass and renovations to the schoolhouse at Green Island.

The Musselburgh Committee applied for the asphalt area at the school to be laid in concrete, the work to come under the public works scheme. The architect estimated the cost at £SOO As this particular scheme was for new work only, he added, the question arose whether the proposal would not be regarded as maintenance.—lt was decided to refer the matter to the department to see if it would come under the public works scheme. The Balclutha Committee asked for the building of porches at the school, but the architect recommended that the corridors be partitioned off with doors, which would be more effective than porches and would cost £25 against £65 for porches. The architect’s recommendation was adopted. The architect was instructed to report on the condition of the Hawea Flat schoolhouse, an application having been received for a new residence.

In reply to the board’s request for a third room at the Teaneraki School, .the department advised its opinion that the newer portion of the old building could be used for the accommodation of the children in excess of the two new classrooms until such time as the matter of further accommodation could be considered. —It was decided that a sketch should be prepared and the despartment asked to provide a third ropm.

GROUND IMPROVEMENTS

Advice was received from the department that it approved of the board carrying out ground improvement work at the following schools,

for which plans and specifications had been prepared by the architect: —Clinton, Glenomaru, Kahuika, Katea, M'Lennan, Otanomomo, Otekura, Stuarts, Romahapa, Waiwera, Purekireki, Warepa, Tarara, Southbridge, Owaka Valley, Waitahuna, Tokomairiro District High School, Lawrence District High School, Tahakopa, and Kurow District High School. Purekireki, Tarara and Owaka Valley were not Included in the original list, but had been substituted for schools on the original list where little or no expenditure was necessary. NORTH OTAGO SCHOOLS

The board considered a report from members who had visited North Otago. As far as the recommendations generally were concarried, it was decided to instruct the architect to carry out all urgent repairs. Decisions were arrived at on work at Awamoko, Duntroon, Shag Point, Totara, Weston and Windsor, and the other recommendations were held over for a month. GENERAL

A petition was received from nine residents of Tokarahi protesting against the closing of their school. * The secretary was instructed to inform them that the board acted > on the committee’s recommendation, which in this case was in favour of consolidation. . The parents of 20 pupils in the Moneymore district, 14 of whom attend Southbridge and six the Tokomairiro District High School forwarded a request for a conveyance service.—lt was decided to consult the Southbridge committee. Acting on a suggestion from the Pine Hill Committee that as the contractors for the 39 houses on Liberton Township had made a start, it should consider the erection of two additional classrooms at the school, the board decided to make application to the department for a grant. The secretary of the North Otago sub-branch of the N.Z.E.I. wrote asking the board to arrange a refresher course on the first Saturday and Monday of the spring vacation. There were 31 to 35 teachers who would attend.—lt was decided to arrange a course as suggested. TEACHERS’ RESIGNATIONS

The following teachers’ resignations were accepted:—Head teacher —Arthur G. Palmer (Naseby); sole teachers —Matilda E, MacLaren (Moonlight), Allan R. Howie (Mount Cargill), Hannah M. C. Cohen (Popotunoa), Adrian. T. Lonie (Wedderburn); assistants—Edith M. Brown (Caversham), Jane K, M’Crae (Forbury), Daniel Hartstonge (Kaikorai); Albert E. Coumbe (Kaikorai), Elizabeth E. James (Dunedin Normal), Margaret J. Richardson (Oamaru North), Ellen F. Robertson (Oamaru Hospital), Charles H. Taylor (St. Clair), Alice J. Borthwick (Warrington). APPOINTMENTS The following appointments were confirmed: —Head teacher—Charles H. Taylor at Kaitangata; sole teachers—Richard Seddon at Lauder Railway, Arthur K. Smith at Merino Downs; Veda J. M‘Ahan at Waihemo, and Adrian T. Lonie at Wairuna; assistants —Margaret J. Richardson at Miller’s Flat, Margarita I. Brown at Brighton, Edith M. Brown at Oamaru North, Celia H. Newman at Papakaio and Alice E. L. Benfell at Warrington; additional assistant— Nelson A. Napier at Palmerston D.H. The transfer of Douglas S. Deacon from Dunedin North Intermediate to Kaikorai.