Education Board.

Opunake Times, Volume IV, Issue 178, 17 March 1896, Page 3

Education Board.

The Education Board met on Wednesday. Present : —Miss Heywood, Messrs Bauchope (chairman), Hill, Faull, Adlam, Mackay, Allsworth and Wade. The Committees’ votes for the election of three members to the Board were declared, Messrs Adlam, Hill and Wade being returned. Full particulars were published on Friday. Major Parris and the Chairman were appointed the Board’s representatives on the School Commissioners Board.

The Chairman’s action was approved and confirmed in the following instances : —Granting Mrs Martin, of Fitzroy School, a week’s leave of absence, and appointing Miss Mynott to temporarily till the vacancy at £2 a week; in appointing Miss Hodder temporary teacher at Bird Eoad at £2 a week as from March 1 ; and in appointing Mr Hills temporary teacher at Oakura at £2 a week as from April 1. The Architect reported on work completed, and work in progress. The Board decided to contribute a sum not exceeding £3 towards replacing the worn out oven at the Okato residence.

The resignations of Mr G. Everiss Oakura School, to take effect on March 31, and Miss Lucy Chapman, Egmont School, to take effect shortly, were received and accepted. Mr F. H. Pennington was appointed teacher at Bird Road.

Mr E. Veale was appointed auditor for the School Committee’ accounts for 1895 at a salary of £8 Bs. The Chairman’s annual report was presented, read and adopted, and the thanks of the Board were awarded to the Chairman for the preparation thereof. The report shows that the attendance of members was as follows : —Miss Hcywood, 25 ; Messrs Bauchope, 23 ; Adlam, 24 ; Ambury, 23 ; Fault, 25 ; H : il, 23 ; Mackay, 23 ;

Wade, 22. (Mr Allsworth’s name was omitted]. The Board held 23 ordinary and 2 special meeting. There were 62 schools open at the beginning of the year, viz., Stanley Road and Ngariki. The number of teachers in tbe Board’s employ at tbe end of last year was 123, being an increase of 10 on the previous year, classified as follows :—43 males, 81 females. There were 24 bead teachers 31 sole teachers, 15 assistants, 28 pupil teachers, 26 sewing. The payment of teachers is a source of constant anxiety to the Board. The scale of salaries has been revised from time to time, so that all the money that can be spared from other necessary purposes may be devoted to this object. The average number of pupils on tbe roll in 1885 was 2263, and 8769 in 1895, an increase of 1506. The greater part of the increase was in the newly settled districts. Two thirds of the schools now open were carried on at a loss, and the Board would respectfully urge on the Minister the nenecessity of making an additional capitation grant to bush districts, which are being rapidly settled in small holdings. An additional 6s per head would enable the Board to cope with the progress of settlement. The attendance for the year shows an increase of 182, the number on the roll for the quarter ended December 31 being 3769 as compared with 8637 for the corresponding quarter of 1894. The average attendance had risen from 67 per cent in 1885 to 76 per cent in 1895. The report then dealt at length with buildings, scholarships, committees, inspection, manual and technical education, and finance. With regard to the last named the report stated that the income of the Board from all sources, including the balance of £1929 12s from last year, was £15,326 12s sd; and the expenditure was £12,587 18s lid, leaving a credit balance of £2738 18s 6d, against which there were appropriations and liabilities to very near a similar amount.—Herald.