EDUCATION BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 657, 2 July 1864, Page 5

EDUCATION BOARD.

A special meeting of toe Education Board w»s held in the Government offices on Thursday last. There tvtra present hi-* nouor the Superintended, the Piovbicial fecr^taT, Provincial Treasurer, the Secretary of Public Works, and Mi James Adam.

The Srcretart reported the arrival of the Rev. Frank C. bimmons, head master of the High School, and. that he had entered upoa the performance of hjs duties. He also reported the following appointments to schools since the last report:— Mr. John Biown, to Queenstown school ; Mr»~C. A. Hume, Dunstan ; Rev. Ja*. Cameron, Lake Waipori ; Q. A. Lord, South Dunedin; Edward Ings, Arrowtown ; Donald If unro, Mauipdeo ; Margaret Hamilton, Caversham ; James Orr, Otepopo. These appointments were sanctioned, and a list ordered to be transmitted to the Government.

Communications were read from Dunstan and "Waitabuna, Requesting ah augmentation of the teachers' salaries, and it was resolved, •• That in consideration of the attendance of pupils nt the JDnnstan and schools, the allowance, to each of these teachers be raised trora L 65 to LBO per annum— the inoreased rate of payment to commence onr ttie Ist of July. A memorial wis laid on the table from the «ettlera of life Otepopo district, asking that the district should be formed ioto a separate Kduca,- ' tional District, and stating that in. the meantime they had made arrangements for procuring a temporary Bcnool-fiouse and for maintaining a teacher." They prayed for aid. It was resolved " That the Board are prepared at a future time" favorably to, consider the application for the formation of-ptepopo into an ordinary Educational District, but. in the meantime they will contribute in £i'd of the side school, at the rate of 150 per annum for teacher's salary, and LI 5 as rent for seh6olj-premisee, on condition that at least an equal, amount is contributed by the settlers themselves.

An application was read from inhabitants of Queenstown,' r praying for that township and vicinity beingjmade an Educational distrfot. It was resolved— " That' as the Board are not at present in a position to r provide for the erection of school buildings at Qneenstown, it is expedient to take immediate stepa, for the formation of that locality. into an Educational District, an<l that the memorialists be informed that the Board will be prepared ere long to favorably consider their application ; and the Secretary be, in the meantime, instructed to provide such additional information respecting the district as shall enable the Board to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion respecting "the case." (

& letter was considered from a settler, applybg for a lease or exchsngeof an Educational Reserve in Hawkesbtiry District. It was resolved — '• That the applicant be informed that the Kdu-. cation Board will not bs in a position to dispose of the Education Reserves until the Education Reserves Management, and Leasing Ordinance, 1864, comes into operation." A discussion : took place upon the general subject of leasing.the Education Reserves, and the Secretary was .instructed to draw up a draft scheme, to be 'submitted to a future meeting of the Board. "" "

The Head Master of the High School attended^ •and explained fo^the Board hi* views upon' several matters of importance connected with the efficient carrying on of the workiof the school, and he was instructed to prepare for the Board's consideration a statement of the regulations relating to discipline, entrance qualifications, class arrangements; subjects of study, &c, which he was prepared to recommend as best calculated to promote the usefulness, efficiency, and prosperity of the school. ..

The Seobbtary reported that the recommendations 6t the Board in reference to the Free School for Poor f and Neglected Children, established by Mrs O'Rafferty, had been satisfactorily carried out by the' Government, and that, Ihe building procured from the late Military Barlacks and elected in Bath street, dear the Octagon, had been transformed iutp a most suitable class.room, which was'rpened oh the 16th ultimo, •was now numeroftsly attended; and in an efflcient and flourishing, .condition, under the charge of Miss Connolly;,, The meeting asrreed to, make some^ recommendations to the ' Government respecting the payment of sundry accounts in connection with this school.

The Board took under consideration the provisions contained; in- the ninth clause of the New Education Ordinance, 1864. relating fo the duty imposed upon^ them to fix and determine the minimum rates of. school fees to be charged in all schools receiving r aid from the Board, Keßolved—".That' the minimum rate of fees to becharged at jtbe. three district schools of Dun«din shall be~Por English reading .alone, 5a per quarter ; for reiading, writing, and arithmetic, 8i par quarter ; for, reading, with history anJ ! freography, grammar, and collateral branches, 12s per quarter ; and that the minimum rates to be charged at all the other elementary schools connected with. the,. Board shall be— For, English, leading alone^s, pep .quarter; for "Wading, writing, and apthmetip ? , 12s per" quarter j for reading, with History, geography, grammar, and collateral branches, Ifisiperijuarter; for mathematics and dassips-suqh additional jfee, as the respective Schijb} wmn^ttees, shall determine, and that the rates pt fees; to! , be 'fixed by the several School' 1 Cbmmitfee's/ in accordance with the foregoing rates, shall lie charged for,.and on account of, the first. enfire> quarter which shall' commence after- ,the, 31st of July next. -It was further resolved- li tba£ the Secretary be'instructed to furnish the .various School Committees with a copyw -the foregoing^ rates f of schobl feea, and to bring under, rthelr notice .the power conferred on tbem.by^the latter portion pf the 23rd clause of $ie new ordinance, to remit the whole or any portion of the "ordinary school" fees uncertain cases; 'and to inform them, that in the opinion of the Board this power isintended to be exercised in thoge cases only where the parents or guardians of any scholars are nndoubtedly unable' to pay the • ordinary fate ' of fees : and that : ttie Secretary be further' instructied* to inform the different School^CAmraittees'tha't the Board wi^l be prepared to favorably consider any reasonable' proposal that maj.be made .by any,School'Oomh mittee for the rQ-adjustment of, the rate of salary , at present payable to their ieaclifir.or teachers, in the event of its? being considered that th J e proviaons of the new 'Education Ordinance, relaijng'to^ fiohoolfees, reudet' such re-fldjustment defirable and necessary."^/- ,: t f , ,; * ( J7 !•■ Arrangementsj^jsre! made for. the carryinff on, of the works in wnneciaog'wftfohioojs'for which money had been 1 voted 'by the Pr6V'inoiaf" tConu«al, namely, the High School, and the schools of

North, Middle, and gouth Dunedin, Port Chalmers, Green Island, and Lawrence After the transaction of some other business of no general ir,teres% the meeting adjourned nne die,