EDUCATION BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 1957, 23 May 1889, Page 14

EDUCATION BOARD.

■ , The , ordinary , meeting, of ■ the Education , Board was held on the 16th, there beingipresent : ' Messrs H. Clark (chairman), J. Fulton, M.H.R., J. M'Kenzie, M.H.R., J. Green, J. Macgregor, M.' 'Fraer, J. W. Jago, the Hon. T. Dick, and Dr fiislop.

MINU-TBS. ' ' ' ' The Chaibman stated that the board had sat 'so 'late ion the previous day that there' had not

been time to write up the minutes. ■ Mr M'Kenzib objected to this way oS, doing i , things, and asked that the minutes be read, because he wished to enter his, protest against the partial manner in which the appointments were made yesterday. , „ , », i , The Chaibman ruled thajt Mr M^Kenzie was not in order in making a protest against' anything that wag donel Even if the riiinutes were .before the' board the question would bp simply,, whether the minutes were correct. " ' ! ;: ' Mr M'KJENzrH 1 said it was usufdl with other 1 bodies with which he wajs connected to consider protests before the minutes- were confirmed ; but he must accept the chairman's ruling, and take another opportunity of bringing forward his protest. ; . < , • .- ; , Mr Fbabb .thought the ruling of the chairman was quite right* „-, , „ „ „ , Mr Gbbbn said that this was a very irregular discussion. Certain statements had been made which certainly ought hot to remain where they ■were, and it was important 'for the bdafrd to determine whether this was an adjourned nieetIng or another ' meeting of the board! ■ His circular did not say that only committee work' was to be taken yesterday. Mr M'Kenzie .'had raised two very important questions: whether ■ this Was another .meeting! of the board, and, whether the minutes of a meeting of, the, .board , should not be .read before the business was pro-, ceeded with. „, , . Mi?' Macgbbgob said that to his m|nd,it;was perfectly clear that this waa one meeting extending over two, days! The Chairman ruled that to-day^'.wag a separate me'etirig from that ol yesterday. v ( j ■It was 1 here suggested that the secretary should read the draft > minutes, andthis having been done, the minutes were confirmed.' ' Mr M'Kbhzxb said he would now move the adjournment of the board in order, to .give members an opportunity oorf r discussing the remarks, he was about to make. He, .wished to express the opinion, as to the appointments made at yesterday's meeting, that a great deal of pajtiality was shown, and that injustice was done. One applicant was punished for his religious views— — ... i The Chaibman did not like "to call! Mr M'Keiizie to order, but would ask him if he thought it desirable to bring these matters before the public. , Mr M'Kbnzib : If I am not allowed to; say anything about your action yesterday I may as well sit down. It appears to me that when we are in committee members make insinuations about character that they are afraid to make in, public. , , ,■, •• ; ; , , Several members interrupted, and asserted that no insinuations were made at fcttfl meeting as to anyone's character. ' , ( Dr Hislop objected to any member making statements whic.n, were, in opposition" to fact. He wad at yesterday's Weetingduring the' whole of the sitting,' and did not hear any reflections on any candidate's character or religious views. • Mr M'Kbnzib said he would withdraw What he had Baid in reference to religious views, j Dr Hrsmp insisted that Mr M'Kenzie should ; i fcbuolutely withdraw his statement, , He, would leave it to any member present to say, , whether at Wednesday* meeting there was a single' word said that could be construed into a reflection oh any 'candidate's charaoter or religious

withdrawn' his statement 1 in reference to religious views, but' he would 1 challenge , any member at the tables to say that remarks, as „ to character were not made at.thjsboajrdata meeting held a month ago. .Another thing that he had.to.cqmplain of was that at Wednesday^ \ meeting, when the testimonials of one candidate j were being read,' four members of, the board-^ j Messrs Fulton, Fraer, Jago, and Pipk—left the , room and did not hear what was contained in the testimonials, but returned in time id rp.te.' 1 ' not unusual for members to return to the House only just in time to vote. How long were the members referred to absent from the room? Perhaps they had seen the testimonials before- ; Mr M'Kbnzib said that was one of the things he complained of, that members should, go to the room before the meeting and read, testimonials privately. He es a country member had to wait until the meeting; and it was both irregular and unfair to teachers that othe* members shoald do this. He considered that yesterday's proceedings were neither proper nor right, and must enter bis protest. • i Mr DicK : You hive apt moved anything. ! Mr M'KENziB 1 ; Weil, I nwvb the adjournment o! the board. ' ' ' Mr D«3K seconded the motion py/> fprm', and, on its being negatived, the board proceeded With ■ the business. - &ESIGNATIOHS. ' ( The following resignations were accepted :— i Margaret Nicol, head tescher, Waitahuna Westj Annie Darton, mistress, Wetherstbnes; Margaret ' T. Donald^ mistress, Sandymovaat; Jphn Dafeger, (relieving teacher J Amelia E. Sayjey, head teacb.ee, Te Hauka. ' '^pPOINTMBSfIS. ' ' ' ' j The 'following appointments , were made:—' Alek.'S. Malcolm', head teacher, 1 Kelstf ;' Johanna ! Fraser, head 1 teacher, 1 Kuri 3ushj ©la ReithiJ head teacher, Tokoraki; Jano Kinder, head 4 teacher, Eouad Hill.;. Annie Dartoai .mistress, Pakeuri; Margaret F. Donald; mistress,- Sawyers' Bay; Margaret Niool, , mistress, Walta-, huna; John -Dagger, fourth assistant, Union street; James A. ValeA^, tibird .assistant, North-Elast Valley ; ,' John rH, .Henqersoni third aßsisteh't;- KJeWington ; BffleM. F, Bftorgwj, pupil teacher, Green Isiaft'd; Arinie' Boyd, pupa teaoher, Kaikorai ;"D. JB. Hutton, assiatant, Soh'Ool of Art> Eobert Cahill, pupil teacher, j School of Arfc. > ■■ • > • The Kelso Sohool Committee, in forwarding their recommendation, expressed their dissatisfaction at the inclusion of Mr Farnie'a name in ifche .list of applicants sent to the committee to tthe exclusion of Mr John B. Grant. Mr M'Keiwjie thought that some notice Should be taken of this letter. The chairman of the committee was a Presbyterian minister, and he (Mr M'Kenzie)- objected to the! board being dictated to in this way. 1 '' ' • ' "i&b's junction. 1 \ , A new election of a school committee for Rae's Junction was ordered, on the .ground, tjh.at ' eeveral persons voted at the last election wh,q were not householders, . ,', , ' . ''•'•' ' ""' ALBANY' STBBM." '„ ' ,', ' ,> "'Mr Daniel Smith wrote claiming that the, - election of the Albany street School Coipmittee was illegal, on the ground that pbrsons' voted '. -Who were not householders in the district and -who had po children attending the sohool.' '\ '• '' ■r l A letter was also read from tthe chairman, of •the school committee stating that Mr Morgan, «Bphalter, voted although he had no qualifier

'Mr MAOOEHaoR'sSid it seemed MmjthaJHf > there was't^asbnable' ground 'for believing tp»t the informah'ty was such as td' affect the reiolt of the election,' it^woQld be the duty of jthd board to interfere/ bat that .otherwise,tta bdard , should, not interfere with the leleotipn. Unless the board adopted, some such principle as this there ,^ould, be n^uch, difficulty^in .dealing. With the cases brbnght before them. . . , , Mr . ClaM remarked that .• Mr ,/Ftedno, whose election had been objected to,,w;as at; the, top of the polli and it was hardly likely thai^ his' election would B^ 'affected b^ the 1 informality complained of. >v '■ . "- ' 1 The 1 SEdBBTAiiT 1 said that it was not jMr FredricV election that was objected- to, j but the 'election as-a whole.!" . > *■• i . Mr Fumon said that the' evidence) p^ut before, them; did not show that it the persons Who ihad> voted improperly had not voted the election woujd have been different., ,r, •, „, »;> \ MrMACQ^iGpM moved—-" That the ejection, be flustaiuedy^and tte motion carried^unanimously. ' '.'!"",'' , ', '" . ; ' '• J " ' "" ' , yA'iipfesTOitf.' , ', ' " ■' ' A J pei}itiori was' received from Hons'eholdeiis'at Palmerstoh against the recent school committee ■election there for the 1 District High School. The board were asked to set the election ajsid^ on several grounds, the principal bf which yreve that the chairman of. the meetibghad taken the chair after being proposed and seconded, 'and without the meeting voting on the, question; that the chairman wa&Joimself a candidate,! and that insufficient ,care w&s^aken in the^ist^a; tion and' collection of voting papers. > Mr Fulton moved—" That the board sees no reason .to interfere.^ j Mr Feabe' seconded th'Q motion, ,as ( he cbuld' not see any reason' 'why the board should be called upon to' teake ih inc(uiry. '; " i - ' Mr jAGO^said he had been at a goodn^any meetings 1 of householders for the eleotioii of school committees,! and that againstnearly all of them the sameobjectiods might be Iraised as had been raised in the, present instance,! It ; was almost impossible if there was a fu{l meeting to tell who i were really, qualified to rote, and the' .only' practical way was to, state the qualification and leave'it'lK)' the, honour of those, present not 'to 'vote if tliey were not qualified." It !was better, he'^h'ought,' that' one or, two who were ' not .qualified to vote 'should vote rather than that 1 any Who Were entitled to vote should be deprived of the privilege. The motion was adopted mm, 'dist ' ' < - ' TV* KAIXOBAI SCHOOL. ' ' | Mr D. M'Lauchlan wrote asking theboard to sift the charges made against him by members of the.Kaikorai School staff. His letter con* eluded as follows:*-" As members of the board may assert that this .matter has, already been sifted' in thejnquiry of, 1888, 1 may, state jthat the school committee had not then, .received a copy of the charges, a,bd that t have not received a copy to this day. In justice to all concerned, I trust that the board 1 will fully sift the whole matter." , ' ■"'•!' Mr Fbabb: We have gone sufficiently into: this case before, and I think we should minute that the letter be received. >•" ' ' >' t TJais was;agre,ed to. . • ! • Mr.M'^auchlan.alfiO forwarded' a.j statement showing that the standing of, the Kaikorai School compares favourably, with the board's bestj schools, and that, as' in fp'rmer years, its "place "is in the front rank of tHe' utago schbols. The, writer concluded as follows:— "In the 1 light of the' factg revealed by the board's : last" report, it is impossible to justify 1 thet tr^eatmeht I have deceived from the 'board, atid I!ndw re- 1 spectfully ask some redress. After nearly 25 years of faithful and successful work I have been deprived of! my position and practically shut but from employment elsewhere), fpr no cause which., the board can mentipß;i I have applied for, appointments in Qtago and elsewhere ; for the past nine mon&ns without success, anp.l, now^ppeal to r the boaroi for justice. 'v \ ' THis'commtinitiation was also minuted as re'deived. ' • „ . , , i„, '" " ' '*• ' ■ t>AttAKO"SOETS." '' *" 1V " , ',' " Thomas Reid Complained . that children) had been kept tod! long in sohdol;aßd asked for an inquiry into the matter.— Referred to. the ?ommittee. • .. ; - •■ '•■••. '•••( >•-, ;"' , , . . MACANDBBW BOAD. , Mr Hilgendorf wrote aalf jng to be allowed to peruse the, notes of the evidence v taken by the ' sub-committee ai the recent inquiry.' ' .; Mf M'KiNai mov'ed'that the request be complied witii,' '" ' ■'.'•■•' . Mr' Jaqo thougiifcthe boatdhad done ample justice in this case, and should not offer any facilities for the prosecution of an action. He ' would move that the request be declined. The amendment was carried ; Mr M'Kenzie voting against it. '■<.•,„ KAIKOBAI Vt4TQXOVm>S. ; , The Kaikorai, Committee asked for assistance towards , asphalting the grounds and fitting up the house for the janitor. On the motion, of Mr Jago, it was resolved that £15 be granted towards the cost of asphaltmg'&e'arounds: ,'• ' * ' £TEBUBN DIGGINGS'. ' - , v , 'A. letter was received from residents at Kyg* burn diggings stating 'that tna teacher in the ; district had been nominated as one of the committee, and that as he had refused to stand out the other people proposed had declined to Btand.' An expression of opinion from the board was requested as to, the conduct of the teacker in insisting upon being a member pf committee. Mr Maqgbegob. thought that any teaoherj who took up such a'poßition showed^, great .want of sense, and move^'That, the ;eQcr'etaryb|e instructed to inform' the teacher that the board considers that'nb tgacher shbulii offer 1 himself as a' candidate for a "school committee.'' Dr Hiscqp seconded moti^n^whiphwai, carried without) discussion. - . . , : ?obt ohaucbbs, ' '-, The rector of the District High School at Port Chalmers requested that the Appointments Comm^Pi in,seleoting names of candidates for l the fourth as^ijfcwjjbsjiip,' would bear in 1 mind' that the' person' appoliiied fhpnld be able tp teaoh fiiriging. 1 ' ' .-.*•".--, ••'"....■ Mr M'Rbkztb moved, and ib was iSftrrfed-" (( Thai; £ copy ,> of J the better >of the head master . of the Fort jGhaljtgers school bo this board, dated May ' 14, referring t0 tfce appointment of, a, fourth > assistant to that ftbhool, be < for" warded to the Port Chalmers Schopi Grim* mittee, so as to give them an opportunity of expressing their opinion aa to the views^ of the head master on th# appointment." This letter had come before the' board in a rather irregular way,' and this was the first time he had. known of a head teacher taking upon himself to advise the board as to what candidate should be selected. To his mind the whole' Shatter o looked' ratherT suspioiousi and he thought- i^-was onlyrighb the committee should have an Opportunity of cxi /pressing.their opiniop.i--ir <! -j;- it Mr , Fbaeb i also, thought th.c fetter, had been irregular, and. thai, no noti»e t ß^pu^d beta^k^n of it. Hft eeiib^ded the mp^pn.^Carried. I; ; ; ' ' \ piGs affipo±pffpnm&x - , ' The qu^rly'repprtsfrpm^High, Schools' on ttie' progress Tof pupils" holding Education, Board -icholawhips were received, and severtl inenibMo pf the boArd e 1 x^re«i*s thetoiel ves diiappointedlivlt^ thft'repdrt'firomithe Boys* Hi^h Boliool,aait W»of amwgrpoha^ter. ii ' ?<» Mr Jaoo moved, and it wm resolvea^Biat the High Schools Board be requested to hitruct

'tbe J rfebtot of the' Boys' High School to fart i*h detailed quarterly' reports conoerning the faro* gross,! &c, of the holders' r of Education Board Doholarfihip^ such aa are furnished' to parentis of pupils attendinjftthe High School, andcthat .this board cannoti»nsjder such reports a3 private." ! , A letfcer f wfls received Sir fy,S,fcqu,t;,rWho, aVcha,i' r an of, the Education.and Science court of the New 'Zealand and'SbuthSeas Exhjbition. asked for the assistance of the board; m pro/cunngpriniarV.'scKadreiMbits^ 1 ' 'lM <r ' ''■' On" the* motion s : bf Mr' FblbA, the 1 chairman of the board jthb! H6n. T: Dick,>Dr-Hislo'p,!and Mr Jigb' were appointed a' committee 1 to con* sider and repbrb oa(the<niatter> referred to in, the letter.!. ,- ; *■'< *1 ! U .-•• lf •■• iv i .-•<.> f i,, .'- , . ...-ACCOtmTS.'; ; • , ', '■ , ''• Accounts amounting to £$564 7s 2d were passed for payr^ent, , < t , t y .. ,, „., ' „ „-.,., !f«r?pßi ( 0$ MOTIOT. , ( , ; yiiS Mr M'Kjbnhb gayq notice, of tb,e following motion:— "So as" to* prevent in justice t» applicanty for posmons' in'the TVe'ryice'of the b'dara,' that the resolutions of'tne bdaxd'i/ass^d on! the 20th' of March ri the appointriieiit'oP teachers and curtailing 1 tha'ntinitife'r bf applicants to be' forwarded to ConlniitttJe^bb rev&ked:" j r ! >Mr Jaoo will move at next meeting^-'f That a ' committee, consisting of ' Dr Hislop, Mr • Maogregor» Mr Green, and. (the movejr* be appointed to confer with theiinspeotors.and report? as. to; whether any alter aljion.ia deairable;or • possible in the present method of selecting and appointing pupil teachers.^ ,/''-. .j • , " „ . * I The board then went iijto. committee. , :