SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2056, 20 July 1893, Page 17

SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the School Commissioners of Otago, held on Tuesday, was attended by Messrs J. P. Maitland (chairman), J. Walker Bain, A. Baldey, J. Green, and W. Dallas.

Consideration was given as to the mode of disposing of sections 33 and 1, 2, 3, of block LVII, Takatimo, and it was decided, on the motion of Mr Bain seconded by Mr Gbeen, that as no reply Jiad been received from the secretary of the Education department to the commissioners' letter of June 22, leases be granted to Messrs R. Campbell and Sons for a term of seven years at the rents at which the leases were sold at auction.— An amendment moved by Mr Baxdbv and seoonded by Mr Dajms, in the following terms, was lost :-— "That an urgent telegram be sent to the Government stating that the commissioners are now sitting and have under consideration the matter of Messrs R. Campbell and Sons' leases, and as the commissioners' letter, dated 220 d ult., may have been overlooked, request a reply, seeing that the commissioners will deal with the leases before rising to-day ."— Messrs Baldey and Dallas voted for the amendment, and Messrs Bain, Green, and the chairman for the motion. A memo, was reoeived from the Secretary of the Otago Education, Board applying to have seotion 181, block' 11, Papakaio, set apart as a school site. — It was resolved that no objection be offered to the section being set apart, provided the Education Board make arrangements with the present tenant of the Bame. The Commissioners agreed to accept surrender of section 2 of 65, blook X, Oamaru district, and to re-offer it for lease by auction at an upset of' 10a per acre, providing that the tenant deposits the cost of advertising the sale, &o. ' A memo, was read from the Education department calling attention to a proclamation.

in the Gazette of June 22, bringing part of run 259, block 111, Wcndon, under the operation of the Mining Reserves Act.— Received. A letter was received from the Education department asking particulars as to the circumstances under which the commissioners set aside section 1, block XXI, Falmerston, as a school site, and for the grounds on which they considered it suitable for that purpose.— The Secretary stated that he had replied that the land had been so dealt with at the request of the Otago Education- Board and on the recommendation of the Hon. John M'Kenzie, who was then a member of the board for that district.

The Secretary of the Land Board wrote that the board had agreed to the.deduction of 8a 2r 35pfrom part of section 8, block XI, Greenvale, for the purpose of a school site.— Received..

It was agreed to extend the lease of section 7, block XV, Maungatua district, from the Ist of October to the 30th of April next. Mr M 'Donald, the commissioners' agent at) Invercargill, reported that he had advertised certain leases to be letbyauotionat Invercargill on August 5 next.— The report was received. Mr M'Donald forwarded a letter from Mr F. M. Duncan on the subject of irrigating some land at Marekura. — It was resolved to reply that the commissioners could not see their way under present circumstances to undertake the work of irrigating the block, but when there was sufficient population to secure the establish* meat of a local authority, the commissioners would probably consider any proposal to sub* sidise a scheme of irrigation.

Mr M'Donald's report was read as regards certain tenants in arrears with rents. — It was decided to cancel two of the leases, while consideration of the others was adjourned tor -a month.

! Mr M 'Donald forwarded a letter from the lessee of section 1, block 111, Tuturau, objecting to the clauses in the leases prohibiting more than one "white crop" being raised without the intervention of two " green crops" during the last four years of the term ; also objecting to the clause in the lease providing that all straw and manure grown and made on the land during the last year of the term be left on the land without valuation. — The commissioners decided to reply that they could not make any alteration in existing leases, which could have been inspected before or at the time of the sale.

The Secretary laid on the table a tabulated statement giving particulars of the securities' held by the commissioners on mortgage. The Secretary also laid on the table a copy of " Hansard " containing. a question referring to the school commissioners of different parts of the colony, the questioner, Mr E. M. Smith, member for New Plymouth, stating that the cost of titles issued by the commissioners amounted to from £5 to £10. — It was resolved to communicate with the Minister for Education, informing him that the leases issued by the Otago Commissioners cost the leaseholders 10s 6d, exclusive of stamp duty.