EDUCATION BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2286, 23 December 1897, Page 23

EDUCATION BOARD.

The usual meeting of thy Education Board was held on the 15th iusb, when the following members were present — Messrs Borrie (chairman), J. F. M. Fra<er, J. M'Raa GalUway, J. J. Rimsay, William Snow, H. Clark, J. M'Ke-row, and Rev. P. B. Fraser. SCHOLARSHIPS. A deputation from the Bjard of Governors of the High Schools — consisting of Dc BrowD, and Messrs Cahen and Macandrew — waited on the board in relation to toe cpat of the education of thos> pupils who had, on account of obtaining 50 per cent, of marks, the right of fr.ee instruction at the High Schools. Dr Bcown said the Board of Governm were vf»y much presaecT for monay.' Tuay had tried by every means to economise, and had had to refuse concession's to their tenants. Thay had, however, not impaired the tffieiency oE the ■ ■chool. There were now 50 pupils who wera being educated free, having obtained 50 per cent, of the mark* possible ab the scholarship examination. ' Tbe Board of Governors asked the Edue&lion Board to relieve them from their distressing financial condition. ' The cost of these free papila was about £500 a year, and this had been going on for the las'; fiva years. He suggested that the Education Board should give scholarships of £5 inste&d of Free eduoation. They might also raise the percentage in the same w»y as the Waifeaki High SahoqJ. He asked the board to appoint a tniill committee to work with the Board of Goveruora in the mutter. Tbe Chairman intimated that the board would consider the m&ttcr, and liter the following committee was appointed to work with the B ard of Governors -.—Messrs P. B. Fraser, CUrk, Snow, aud Borrie. SCHOOLS BRKAK-BP. It was agreed to meet at the Normal School this morning at 10 to take part in the b.e»kup. It was decided to decline the invitations of the Albany street and Union atreet Schools to be present at their break-up. CLAIMS VOR IMPROVEMENTS. The following committees made claims for half-cost of improvement*, and the requests were granted :— Beau aaont, Blue .Spur, Cromwell (£9), Gimmerburn, Henley, Kuri Bu«b, Lnke Waipori, No'rth-Ewt Valley, Rao's Junction, St. Leonards, Tapaaui, Tuapeka West, Taieri Ferry, Wakari, Clyde, Cambrian, Livingston, Taiaroa Heads, Kakauui, and Whare Flat. The board declined the claims of the Leith Valley Committee for forms for play shed^and ■ the request of the Fairfax. Committee for a ' picket fence, holding that that , fence, was not substantial enough. - They also declined the request of the Kyebarn Committee for'additious to the teacher's residence. ' -OAMAKI7 'SOUTH: The Oamaru South Committee asked permission to sell for removal the cottages on- the school site* and devote the proceeds to fib' ing up the gymnasium. — Tlr* Chairman of Committee wrote rather strongly as to the injustice of not having received assistance in fittiog up their gymnasium, seeing that another school in the town bad h£en granted assistance. — Mr J. F. M. Fraser moved, after the Chairman' had explained that the assistance' spoken of had been granted so that the bo&rd wouli have a gymnasium in which their instructor wouid have a right to teach — "That written applications be received for the purchase of the cottages, the money to be dealt with, afterward*."—Carried. OAMARU NORTrt It was decided to agree to 'the application of the Oamaru North Committee that the infant room be made iuto two elms rooms. A SCHOLARSHIP-HOLDER. The application of Mr Klee (Waitaii), that bis son be allowed to attend the Boys' High School and be paid £40 per annum, was agreed to. SELLING SCHOOL BOOKS. The Lovell'a Fl»t school teacher, in reply to Mr P. B. Eraser's complaint that he was in the habit of selling school books, wrote that there were none in tbe loci store aud he had sold a few, but was not in the habit of doing ao. NEW SCHOOL BOOKS. A letter from a publishing (km intimating that they proposed publishing a set of reading books, and asking the board to delay dealing with the snKjeot till May next, was received. SCHOOL 01? AMT. Mr David Hu ! tqn, master of the School of Art, wrote as follow* i— "I beg to inform you that it is my iuteufcion to " devote parß of my time, day and evening, next sei«ioo,"ia giviog instruction in ornamental detign and its application in various industries. At painting and the use of colours enter largely iuto the study of this subject, I would most respectfully ask permission for painting to be practised in tbe school in so far as it relates to ornamsntal art." Mr J. F. M. Phaser moved— "That the Minister for Education be requested to have the art ichools of the colony teporced upon by a competent expert, preferably brought from a neighbouring colony." He considered this an important matter. He did not feel competent to express an opinion on the matter, but thought art schools should proceed? on true lines, and that if an expert were obtained from another colosy they would hav«an iudependant opinion on the work of the different art schools of the colony which would be valuable. The board" cjuld not afford to get thi* expert themselves for their own school. A point of order was raised by Mr J. J. Ramsay that this resolution could not be received, as it was new matter,- but the chairmau ruled Bgunsfc him. Mr P. B. FnASBRr would have preferred notice to have been given. The proposal was an important one. If a man ware brought here he would have to be a competent one and have the coffi-ience of the board, or hi* report wou'd be of no value. Tha mattar should not be passed hastily. He did not, however, think the Minister would agree to ib. Mr J. J. Ramsay objected to this matter being sprung on the board. He thought the proposal a most impracticable one. It should not be passed through, but ought to be hung up for a month. Mr Gallaway thought that if the Monster selected a man from one of the princfpul art schools ot Australia they would get • good ' comparison of the different schools of the colony, and leurn the good points of each. As laymen they did not understand' the differences. He thought Mr Eraser's motion weald have a good . effeefc.

Mr Clare thought tha matter should be adjourned. Mr P. "B. Fkaseb expressed the opinion that there should be a commission. - Mr J. F. M. Fbassr agreed to an" amendment of his motion making the word " expert* "experts," and proceeded to say that they wanted value for the money expended on art schools, and they should therefore get tha opinion of competent experts on the schools of the colony. The motion a* amended was carried, Mr R&msay dissenting ai a protest against it being rushed through. WAIARBKA, x Th« Waiareka committee wrote resigning; their letter being as follows :— " Wa the under* signed hereby tender oar resignations as members of tbe W.usreka School Committee : Samuel Clark, Joha M'Dowell, Joseph R. Mitchell, William Rissell, Gsorge Harvey, Alf-x Lisdale, John Rjbirtson. The board can now have loud laughter." Mr Bobrih m\de an explanation of the matter. The committee, he said, flx«d upon a site which the architect did not think the best, and this was reported to the board, when that body appointed himself and the architect to visit the site and see nhether an agreement could be come to with the committee. When he (Mr Borrie) and the architect arrived they found tha only representative of the committee present wai the chairman "(Mr Gltrk). After lookjng.atjihetwo sides he (Mr Borne) and too architect thought the ckiirnntrha'd agreed with them as to the »ite f and the building was proceeded with. Ho (Mr Barrio), had bad sonnto rough bundling -from tbe members of tho committee in Oam\ru, who said they had deliberately Btayed a way.. Ha thought the committs* should have agreed to ,a site. S'nca the buifding had been tinder way be had .heard that someone had been trying to pull it down. Ho mentioned this fact for the board* information. Mr P. B". Fiussr said the ohairman bad been very nn fairly .treated in tb.4 matter both by the committee and in the public press. The site was not a bad one. Tbe letter was received and the resignations accepted. Another letter from the committed was couched in such termt th»t the board decidad not to receive ifc. PALVEY. The following was carried, on the motion of Mr P. B. Phaser, in reference to a memorial from residents in D»lvey for the establishment* of a snhool : — •• That the secretary write to th» memorialists at D*lvey requesting ttisnv to form a small commit toe to arraoge for the conveyance ' of their children to Tapanui School, board undertaking to pay reasonable cost for conveyance." ' KINDPHGAKTEK, A lefc'er from Miss Kooaer (Saw Fmneijoo} with reference to the appointment of a kindorgartener wa< referred to tbe chairman and tas Hon. J. M^cQrcgor, on thfr motion of Mr J. J. Ramsay. TENDEO3 The following tenders wer« accepted :— Lovell's Plat, additional claisrooox, A. M'Neil, £129 4-3 ; Oiydevale, classrooca, D. A. M'L*ehlun, £62 Is. other maTT?jw The Noith Otago Schools Cooferenc« wrota 'on the subject of uniform school books, »ad Aa bead master,' Merton, asked permission to leaio tha resideuce and' glebei A list of candidates for scholarships 'Who elai-n a year's concessiba ia age was also subinhtud, *vkl nvitter* in cotancc'toa with several school* ware cirHiderod io committee. ' '•* ' The monthly meeting of the Education Board was continued on Thursday, and attended by Messrs r D. Bori;ie (chairman), ,H. Clark, W. Snow, J. M-R-ve Gxllaway, J. J. Ramsay, A. WKm-aw, J. P. M Fraser, and Phe Rev. P. B, Frasirf. ■HESIGNATIONS.. The resignations of ' Hughiha , Isabella M'Leod (third assistant, Attllur street) and Jane Sutherland' (mistress, Roxburgh) were accepted. ACCOUNTS. Accounts' amounting to £9086 16s 84 were passed for payment. " • - AICORRECTION. Mr P. B. Fraser' 'asked liberty to draw attention to an error in the- report in th*fc morning's payer rin the respect th it the complaint that the "Novell's Flat teacher w«8 in the habit of celling school books emanated from Mr William Fraser, a local , storekeeper, and not from Mr P. B. Fraser. 'It might be s^ded that the teacher's explanation was accepted as satisfactory. SCHOOt- COMMITTtES' ACCOUNTS. Mr Ramsay brought up ttie, question, of country school committees' bank aceoauti. He understood that from the beginning- of the year the bank would charge fit Is a year on every small-account that was kept opan: 1 That would be a very serious' matter in the c»se of small accounts ; it would make, the difference between some committees heing able to carry pn and nob carejiog on. He thought it was the duty 1 of the board to take the matter into coußideratidn, i a order to see whether some special arrangement could not be made.' r The Citaikman asked if Mr R%msiy'b.ad'«tny reason to belrave that that charge w*s going 1 tobe made. Mr Ramsay : It is commonly known; The Chaibman- said it had been stated in the papers, bub the board bad no information on the subj- c*. Mi- Ramsay believed that one bank was standing out, but the board's bank was going to make the charge. Tbe board must make & special" arrangement or the small accounts masfc bs closed, and that would be very awkward for the board and for the committees". He thought; the -matter should be referred to a committee consisting of the chairman and a country member of the board to interview the manager of the bank and see if some special arrangement could be' made. Mr Ci-ahk thought it was premature to take up the question. The board knew nothing ab all about it. The matter was only talked about yet. Mr Galt-awax said the Saving! B.^nk was not affected by tbe proposal. Mr Ramsay inquired if the customers of the bauk h*d not received notice. — (" No.") Mr GAttAWAY believed' that New Zealand was the only country in the civilised world where such a charge was not made. He must say that he was in favour of a* small charge being made. The Secretary mentioned tHat. the allowances to the committees would riot bs paid again till March. The board would' have plentj of time at the next meeting to mike arrangements. The, Chairman thought it would be time ab the January meeting to consider the matter when the board had more definite information. His impression was that the thing was nob to be generally done. • Mr Ramsay : If the charge is to be made oa> the Ist January all the committees will have to pay 10a 6d. Mr J. F. M. Phaser understood that nocharge was intended on the continuation old existing, account*,, and thatthe charge was only' to apply to ftceoontf thtt w«e to jg oam&L

Mr Bohrie : We'll take it in hand and lollecfc all information and report at next Meeting. The matter then dropped. THE INSPECTOR OF WOHKS. Mr J. F. M. Fraseb said he had before him ;rhe month's return of work done by the architect and inspector of work*. The buildiug vote was practically expended, and there was a very small prospect of the board having any work? in band to justify the employment of two officials for a good many months to come. The work at the new offices — the day -labour part of it — was done with the exception of the plaster-* lDg and plumbing contracts. Neither of these contracts justified the employment of a somewhat expensive officer. The only other work that remained to be done in connection with the new building was the tallying in or checking of certain materials — lime, land, x and mortar. There was no other work to be done, acd personally he felt satisfied, with his knowledge of the board's works in hand, that for the next six months at any rate, and perhaps for longer, the board had no exeine for employing a second officer. He therefore proposed that Me Nichol's services be dispensed with on a month's notice in terras of his engagement. Mr Ramsay ; Is such a motion in order without notice ? The Chairman : I rnle that it is the ordinary business of the board, and is quite in crder. « Mr Ramsay: Then a member of- the board can move anything. Mr J. F. M. Phaser objected to the chairman's ruling being questioned. . Mr M'Kebrow seconded the motion. Mr P. B. Phaser moved as an amendment — . •' That consideration be deferred uutil the next meeting of the board." The motion was perfectly in order, and the board would be within its rights in parsing it now, but he thought a matter of that sort should be deferred. He •would take the opportunity at another time of asking the board to add to its standing orders a rule that the fervices of none of its officers be dispensed with unless notice of motion to that effect was given for a month. In the other boards of the colony there was such a rule, and members could see the necessity of it — the board might otherwise do a thing one month and repent at its leisure next month. It would be a grave thing if the effisers of the board h*d not the same amount of protection that a pupil teacher had. A man who took employment iindef the board, whatever opinions members of the board might have on a question or about the wot k that was left for him to dq, was entitled , to be treated less hastily than was now proposed. , Mr Gai/laway seconded the amendment, which he thought would commend itself to the common sense of the majority of the members of the board. If it was possible that the board could formally appoint a man in the way in which this clerk of works was appointed, after any amount of discussion, and then have a motion brought up like the present cne, it seemed to him that the tenure of office of tna&y . of the board's servants was a very precarious one indeed. Mr J. F. M. Fraser had pointed out that there was no further necessity for a clerk of works to superintend the building of the new offices. That might be so -or it> might not — he was not competent to express an opinion, — but it appeared to bim that when the \ chairman impressed on the board the necessity . of appointing a olerk of works no such build- - ing was in contemplation, and it was on. the chairman's assurance that such an, officer was . required for the ordinary working of the department that the speaker supported the appointment. Then about bix months ago the question came up that Mr Nichol'a services should I be dispensed with. He (Mr GalUway) moved at that time that a retard- be- prepared by the architect showing what the clerk of works had done and what it was probable the clerk of works would have to do. He had.never seen that return. He did not believe that members of the board would dream of hastily dismissing a servant without knowing whether his services were necessary or not. He would be no party to keeping an unnecessary servant, bat uutil he had the assurance that the servant wa9 unnecessary he would be the last man to dismiss bim. He assumed that those who were responsible for the initiation of the necessity for a clerk of works knew what they were talking about, and he would like to know what change had taken place. Mr Ramsay, who supported the amendment, suggested that the architect should be called in and his opinion asked. He did not want to say anything of a sultry nature— he would like* to take up the same lines as Mr P. B. Fraser and Mr Gallaway — but he Eaid that this was not a t notion that 'ought to be carried, and if it was sarried that day the probability was that it would be traversed a month later, and surely it oonld not be in accordance with decency and decorum that the board should hastily rush through a matter of this sort. What would ba .said if a member of the board got op and moved a similar motion with regard to Mr Pryde, say, or Mr Park', or Mr Goyen, or' any other officer ? _ He was sure that no man would' condemn such a motion more quickly than Mr J. F. M. Fraser . would.: If the motion was pushed on and he . had the tight to ape&k again, he would say things about it wbich he would say at the next meeting if the motion was carried that d*y. He would, however, ieitrain himself from saying things that he would otherwise say in the belief teat the good sense of the board would reject the motion. Mr Snow would like to bear what the architect bad got to say— it would regulate his vote. If a man was not required, he said the board had no right to keep bim, but if be was required it would not hurt to hold the matter over for a month. The mind of the board being -asked as to whether the architect should be called in, Mr P. B. Fbaser s&id it wa3 surely inconceivable tbafc the architect should be called in to express his opiuiou in public. Mr J. F. M. Fraseb : Quite right. We should go into committee. Mr P. B. Fraser said he would ask Mr Snow to consider that no matter how necessary it might be to dispense with the services of the inspector, the contention was that that should cot be hastily insisted upou. On the motion of the Chairman the board went into committee to consult the architect. Upon the resumption in open board, Mr J. F. M. Phaser said members seemed to be under a misconception ai to the purport of the motion, and what was termed a precipitate action had been deplored. The board was a body dispensing public money, and when it entered into a contract with a subordinate officer it entered into it in terms of that contract. One of the terms of the contract with this subordinate officer was that he •hould get one month's notice. There could be so hardship at any time in the board on just grounds terminating the engagement at one month* notice. To say that the board should treat its officers on different liaes to those employed by private individuals seemed to him to approach an impropriety. The board was not dispensing public money, and it was very easy to be generous with other people's money. Personally, in view of what had fallen Irom (he architect, be thought the matter

should stand over for more mature consideration, and therefore he would, with the leave of his seconder, withdraw his motion, so that Mr P. B. Fraser's amendment might become the cnbslantive motion. Mr P. B. Fraser: If Mr J. F. M. Fraser withdraw* his motion there is no amendment unless I choose to frame a new motion. Mr J. F. M. Fraser: Then I withdraw it unconditionally, aud give notice of my motion. Mr P. B. Fraseb withdrew his amendment. 3IISCELLANEOUS. It was agreed that the school buildings at Kurow and Middlemarch be enlarged at the request of the committees, and that the furniture ba altered to longitudinal sitting. It was resolved that the board's cilices should be closed from the 241h December tj the sth January. Oa the motion of Mr Clahk, it was resolved — " That the question of skylighting the Clyde School be referred to the inspector, and that if they think the proposal suitable the chairman b9 authorised to have the work done." NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr P. B. Phaser gave notice to move — "That the inspectors report tlie results of the examination and inspection of candidates for pupil teacherships fully to the board, arranging the candidates for each vacancy tte they think fit, the board to make the appointment."." Mr P. B. Fhaskb also gave notice of the following motion: — "That in the case of pupil teachers, compelled to reside away from home, £12 per annum shall be added to their ordinary salary." •>. Mr Gallaway gave notice to move — "That a committee consisting of the chairman, Messrs Snow, P. B Fraser, J. F. M. Fraser, and the mover be appointed to inquire into and report upon the present Normal School accommodation, with a view to utilise the Stuart street site."