THE EDUCATION BOARD AND THE DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS.

Otago Witness, Volume 02, Issue 2420, 2 August 1900, Page 12

THE EDUCATION BOARD AND THE DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS.

The Rev. P. B. Fraser has addressed a long letter to the chairman and members of the District High Schools, his object being to "seek their co-operation to ascertain the truth' and to ensure that the Minister is correctly informed." In doing so he examines the report of the select committee of the Eduea* tion Board which was set up at the last mee£ ing. The secretary's letter of May 21, representing the extra cost of the four district high schools at over £1000 is, he says, alleged to be correct. But its representations can be correct only if the returns on which they are based are correct. He contends that the first return, showing the extra cost to be £-1061, was wrong to the extent of about £270 on the day on which it was sent. And he maintains that the second return, showing an extra cost of £1037, which the chairman of the board sent to the Minister on July 7 to substantiate the secretary's letter, gives an untrue representation of the salaries of tha mistresses ; and tho representation that, owing to ths fall in attendance at two schools for cne quarter, the first assistants at £200 should be replaced by female assistants at £65 he characterises in very strong language." Regulation 43, providing- that the staff of a school sliall not be increased or diminished save by a rise or fall of attendance for two consecutive quarters, has never been rescinded or superseded. Teaekers would not submit to hold their positions for a day on the tenure suggested by the select committee. The reason why the salary of £115 attached to the position of mistress at Palmerston is not operative till August 1 is, he says, that the place is actually filled by a relieving teacher at £S5. The statement of the committee regarding the fees at Waitaki High School is, Mr Fraser declares, not correct, and as to tho fee of 10s per quarter, he repeats that, though the Minister has sanctioned it for years, the board has not ordered it, and he counsels parents not to pay it. Its effect is to compel them to pay for subjects which -are taught in other schools to class X children for noihing. The statement imputed to him by the committee that " extra fees amount to £200 per annum " is, hs says, the secretary's estimate of the board's revenue from the source. He states_ that he intends to petition the Minister; and, if neod be, Parliament for an investigation as to the true cost of district high schools in Otago and os to the representations to the Minister on the subject, and he invites the District High School Committees also to petition for an inqxiiry.