OTAGO EDUCATIONS BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 2667, 26 April 1905, Page 10

OTAGO EDUCATIONS BOARD

The monthly meeting of the Education Board, held on Wednesday, was attended by Mosrrs D. Borrie (chairman) % W. Snow, W. Nicholson. J. Mitchell, J. Sim. A. Marshall, T. Mackenzie, and the Hon. T. Fergus.

Claims for haif cost of improvements were granted as follow :— Miller's Flat. £5; Ra&'s Junction, £1 15s; Outram, £9; and Oamaru South, £15. In the case of an application from Albany Street the reqnest was declined, there being no funds available for the work of painting the inside of the gymnasium. Permission was granted Mr Halliday, n-.aster at Wanaka, permission to leaee tlr© old school site.

Permission was also granted Mr Whetter, head master at Forbury, to lease the- residence.

Tho Maeandrew Road Committee recommended that Mr Hansard, third assistant, be paid tho salary of second assistant. Miss Faulks, who, it was mentioned, had been second assistant for the last 10 yeai-s. wrote in connection with the matter that she did not know of any reason why she should be degraded in position in order that Mr Hansard might be enriched. — Recommendation of committee declined, the siraffiiig of theschool being in accordance with the- act. An application from the teacher at Waikouaiti, asking that alterations be mads to residence, was referred to the architect to report to next meeting. The inspector's report on a building used as a school at Pomahaka was directed to be scut on to the School Committee. Tho inspector? reported favourably on an application for the removal of the echool at Wharekuri to another site— Report approved, and application t obo made to the Minister for a grant. A committee of head teachers forwarded a request that a list of certain appliances necessary for teaching science be sent to the- department. — To be forwarded to the Minister.

A request from Oamaru South for improved ventilation to the school was agreed to.

An application from Clavk's Flat for repairs to building \va3 also agreed to._ Mr F. S. Allen wa« appointed captain of the North Otasyo Cadets in place of Mr Barber (resigned).

The architect was instructed to interview th's Drainage Board in regard to the drainage of Mu>s«elburgh School. Mr D. Borrie was reappointed to represent the board on the Otago School Commissioners.

A request from Oamaru North for repairs to the roof of the infant room was referred to the achitect, with power to act.

The Oamaru Technical School applied for the use of the cooking- room and utensils and class rooms. — The reouest was granted subject to the approval of it© School Committee.

Oamaru North asked for extra assistance, and stated that the staff was baaed upon an attendance of 280. whereas th& average attendance at the school was 320. -aid the number of teachers was not sufficient to enable one to attend to each standard. — The Secretary said the school was staffed according to the act, and it was decided to reply that the board regretted it bad no power to deal with the matter. — It was also decided that the letter be forwarded to the Minister, with a strong recommendation that greater elasticity should be given to the regulation in regard to new i ppointments, so as to enable the board to grianfc temporary assistance in cases where such might be necessary because of abnormal increase in the attendance of pupils.

The Secretary read the inspector's report on the- establishment of a district high school at Cromwell. The report stated that after careful consideration the inspectors were of opinion that a district high school could not be maintained at Croimvall. — It was decided to forward a copy of the report to the School Committee. The board then went into committee.

The monthly meeting of the Otago Education Board was resumed on Thursday morning. Mr D. Borrie presiding.

RESIGNATIONS OF APPOINTMENTS.

The following resignations were accepted : — Ivy C. Greig, head teacher, Kakapuaka; John L. Bonnin, head teacher, Circle Hill; Clarissa M. Mitchell, head teacher, Coal Creek ; Catherine Haig, mistress. Albany street ; Florence Shearer, mistress, Windsor ; Caroline E. Little, mistress, Ravensbourne.

The following appointments were made : John L. Bonnin, head teacher, Pukeriki, vice Dugdale, transferred ; Christina Liddle, mistress, Middlemarch, vice Cameron, transferred ; Caroline E. Little, mistress, North-East Valley, vice Yorston, left the service; Edmund K. Lomas, fourth assi&taut, George street, vice Cook, promoted ; Mable Craik, second assistant, Lawrence, vice White, resigned.

GENERAL,

Accounts amounting to £7064 8s lid ■were passed for payment. The Nelson Education Board wrote in reference to the proposed superannuation scheme for teachers, and stating that all the members of Parliament representing constituencies within the Nelson district were being communicated with and requested to urge upon the Government the desirableness of bringing in such a measure early next sesson, and to give it their undivided support when introduced. The letter suggested that the Otago Board should adopt a similar course. — This was agreed to. The following resolution passed at a special meeting of the George Street School Committee was forwarded to the board: — ••Tl»s commitee desires to place on record fts grave dissatisfaction with the position of affairs which results in so few applicants coming forward for the vacant teachership, and urges the board to take such steps as will improve the position of teachers, and thus make the professon more attractive for young men. The letter was received, and it was resolved to send a copy of the resolution to the Minister. The board then considered and adopted a draft of the annual report. Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., moved that a special meeting be called that day fortnight for the purpose of going into the whole question of education as it altected this provincial district. Mr Nicolson seconded the motion, which was carried.

As showing the ravages of the small birds on the wheat crops in East Tai-eri, a prominent farmer in that locality had a crop which promised to yield fully 40 bushels to the acre, but owing to this pest the crop has only threshed out nine bufih-els. — Tai§ri Advocate.