OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 2719, 25 April 1906, Page 12

OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD

The monthly meeting- of the Otago luincation Board, held on Wednesday afternoon, was attended by Messrs W. Snow (,n the cha-ix), A. M'Kerrow, W. Nieol=on, T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., J Mitchell, J. Sim, and the Hon. T. Eergus. Mr D. Borrie (chairman of the board) was unable to attend owing to illness, and Mr Snow expressed the regret of the board at the chairman's absence, and hoped ho would soon be about again. REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS. Claims for half-cost of "improvcmonts were granted as follows :— Dunrobin. repairs to building-s, £2; Portobello. asphalting, £5 ; Purakanui, asphaltimg. £17 1U~ ; Warepa, asphalting-, £6 sb; Hyde, repans to buildings, £5. Applications from Maheno and Eelso for repairs were a!so granted, aaxl an application from Sawyers' Bay for a septic tank was declined. The Architect reported on an application for new outbuildings at the Hampdcn School, arid the work was oidered to Le proceeded with. WASIKA. An application for a school at Albertown Point, Wanaka, was considered. The settlers desired to have the dming rcom of the old hotel fitted up for this purpose. — The Inspector reported that the Southland Board had made arrangements for tho carriage of the children from Alfredtown to Pembroke, but this was not considered eatisiactorv by the Eettlers. as out of 19 ■children 16 were ready to go to school. — It was decided to grant the request. KAITANGATA. The Inspector reported unfavourably on the application of fche ELaitengata Committee that the KJaitangata School should be established a D : strjct High School, and the application was accordingly dec'ined. XUGGET POINT. An application for a household school at Nugget Point was granted. OWAKA. The Owaka Committee and tho parents of the children forwarded communications asking for the immediate removal of the school. — The Secretary slated that the school could not be removed at present, but it was proposed to do it during the next Christmas holidays. COMMITTEEMEN'rt PEHQUIBITES. Mr Gilmore (Palm-erston) wrote asking the board to give its opinion as to whether a member of a school committee can do work for the committee and receive payment for the same. — The matter was postponed till the following day. SUNDAY WOKE AT WAIPAHI. The Architect reported as fo'lows on >h<? matter of work having been done for tl-e board at Waipahi on a recent Sunday : — "Re the matter of the work tln^e on a recent Sunday at Waipahi. T have to tay that life offender was a B?lolutha bricklayer, from whom wo accepted a price for brickwork (labour only). He was therefore a contractor doing work for the board, but not one of the beard's regular workmen. I have t-akon such steps as I (onfider !iec"'Shary to preient such a thing tie aga>n. Tho board's workmen romonstrat^d with the man, but he took no notice of thorn, and they weie under tho impression tha-t they had no power to inteifpw further with him."— lt wai stated that the matter was in the hands of thp police, and the architect's report wsv for t lie piupi.se of making- clear the board's posit on. CONVEY *NCK OF CHILDHEy Mr Sim a^kfd what i»'ply had lcn rpoei\ed from Hip Central Depart me nt to the | rep-os ted applications mad-- in rp<rard lo th^ dming of the Brcokdalp r-hildron to school at Tapanui. No toiidor had hpc\ recMvod for <be convevann" of th^ r'li'drpn. tlif money a-\ai!a.ble btMi^g too liu'o. If th? department would nor orant the p\-ti<i monpy. the only altornatnp would )e for th*> board io ask for thp erect. on of a. Bthool at Brookdalo. for it wss i<hnn, thov un'-^asoiublp to osjK'f-r thp th'k'rpn to viaik to -c':oo!, except on fi r ip day-.. The Socretarv sad that no rep'y convoying frpsh uiforraf ion had bron locfvcd s:nc" !a«-t mpctinsf. Mr Sim, in r-epjv fo n. qup-t on «aid tint 21 children f\om Daivi-e wrrc di ivcn in to school, and fh<" reason for that was that th^rp wptp =ii'Sciont eh Ulre.i to makp thp ratp per h«i.-! pa\ . wherras (he number frcm 8.-ookdalc bein^ only 13 wa? not suftic <&' t to ioak<- it worfl: a carr!<-'-'= wh:!o at 6d per head to piiJ-t into an agirempi't. Thp childion were (so>onini^nr cpf>lcr= and were, «twing to cipp&rtmenta! rfdtapeism, placed under torioas rhsahihtiea and made to cuff or 2'<".tt harf'.-inps Oil the motion of Mr T. M:'< k^n/,-p if was resolved — '"Inasmuch as the T-Vura; ion Boards, from tloir v/.der lo'^l b l»d ece 'c &re ia a b-;tw.r pc-siliQii than tliy Qcntiai

; Department to cloal with each case as it arises, the Minister of Education be urged to place a lump sum annually at the disposal of the education district for the conveyance of school children, in order that the so no us inconvenience now existing in many parts of New Zealand may be met." The Otago Education Board resumed its meeting on Thursday morn'ng. Present — Messrs W. Snow (in the chair), J. Mitchell, W. Nicolson, J. Sim, A. M'Kerrow, and T. Mackenzie. M.H.R. I RESIGNATIONS AND APPOISTMKXTS. ! The following resigations were accepted : — William Milne, head teacher, Caversham ; James Reid, head teacher, Tokomairivo ; James Barton, head teacher, Porto'Dollo; Winnifred M. Mitchell, head teacher, Blackstone; Eliz. C Cowie, head teacher, Tahatika; Cath. T. O'Connel, head teacher, Kyeburn; Isabella MacLeod, head teacher; Gleiiore ; Janet S. Oliver, head teacher, Wharekuri ; Donella C. Little, mistress, Outram ; Louisa A. Heckler, mistress I Na&eby; Mary A. J. Wall, mistress. Waita- ' huna; John M. Allan, first assi&tant, Kensington ; Eliza Camming, second assistant, Falmen>ion, Jessie R. Nelson, junior assistant, Oamaru Middle. The following appointments were made: —Donella C. Little, mistress, East Taieri, vice Wilheimina Harlow, left the service ; Elizabeth C. Cowie, mistress, Allanton, vice Ehz. M'Kay, left the service; Mrs E. Marshall, mistress, Bannockburn, vice Agnes M. Keya, transferred; Annie H. Cox, ext>-a assistant, Palmerston, vice Eliza Cumming, left the service; Charlotte M'Gregor, extra assistant, Kampden, vice Wm. R. Mechaolis, promoced; Jessie R. Nelson, junior assistant, Tokomairiro, vice May Keys, resigned , Mary Straehan, assj&tant. Normal i School, vice Ilenton, left the service; Margory S. Scott, assistant, Normal School, \ ice Straehan, promoted. ! P.ETIBI.VG TEACHJSBS. ' When the Secretary had read the list of resignations. yMr Mitchell remarked that some of the retiring teachers were very old servants. I The Secretary (Mr Pryde) : Yes, Ihat is so. I have some particulars that may be of interest. Mr Milne entered the board's service as head master of the Caversham School en the Ist of March, 1865. At the ' end of June next he will consequently i have been 41 years and four months coni tinuously in the board's service, occupying j the same position. Mr Milne was teaching lin Scotland, and came to New Zealand I from Canada, where he had been teaching 1 for some time. Mr James Reid entered the board's service on the Ist of February, j , 1371, as head master of the Taieri Beach j School. He was appointed head master of the Nor<h-East Valley School ou the Ist of September, 1874, and was promoted to ' ' his present position a 9 head master of the i Tokomairiro School on the Ist of January, I 1880. He has been continuously in the i board's service. Mr Reid was trained in Scotland, taught there for some time, and was loachm" in Auckland before he came to Otasro. Mr James Barton, who came from Britain, has occupied only two positions m tli" service of the Otago Education Board for the last 32 years. He was upoomtod in February, 1874, head master of the Flajrswamp School, and was promoted on the Ist of October, 1878, to the head mastership of the Portobello School, j Mr Barton will have altogether by the time j he roll res have been 32^ years in the boaid'f sprvicp. | Mr Mitchell thought the board should ma '»-.-» «ome recognition of the services re"<ieivd by the teachers who were letir- ' me on the score of age, and moved — " That there bn placed on record thp board's ajiprec la'ion of the long- and faithful ser- i vices rcr.iWed by Messrs William Milne, James Roid, and James Barton, who are now i-f>tiriiisr from the teaching profession on the score of age. and that they be informed of this resolution " This was thp lfM-t the board could do when men who had trivpn such long and really good . and ftinliful services were retiring. Air NicoUon sai<l he heartily supported th<- proposal, and seconded the motion. | Mr Mackeiwie said that tho throe gentlemen named had h"lpod to *build up the Otiso hvstem of education, and the teachers nassrd through their hand* had not only in this colon y, but in other parts of the word. rUr-n to hitrb and important position*. He hoped tlie de-nartmont would f-a'iso tliat it wa= not trointr to get hiprhcl»*- mon of that description for the salaries nffoH'd c\en now. In ether walks of life, owii'Jf to t!>p incr"<is/>d cost of living- allowance-. Lad been increased and in tho in-ter--t^ of the routitrv this would ha\o to be rnroff'.'irfi m ill" toachn-jf profosMcn. Mr rznovr s>aid that he knew o;ie of the

three retiring teachers — Mr Milne — to be a very reliable and faithful teacher, and they all were aware that he had trained many first-class teachers. Members of the board would agree with him in hoping that Mr Milne, Mr Reid, and Mr Barton would long enjey their rest. I Mr Mitchell said, as following on Mr ! Mackenzie's remarks, that it was not 1 merely a question of salaries, but of allowances as well. The State had done something in the way of providing a superannuation scheme, but it was on a paltry basis, and if it was desired to encourage the most competent young men to enter the teaching profession it would be necessary to make some further provision, so that teachers could in their old age have something substantial to retire on. Tho mot. on was carried. ALLOTMENT OF SCHOLARSHIPS. I Mr Mackenzie moved — " That, inasmuch as Parliament, in order to place representation on Education Beards on an attendance Las s. divided education districts into ware's, this board is of opinion t'.at this change justifies an enlargement of that principle, and therefore recommonds (he Minister of Education to further amend the ISdueatiCT Act, in the direction of pro- ( viding- that the total scholarships available ' for -each education district bs subdivided! into three parts, and that one portion be ' distributed within each respective ward." There were 5488 pupils attending the schools in Dunedin and suburbs, and 10,700 attending country pchools and last year 16 of the 25 junior scholarships and 17 of the 25 senior scholarships went to Dunedin and its vicinity, so that the two-tb-irds of the children in the country schools got only one-third of the scholarships. i Mr Mitchell said he would not oppose the motion, but wished to point out that to apply this principle would be to open the door to a division, of the income of the board. ■ The motion was carried. ! A QUESTION FROM PAI.MERSTOX ( Mr A. Oilmour. a. member of the Palmerston School Committee, wrote asking if it was legail for members of school committees to do work for the school committee and receive payment for the same. The Secretary said that school commiti<*es did not rome within the provisions of , the Local Bodies Act, and that it was quite i legal for a member of a school committee 'to supply cra,l and wood, and ©o forth ; but j the board had expressad the opinion that i though letral it was a highly undesirable thing to do. That was the position. Afc the same time, in country districts it was often impossible to cet anybody but a committpetnan to furnish the supplier. 1 It was resolved to inform Mr Gilmour accordingly. AXNTTAL JIEPOV.T. ; A draft copy of the board's annual report was submitted by th*» secretary. j On the motion of Mr Mackenzie, it was resolved to insert a paragraph to the ' effect that it would be wise to aopoint an instructor to specialise in agricultural sub-i'e-cfcs. In sneaking to the motion, Mr Mac-, lf-onzi-e <;9 id he considered ihe renorfc shoved the e-ood work that "was being done by the teacher", nnd that ihf> board's officers werfi aln-p to th»ir work. He believed the b->ard and th«> district were to be congratulated on tho amount of really cood work p^rformM by the teachers and officers in ihe . bond's omplov Aft^r lorn" slight a't*<ratic-T= and n.vnor\ A,- , -rnents had bo-pn mide in other parts of the report it was adopted. xrvncE of motion 1 . Mr T. M/x-kenzie— '" That the }y>r<l at I its pp\l mooting, fake irito its rons-dpration thp pi-cr>ripty of appointing- a conr-otpnt pTicn to speeisliso *>o;rieu]tura.l studies ia our primary schools."