OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2823, 22 April 1908, Page 33

OTAGO EDUCATION BOA RD.

The monthly meting of the Otago Education Board, held on the 15th, was attended by Messrs T. Mackenzie, M.P. (chairman), A. M'Kerrow, W. Scott, G. C. Israel, J. Mitchell, W. Snow, the Hon. T. Fergus, and the Rev. P. B. Fraser. IMPROVEMENTS. Claims for half cost of improvements were granted as under: — Akatore Coast (gravelling, etc.), £6; Teaneraki (asphalting), £2. The Architect (Mr J. Rodger) reported on minor requirements of the Tarara and Purakaniti Schools, and the board authorised the works being- carried out. The Architect reported on the request of the Tapanui Committee t.haj. a new residence and classroom be erected. He stated that tke present residence, which was of wood and 40 years old, could be put ie gocd repair for the next 10 years tor v expenditure of £50. — The Secretary stated that *a nev/ residence would cost between £450 and £500.— 1t was decided to repair fhe present residence, and also, on the motion of Mr Snow, to instruct tho architect to prepare plans and specifications for an additional classroom. FOEBTJBY SCHOOL The Forbury School Committee wrote urging the board to pay full cost of cleaning and distempering the inside of the Bchool, instead of two-thirds cost, as previously offered *by the board, considering that they should nob have to ask the parents and residents for funds for these purposes. Tne Rev. P. B. Fraser said that Forbury alone took up the position that they would not contribute a penny piece for renovating the interior of tjieir. schcoi. That being so, Forbury should wait for the extra third of the money until the board had sufficient funds tp do the interior of all the schools m the province. Forbury was the only committee that would allow their school to get into a dirty, filthy condition rather than contribute a share towards renovating it. Green Island; Oamaru, and other schools had raised money for a similar purpose, while Milton had raised £80. He moved that the committee's request be declined. Mr Scott moved as an amendment that the wish of tho committee be given effect to. The board should approach the Government for a larger grant. The schools were Government buildings, and the Government should pay for their upkeep. Fcrbury committee had collected £100 last year, and were making arrangements to collect a similar sum this year to improve the grounds. '-The Chairman said ii_& amendment was not m ordei*. The proper procedure would be to move to rescind the board's regulation to the effect that the board's contribution m such cases be only two-thirds of the oost. Mr Scott gaic that that regulation had many a time been departed from. Mr Mitchell said that the walls of Forbury School were m a filthy condition, and Jooked as if they had never been swept. The Chairman said the board would have to be careful m regard to expenditure on these matters of upkeep. He hoped next day to give the board a statement showing what future requirements were likely to be. He felt sure that the present system af\eTants would uot continae long. Mr Eraser's., motion was carried. * TUAPEKA MOUTH. The Waste Land "Board forwarded correspondence from the Tuapeka Mouth Close Settlement and Railway League asking that section 70, block I, be set apart for cutting up into township sections. — The request was declined. BENDIGO. In accordance with the recommendation of Mr Richardson, inspector of schools, it was decided -*o continue '•■he present arrangements for carrying on the school at Bendigo. Tha board then went into committee. The 'monthly meeting of the Education Board was resumed on the 17th inst., there being present — Messrs T. Mackenzie, M.P. (chairman), W. Snow, W. Scott, J. Mitchell, G. C, Israel, and A. M'Kerrow. The Chairman offered an apology for the absence of the Rev. P. B. Fraser. WAIBUNA SCHOOL BESIDENCE. A deputation consisting of Messrs MTndoe and Clark (members of the Wairuna School Committee) waited upon the board with reference to having the teacher's residence removed from its present site to where the school now stood. The school, it may be mentioned, was shifted to its presnt site some two years ago, and the teacher's residence is now two miles from ft. Members of the deputation having been heard, the Chairman explained that the board had written to the department m Wellington on December 16 last, and that since the 23rd of that month not a word had been received from the head office. If the board had to put up with much more annoyance, delays m replies, and general interference, a few of its members were going to take the public platform and let the public know how the duties of the board were overridden, and the public prevented from getting what it required m connection with education. TEACHEBS' SALABIES. The matter of teachers' salaries being affected by school attendance, brought up the previous day m connection with letters from teachers, was again referred to. Mr Mitchell said he had been through the letters and through the act} and he had drafted a resolution which he thought the board should adopt. The motion was as follows: — " Tl/at statements having been made m writing to the chairman by certain teachers to the effect that the Inspector-general has stated that salaries are not now determined by average attendance, and an impression having thereby been created that salaries have been improperly reduced, the board desires to be informed by the Inspectorgeneral — (1) Whether he has made any statement justifying such a conclusion as that indicated ; (2) if he has made such a statement, upon what ground it was based, the board being unaware of any statutory power to depart from the provisions of section 11 of ' The Education Act Amendment Act, 1905.' " It was quite possible, Mr Mitchell said, that the teachers were under some misapprehension. It was quite possible that the Inspector-general's reference was to the clause m the act that though a school was below the grade at the end of the year, the salaries did not fall unless a lower grade was confirmed by the expiration of another year. He might

have meant that. the salaries would not be immediately affected. — Mr Scott seconded the motion, which was carried. GKANTS TO EDUCATION BOABDS. The Chairman said that the previous day thoy had been discussing their position as to providing funds for doing* more work for school committees. He had got the arohitect to compute what would be the board's responsibilities during the next few years m respect to buildings it had to replace. The building's to be rebuilt during the next five yeaa-s, including the Normal School, would cost approximately £11,800, and the buildings' that would be required between 1913 and 1920 would cost £11,950, and it behoved the board to get the sums on hand to meet these contingencies. He thought they should pass a resolution m the matter. They had no right to appropriate more money than they were now using for the upkeep of both the interior and exterior of school buildings and ■teachers' residences. Matters such as the improvement of school grounds, etc., might be left to the school committees, as at present. He moved that application be made to Government to increase grants of education boards for the entire upkeep of both the interior and exterior of schools and teachers' residences. Mr Israel, m seconding the motion, .said the sohool committees were not called upon to undertake such work. They did it merely as an act of grace, preferring not to go through all the red tapeism of application and reply, and suffer the delay that was involved. If school committees lefuscd, as the Forbury Committee had done recently, the board had no right to complain of tbe refusal. After further slight discussion the niotion was carried. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £9221 10s ld were passed for payment. RESIGNATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS. The following resignations were accepted: — James Rennie, head master, Port Chalmers; Geo. 'W. C. Macdonald, head master, Ravensbourre ; John P. _ Hawke, sole teacher, Ettrick; Cath. S. Johnstone, sole teacher, Hillend ; May Keys, mistress 3 Portobello ; Jessie Kinder, mistress, West ■ Taieri ; Ernest J. Healey, fourth assistant, Forbury ; Lily Barclay, sole teacher, Makarora. The following appointments were made: Geo. W. C. Macdonald, ' head master, Macandrew Rojid, vice Wm. Bennett (deceased) ; Janet M'Leod, sole teacher, Taiaroa Heads, vice Alice Greaves (transferred) ; Albert Labes, sole teacher, Wairuna, vice J. Sargison (promoted); Beatrice Gow, sole teacher, Gimmerburn, vice J. Sim (transferred) ; Margaret Hastings, 6ole teacher, Taumata, vice" E. Roseveare (resigned) *, John P. Hawke, sole teaoher, Waipori, vice T. Harrison (promoted) ; Thirza S. Morris, mistress, Lower Harbour, vioe H. Botting (promoted) ; Ellen M'Lellen; mistress, Kurow, vice E. Gunn (resigned). The board then went into committee.