SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11981, 23 February 1932, Page 5

SCHOOL COMMITTEE

DISGUSTED AT BOARD’S ATTITUDE \V!U. RESIGN IF . The monthly meeting of the Pah : - atua District High School Committee was held last evening in the office of the chairman (Mr G. Godfrey Tavlor). There were present: The chairman, Messrs \V. H. M lurch, \Y. B. R ichardson and J. H. Lister. The headmaster, Mr J. Marsh. was' also in attendance. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs J. T. Smith (secretary) and i*. J. Matthews. The chairman pointed out that owing to the increase in the secondfary roll this year the headmaster had heen stuck for accommodation t for the pupils and in some cases ’ . three were nece-sarilv seated at desks meant oiiilv for two. Td overcome the difficulty some old desks had lieen hurriedly recommissioned and because of their urgent need had heen repaired locally and the account sent on to the Board. Now the Board had written refusing to accept liability for the amount as the approval of the Board had not first been sought. Members were very indignant at the Board’s unreasonable attitude. 'The matter had been one of urgency and the account was considered a very reasonable one. Mi- tV. Tl. March said that as far as he was concerned, if the Board refused to meet this legitimate expenditure he would feel very much like telling them to get -another committee to carry on “in Paliiatua. Other members supjiorted this attitude to a man. The chairman said he was of the same mind as Mr Murch. If the Board maintained this ridiculous front then the committee would -certainly resign. The chairman was instructed to advise the Board to this effect. The headmaster mentioned that the secondary roll had increased to 69 and as soon as it reached an average of 61 the school would be justified in having another teacher. This emphasised the urgent need for the extra accommodation. Mr Murch pointed out that had the matter heen first referred to the Board the extra desks would not hare heen supplied for perhaps two months. The committee had had no option but to take immediate action. -1r 11 . R. Richardson said it was not as if this Committee ever made many demands on the Board, -either.

Mr Parlor said lie never dreamt lor a moment that the Board would cavill at the account The headmaster said that the primary roll was very satisfactory, being now up to 249, with an average of 23xi. Ax soon as the average reached 249 the school would be entitled to another teacher. THE DENTAL CLINIC. A suggestion was made by Mr J. FL Liste:* that the Department may elect to close down the local Dental Clinic shortly to save expense. It seemed to be the opinion of many people. The chairman rather discounted xhe idea, ft would certainly be a great pity if this happened. But similar clinics were being built in other places so this did not look a- s if Paliiatua’s clinic would be closed.

Country schools were beginning "to send in their contributions tco wards the clinic. Three were to hand and two more were bein°Bcnt. This was more satisfactory. ° A STRANGE ACTION. Exception was taken to the Department’s action in having the Mangarainarama School (which is not even in use) painted inside and out, while any request for repairs at the Paliiatua School was invariably refused. It- did not seem right that apparently useless expenditure should be incurred at a little country school not in use in preference to urgent needs at other schools in the district. It was suggested that the Department might contemplate opening up this school again but 'members of the committee doubted if there were enough scholars offering in the locality. The chairman reported that there was a credit at the Bank of £45 14s Id. Accounts amounting to £2 1 3r, TOd were passed for payment.