MEETINGS OF HOUSEHOLDERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14586, 23 April 1918, Page 2

MEETINGS OF HOUSEHOLDERS.

GISBORNE SCHOOL. About seventy-five attended the- meeting at the Gisborne school last night, a large proportion being ladies. The Rev. F. W. Chatterton was elected chairman. The annual report and balancesheet (already published) were read. — Mr J. C. £'. Turner asked" why the school picnic was not held earlier in the year, when the weather was good*— The chairman of the committee (Mr. G. Wildish) said that it had been intended to hold the picnic earlier this year, but on suggested dates there were other fixtures with which they did not wish to clash, and what then seemed the most suitable day was chosen. "Unfortunately it rained o n that day.— Ml*. Mead : Is there any guarantee that if held earlier the committee could have, ensured a fine day? (Laughter.)— Mrs. East stated that seeing there had; been so much, bad \veather earlier in the year the probabilities -were that fine weather would be ex^ pected later. On y previous occasion parents had complained about having another holiday so soon after the summer holidays. Mr.' Wildish drew attention to the stationery account, on which the ; Government had arbitrarily stopped the subsidy without warning and when the prices were steadily rising. — Mr. Rowley said the financial 'aspe.ct of the system was: — Subsidies received on account. 1915, £41 10s 4d, collected 1916, £78 16s 2d; subsidy 1917, £77 '12s Bd, collected 1917, £65 Is 3d— total, subsidy, £119 3s. Expenditure: 1916, £106 Us lid; 1917, £164 Qs Id ;. 1918.. (t p date),. 1 £94 9s" lid; still owing, -£33 osVM; total 1918^ £127 3s 6d. He said circulars were sent to the, parents suggesting an amount to contribute. • Th!s was 3s, but the average Avould be', about Is Bd. . Some means would Wave" t& he 'devised •for paying for stationery. — Mr.. Turner j said it seemed to him that without the subsidy people would be asked for 7s ! instead of 3s. The committee had a j heavy load to carry this year, as several subsidies had been dropped. In view of the cost of paper the bid method > of the State should be reverted to so far as the lower classes were, concerned. — ! Mr. Wildish said the stationery grant ! being stopped came as a thunderclap to the committee. The Education Board was right out to get the grant for School Committees. He woulfl like the meeting to protest against t th6 action of the Government in taking the subsidy nway without any warning whatever. — Mr. Munns said if. the Government were prepared at that time .to pay the subsidy as included.; in that circular receive ed some twelve months ago/ they had no right to discontinue it Avithont -warning. — Mr. Rowley said the average cost of statipn'ery, last year was 4s 3d. He did not think that without the subsidy it would amount to 7s. The subject of slates had .been -considered, but .-they also had lieen rising in price, as also had slate pencils, arid taken with the fact that ,they \yer^ ; t6 some insanitary ; ; it yrasV not • considered .worth while to- change. The .Gbv'erritneot had taken seven ittfcnths. before theyihad let them know, the" siibsidy> j/fqnW not be paid this yeair.^The report; was. them adopted, aud'"' on 'the motion of Mr. C. W. Muiu, seconded* by Mr. J. Dowdle, the balancersheet was -'adopted. vl i Mr. Munns felt confident, that if the committee adop.ted a'.' stiff' -attitude the grant would '/bee forthcoming; ' '■ jTha election iof • committee resulted as follows, there; 'being twelve /nominations for the nine yacancies : — Mrs. .East 70, Mrs. Walker. -69,' Mr. Sawyer 61, Rev. Carlisle 57; iitev. Aitken 54, Mr. Barr 52, Mrs. Church 49^Mr.vMcMullen 44. The other, nominations were : . Messrs. Gleave 21, J. C. E. Turner 21; C. W-. Miiir 20. - ,Votes of thanks were passed to the outgoing members of the committee, the teaching staff, and those assisting in Biblical instruction in the school. 3Mr. RowJey brought up a motion passed by the N.Z. Educational institute urging the Government to hasten up and improve education methods and conditions. — Mr. 0. W. Muir^ seconded ;.. ,the. 'mbtion, which was 'carrielf,;' ',-'; With regard to the stationery 'subsidy it , was decided, on the motion of r , Mr. ; Turner, seconded! by Mr: ? Munns, to protest against the withdrawal of the subsidy, as it placed the committee in a false position. A vote of thanks to the chair concluded the meeting. . ■; : A meeting of the committee was held subsequently, when Mr. Geo. Wildish was re-elected chairman and the Rev. Aitken treasurer, and Mrs. Walker was re-elected secretary. It was decided^ to .hojd the meetings on the last Vtiday night in the month. -, i MANGAPAPA. The annual householders meeting was held in the schoolroom last night. There 'was a, small attendance." l Mr. W. Duncan was voted to the chair. The.secretary, Mr. Goldsmith, read the annual rejport. _■••'; , The annual report stated : At the end of ■: 1917 the attendance was 361.2, an increase of 21.6 over that of the previous year. , This, attendance places, the school in a higher sub-grade * SD, When the great, amount of 'sickness .experienced last year is cQnsider,cd, this attendance must be viewed ivitlx, great satisfaction. At. present there is every indication of a siubstantiai, rise in atUendanee.lthia yean., Tlife percentage of .attendance .for the past year was 88. At present the roll 'number 452, the highest, yet •.experienced. ■Worked out, at the regulation' aljpwance of ;10 square feet per Jphjld,. we [should >have ample accommodation. Most ,of, the rooms have accommodation for 50 pupils, some have ffewer-'thari.-thfet number., but the lower infant 'room Contains 90.; To >do satisfactory work in this clags double the accommodation the.re is at present should be supplied. A teachers' room should also be added at the same time. . (The. school continues to maintain its high state 1 of t efficiency, as tis shown by the inspectors,' reports, At«. the December examinations of Standard Vl.,' 22 proficiency, and' competency certificates were, gained., , The dux of the school is Edwin Glanville,^ who received .the 'headmaster's medal. Several changes have taken place, in .the .^taff r . Mr; E. 'Long hSs/been promoted t o ;take change of M^ak'auri' school. j ; His. place v.'a.4 taken : by Mr. J. Bark. .: Miss Pick\ eriqg was transferred •»■. to : Napier - and ' Miss McCashen w«a promoted - to • her place, while Miss- Boss took' the -place of Miss. McCashen. r Miss,- P6>srell's'. term, of proba,tio'nerohip haying, expired, -.she has ; gone to the-; Auckland .training colege.. Before leaving she -completed , her teacher's D certificate. At present the staff is working shorthanded, : as the Board is unable to secure a pupil teacher and: a proitfatiboer. Stationery r : V6lnn> ta'ry contributions in aid , of this ,'furid have materially, assisted the Committee in providing materjal for the [.. school. This carries a subsidy . of "&■ foe £. and a considerable increase has been made in thei committee's fiinds; \Finahce: The total receipts were £165 7s, Including 11s 6d credit balance, from last year. The! total expenditure was £164 4s, leaving, a credit balance of £1 3s. - . . In reply to a question re . subsidies, on moneys collected, Mr. , Cole stated that he had been, informed that the department had passed sanqie, and -the subsidies would b,e forthcoming, .This vvould place the funds of .the school in credit. The following were elected , as. a committee for the ensuing year : Messrs W. <T. Sinclair, W. Duncan, W. J.McCliskie, C. S. Bruce, E. 8, Goldsmith, R. Marshall, H. Holmes, H, J. Clayton, m)d E. T. Glanville. : '