Marlborough Education Board.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 15, Issue 48, 17 June 1904, Page 4

Marlborough Education Board.

The m) ilby meeting was held on Monday. Pi e tent: - Messrs Parker, Macey, P'erguson, Chaytor, Litchfield, and McCallum. Mr P,.rker was voted to the chair in the absence of Mr Seymour. a stolen cheque. The teacher at Blind River wrote asking that the Board’s cheque (or £g is fid, recently stolen from his residence, be replaced. He stated that the stolen cheque had not been presented to the Bank, and evidently no attempt bad been made to have it cashed. He offered to indemnify the Board if the missing cheque was negotiated at the cost of the Board.—The request was granted. HAVELOCK. The Havelock Committee wrote asking that something be done re the Headmastership, and a lengthy letter was received from the teacher.— The matter was held over till next meeting. PICTON. The Picton Committee replied to the Board’s question as to how they reconciled their statements in regard to the examination results with certain tables in the Inspector’s annual report. They said that after referring to clause 3 of the Inspector’s report of 1903 they could only repeat’their statements. The matter was referred back, to the Committee with an intimation that they had read the Board’s letter wrongly. The reference was to table 3, not clause 3. awaxere. A letter was received giving information as to a subscription movement having for its object the establishment of free libraries at the schools in the Awatere district. The idea was to pool the funds and circulate the books round the schools. Thus, each school would have the benefit, in turn, of four separate libraries.—The request for the usual subsidy was granted. FAIRHALL. The Board's Working Committee reported that they accepted the tender of Mr T. May, of /240, for the re-erection of the Fairhall school building, The Government’s grant was £2OO, and the Board would have to find £4O. —The action of the Committee was confirmed. THE NEW INSPECTOR. Correspondence was received from Mr Strachan, M.A., Nelson, acknowledging the appointment as Inspector of the Marlborough Schools, and stating that he would come to Blenheim to take up his duties during the month. GENERAL. The sum of £3 for small repairs was granted to Canvastown. A request that the school be painted was deferred. Both the Canvastown and Kaituna Committees selected Miss Ethel Hill as assistant teacher. —It was resolved that Miss Hill having made her choice. Miss V. Jeffries be appointed to the remaining vacancy. The election of Committees at Tua Marina and Cullensville was notified. The sum of £3 was granted for fencing at Cullensville. . An additional £5 was granted to complete the building improvements at Grovetown. A letter from the Rev. Mr Foston, Wesleyan Minister, for the freehold or lease of an educational reserve between Mahakipawa and The Grove for the purpose of a church site, was referred to the Marlborough School Commissioner. A letter bearing on various subjects was received from the Pelorus Sound Committee. —The appointment of a teacher to an aided school was approved. The Okaramio Committee reported as to drainage and other improvements required, and estimated the cost at /16. —The sum of £7 was voted for a chimney and other work, the Board deciding that the drainage work must stand over on the score of expenses. Requests from • the Onamalutu and Renwick Committees for the painting of the schools was postponed till the spring. The request for an aided school at Resolution Bay was granted. Small requirements were granted to Robin Hood Bay and Te Awaite. Twelve months’ leave of absence was granted to '-1 rs E W. Henderson, teacher at Wait iria Bay, as from arrival o£ temporary teacher. It was decided to call for applications for a substitute. The Waitohi Committee asked the Board to provide a suitable room for the purpose of technical education.—lt was resolved to reply that the Board had at present no funds, for such a purpose. PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION. Mr McCallum moved, according to notice, that Mr Rutherford, M.H.R., or Mr Graham, M.H.R., be requested to ask in the House whether the appointment of Dr McArthur, S.M., as the assessor representing the Teachers’ Institute in the Blenheim Headmastership case beard in the Teachers’ Appeal Court, was made with the consent or sanction of the Minister of Education or any of his colleagues. Mr Chaytor thought that it would be unwise to question the constitution of the Court in this manner. Even if the Premier replied in the affirmative the Board could not do anything. The time for objection had passed. They might still hold their views as to the appointment of Dr McArthur, but at this stage it was a matter for private opinion. Mr Parker thought that a Parliamentary question was a proper thing. Mr Ferguson thought that it was rather late in the day to raise the question. Mr McCallum referred to certain proceedings of the Court, and said it was due to the Board as a responsible body to carry their protest to a finality. It was not a question as to the headmaster; the point was that proper representations should be made to the authorities with a view to protecting Education Boards in the future from such a situation as occurred in the Blenheim case, when a Magistrate and Bachelor of Laws were arrayed against the Board while the Board’s representative, a layman, was not even permitted to turn round in his seat and speak to a member of the Board, because that member happened to be a lawyer. The motion was carried, Messrs Chaytor and Ferguson dissenting.— limes.