Southland Education Board.

Southland Times, Issue 9411, 8 January 1887, Page 2

Southland Education Board.

Fbiday, 7th Jan. The monthly meeting was attended by tbe Chairman (Mr T. M. Macdonald), and Messrs McLeod, Lumsden, Morison, Froggatt, Baldey, Shanks, and Tarnball. The following appointments were made: — Scott'e Gap, Mr John Fisher, temporary head teacher ; Matanra, Mr W. Macandrew, head teaober ; Wyndhani, Mr W. H. Olark, head teacber ; Elderslie, Mr R. Learmoutb, temporary head teacher; Tokanui, Mies E. G. Macdonell, temporary head teacher.

It was decided tbat the present teacher at Balfour, Mr T Kelly, 'should be tracs ferred to Longridge North when tho school at the latter plnce wub ready for occupation ; the committeo aud residents of Balfour to be informed that no fur-Uier steps will be taken to erect a s hool in their district in the meantime.

The secretary was authorised to take the usual steps to proclaim a new school district and secure a site for a school on section 26, block 4, Mokoreta.

The Cardrona Committee applied for ten months' rent allowance. — Declined.

The application of the residents in the Nokomai diatrict for the establishment of a school was declined, owing to the small camber of children likely to attend.

On the recommendation of the Esectl tivo Qomauttree auditors of the accounts

of tbe various school committees were appointed. The special committee appointed to consider the question of school inspection, reported as follows :— "The committee have the honour to report that after conferring'"with Mr Gammell on the subject of his' resignation, that gentleman has, at the request of the committee, agreed to •.■.-■ withdraw his resignation,. and to acceptsthe proposal made to him by the comuiittee on behalf of the Board, viz.^to allow him twe've tuonths' leave of absence on half -pay on the condition that at the end of, nine months he will intimate de*' finitely and finally whether he can continue in the service of the Board or not. The committee have also conferred with Mr Gammell bo the subject of the inspection of schools; in this district, and nof have the honour to recommend as follows:—( # 1) That applications be -invited for an assistant inspector of schools? at a salaty of .L3OO per annum, with travelling allowance of LSO per annum, feach travelling allowance to be increased by a sum at the rate of LSO per annum daring Mr Gammell's absence on leave; and (2} that an application be made to the Government for an addition of L2OO per annum to the subsidy granted in aid of inspection, and that representations be made by the Chairman of the, necessity which exists for such additional grant." The Chairman said that it was scarcely necessary that he should make any remarks upon the report, as it practically spoke for itself. The Board would probably receive with pleasure the intimation that Mr Gammell bad consented to withdraw his resignation and accept twelve months' leave of absence. He had dene so, however, on condition that after the expiry of nine months he would inform the Boardwbether or not he could continue in its service. If Mr Gammell had been pressed to decide the question at once he would have been compelled, owing to his state of health, to adhere co his resignation, bat there was a probability that with a few months rest he might feel himself 'capable of continuing bis work. He ; (the Chairman) was Bare that the Board hoped it might be bo. Th« 3 committee had considered the question of 6chool inspection, and had decided upon making tbe recommendations contained in the report, It was not altogether expected that tbe assistant inspector would be able to do all the work - during Mr Gammell's absence, but tho committee thought that upon the latter's return to his duties tbe two would be able to overtake arrears and thereafter carry on the work in a satisfactory manner. The committee's second recommendation had been made because there was at present a^ considerable strain on the maintenance fund, and, com paring the large and increasing number of schools in this district with the numbers in other districts, the committee were convinced that tbe Board wad quite entitled to au addition of L2OO to the Government grant for inspection. In answer to Mr Shanks, the Chairman said that if Mr Gammell resigned daring the term of his leave of absence he would be entitled to tbe half pay up to the time of his resignation. Mr McLeod proposed that the report be adopted. He thought that to grant Mr Gammell pay daring his leave of absence was quite reasonable, as ha would be prevented from making arrangement'} for another appointment. Mr Proggatt seconded the motion,but did not agree with Mr McLeod. He thought Mr Gammell during his leave of absence would have the opportunity of looking round for another appointment and that altogether the arrangement was more favourable to him than to the Board. He (Mr Froggatt) thought it would have been better had a definite agreement been come to,to the effect that if Mr Gammell's health permitted he would resume his duties on the expiry of his leave of absence. Mr Baldey did not altogether like the wording of the report. Io his opinion it would have been more judicious to have omitted any mention of tbe possibility of Mr Gammell's resignation at the end of nine months, the Board contenting itself with granting a year's leave of absence on half pay. Mr Morison agreed with the report and thought Mr Gammell was quite entitled to half pay during his leave of absence, more especially as his ill-health had been cauaod by overwork in the service of the Board. Mr Lumsden said it was quite a usual thing for civil cervants to be granted leave of absonce, even on full pay, but it was .very unusual to demand that they should promise to return to their duties at the expiry of their term. It \ras open for a civil servant jto resign at any time daring leave of absence, and the only difference in Mr Gammell's case was that that gentleman's candour did not allow him to mislead the Board into believing that he would return for a certainty when there was i possibility of his state of health pre venting him. Many a person in his position might have promised to return, and then, when the time came, have Bent in his resignation. Mr Gammell, however, had candidlyjstated the case to the committee. One thing he (Mr Lamsden) thought the Board ougbt to know, and that was that Mr Gammell's first proposal to accept leave of absence was on condition that he should receive no salary. Tho committee considered that such an arrangemeut would, under the circumstances, be very unfair, aod bad therefore proposed to the Inspector that he should receive hale paj\ This arrangement Mr Gammell imd been induced to accept, and there was no doubt it was a most equitable and satisfactory one. The motion for the adoption of the report was then put and carried without dissent. It was resolved to insert advertisements in the leading newspapers of the North and Middle _ Islands i3vitine applications for tbe position of Assistant-Inspector. The boundaries o£ iho proposed Mossburn district, as recommended by the School Committee, were adopted and ordered to be publicly notified. The Inspector reported that his examination of the Park School (Invercargill), hud resulted in a per contage of 82*1 of passes being gained. Mr Pearce, of Oolac Bay, waited on the Board with reference to a dispute between him and the School Committee of his d strict. He explained that his children were attending tbe Native School at Colac, but the committee were desirous of compelling him to send them to tbe Board's school. The couimiUse had summoned him before the Resident Magistrate and he had ♦■ bested " them, but now they" threatened to summons him again. Be had sent in an application to the committee for exemption, accompanied by a certificate from tho toacher of the Native 6chool. — A letter from the committee to Mr Pearce was read, and several members of the Board pointed out th3t from its tenor tbe committee apparently did not consider the application for exemption had been made in proper form. — Mr Pearce was informed that he had better send in a written appeal against the decision of the committee if. ho considered that they had decided to refuse the exemption certificate. Accounts and salaries amounting to L 1560 17s 8d having been passed for payment tbo^Board adjourned.