GORE HIGH SCHOOL

Southland Times, Issue 22296, 11 April 1934, Page 4

GORE HIGH SCHOOL

MEETING OF THE BOARD HOSTEL MAY BE CLOSED. The monthly meeting of the Gore High School Board was held yesterday when there were present Messrs E. C. Smith (chairman), A. H. W. Aitken, Hugh Smith, Henry Smith, R. L. Byars and Walter Gee. The report of the rector (Mr Joseph Hunter) stated that the roll remained unchanged. The attendance for some weeks had been anything but satisfactory owing to a rather nasty form of influenza being prevalent, while measles and mumps were also taking their toll. The report of the departmental inspector who recently visited the school was read. The chairman expressed the opinion that the report was highly satisfactory. The Minister of Education (the Hon. R. Masters) wrote stating that when he jvas in Gore recently the board referred to the possibility of providing facilities for instruction in engineering at the High School and he had agreed to look into the matter on his return to Wellington. “The matter has been further considered and I am of the opinion that, owing to the fact that suitable facilities for instruction in this subject are already available at Invercargill, it is not possible in the meantime to provide accommodation and equipment at Gore,” said Mr Masters. The Director of Education (Mr N. Lamboume) advised, in reply to the board’s application for the filling of the vacant Class B position, that until the school increased in grade or until the total staff was otherwise brought into line with the staffing schedule contained in the regulations the department was unable to agree to the filling of the vacant Class B position or any additional Class C position. The Director of Education (Mr N. Lambourne) forwarded a report of the department’s inspecting accountant concerning the hostel and stated that unless there was some considerable increase in the number of boarders in residence at the hostel next year the reopening would not be warranted. The inspecting accountant’s report stated that in 1932 there were 20 boarders in residence; in 1933 the number fell to 13 and for the first term in 1934 only eight boarders were attending the school. The loss in 1933 was approximately £203. Two teachers were in residence and each paid £7 10/- a term towards the cost of board and residence. The boarding fee was £l5 a term for annual board and £l3 a term for those who went home for the week-ends. The matron received £5O for supervision and on the domestic staff there were a cook employed at £2 a week and a maid at £1 10/- a week. He was unable to suggest any action that would result in any substantial improvement in the financial position of the hostel, but it appeared desirable for the department to indicate that if no improvement was apparent in the number of boarders next year the hostel should be closed from "the end of the first term 1935. The hostel committee reported that all possible avenues of economy had been explored and the only recommendation was that the remuneration to the matron be reduced to £25. The report was adopted.