CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOLS

Southland Times, Issue 23380, 11 December 1937, Page 9

CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOLS

FAVOURABLE VOTE AT SANDSTONE GRANTS FOR ROSSLYN BUSH The consolidation of the Sandstone and Riversdale schools is favoured by the Sandstone School Committee which informed the Southland Education Board yesterday that it had passed a resolution in support of consolidation. Two members of the committee had not agreed with the decision. “This is opening up a big question,” said the chairman of the board (Mr S. Rice). “It will practically mean the remodelling or rebuilding of the Riversdale school. The whole question will have to be gone into. We had better get a report from the architect on the number of pupils that will be brought into Riversdale, and so on.” It was decided that it be left to the architect (Mr J. Gough) and the secretary (Mr H. T. Thompson) to go into the question. There were also present at the meeting of the board Messrs F. G. Stevenson, H. Smith, W. Bell, W. Excell, J. Campbell and W. Grieve. GRANTS APPROVED Discussing the question of the replacement of the teacher’s residence at the Roslyn Bush school, a letter from the Education Department stated: “I have to inform you that the Government has provided a grant of £7Bl to cover the cost fo the erection of a four-roomed residence. I shall be glad, therefore, if you will proceed with the erection of the new building and when the work is completed advise the department so that consideration may be given to the question of disposing of ffie existing residence and site. I have also to advise you that a grant of £lB has been approved to cover the cost of erecting a bicycle shed at the school to accommodate the bicycles of the 12 children who ride one mile or more to the school.” The letter was received, members expressing gratification that the requests had been granted. That the boarding allowance for children attending school had been raised to 7/6 a week, was stated in a letter from the Education Department. Payment at the increased rate would take effect from the beginning of the third team, 1937, it was stated. Payment was to be made on a daily basis, but with no deductions for statutory public holidays, or for short periods of absence caused by illness. The chairman: It is satisfactory. to know that the amount has been inA request from the head teacher at the Winton school that the possibility of replacing two rooms in his house which were affected by borer should be considered, was referred to the architect for a report. It was decided to follow the usual custom of permitting the school at Halfmoon Bay (Stewart Island) to close for the third term on December 15 to coincide with the running of the steamer service to the mainland. Arrangements were made for members to attend break-up ceremonies and school jubilees in various parts of the board’s district.

CHAIRMAN’S CONGRATULATIONS

In extending season’s greetings and best wishes to members, and the staff, the chairman, said he wished to thank his colleagues for the attention and ability they had shown in carrying out the work of the board during the year. All- the meetings had involved much work and only men well versed in such matters would have been able to carry it out so expeditiously. . The chairman congratulated the inspectors, the architect, the secretary and their staffs on the efficient mannei in which they had done their duties. The good work done by the committee men of the schools in the board’s district was also praised by Mr Rice. On behalf of the board, Mr. Smith congratulated the chairman on the work he had done during the year. Mr Rice spent a great deal of his time m the interests of the board, he said, and always endeavoured to do his best tor everyone. The board was fortunate to have a man of Mr Rice’s ability as. its chairman.