EDUCATION BOARD.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 960, 9 March 1917, Page 5

EDUCATION BOARD.

YESTERDAY'S MEETING. # The Education Board continued its sittings yesterday. _ The School Committees' Association wrote deploring the tendency of school committees lo resign on the slightest pretext as it was detrimental to popular control. The Idler also referred lo the financial obligation of members of school committees for debts incurred in connection with schools. Messrs Pcverill and Hamilton expressed Ihe opinion that committeemen were not legally personally responsible for liabilities incurred in carrying on the necessary work of a school. It was decided lo refer to the ] hoard's solicitor the question of a committeeman's personal responsibility. The School Committees' Association also wrote with regard to a (proposal to hold a Dominion Conference on Ihe question of incidental allowances. The chairman reported on a recent conference on the same question between members of the hoard, members of Parliament, and members of school committees. It was decided that the association be informed that the board would arrange a conference. The chairman also reported regarding an interview with the Minister concerning financial adjustments following on the amalgamation of the boards. The Minister had not yet indicated whether he was going to meet the hoard's application in respect of the £IO,OOO needed to bring the West Coast schools ill) to date. The Minister should be asked straight out what he intended to do. Matters in relation to Ihe Ashburton School had also been discussed. Mr Andrews said that the Minister "came out of his shell," and declared in favour of centralisation. He had gone so far as to say that they need not be surprised if a Bill was shortly brought down to abolish education boards. That was a clear indication of the ultimate fate of the boards, and they must from now on do all they could to combat it. Mr Jamieson thought thai Mr Andrews must have misunderstood the Minister. He did not think that members of Parliament would dare support centralisation. Mr Hamilton said that centralisation would be a mistake. The report was received. Mr Slagpoole, of Springston, reported that Mrs Smith, one of the old settlers of Canterbury, was willing to give £f> for four years in support of a domestic science place at the Girls' Hostel. It was decided to thank Mrs Smith for her otter.