TOWN SCHOOLS COMMITTEE.

Colonist, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7679, 11 July 1893, Page 3

TOWN SCHOOLS COMMITTEE.

A BPEOiATi meeting of this Committee was held last evening. Present : Messrs Graham (ohairman), Bolton, Cooke, Grant, Haddow, Low, Topliss, and the Rev J. H. MacKenzie.

The Chairman read a letter received from Mr C. J. Harley, tendering his resignation on the ground that his partner being about to leave for England his time was so fully occupied that he was unable to attend to the business of the Committee.

On the motion of Mr Topliss the resignation was acoepted with regret. The Chairman gaid the Board had sent them the sketch plan of the proposed Central tiohool duly approved by the Board. The plans were placed on the table, and oritioised by the several members.

Mr Topliss thought the more modern syßtern of having a central ball where all the children could be assembled together on occasions should have been adopted. He also thought there should be a gallery or platform that there might be provision for sohool festivals, eto.

Mr Haddow said the sohool provided seating aooommodation for 390.

The Chairman thought that if there were funds Mr Topliss* suggestion might be adopted with advantage, but they were bound by finanoial considerations. Mr Oooke thought that after a time they might well endeavor to have a large hall for a gymnasium and place of reoreation in wet weather, and that would meet Mr Topliss' proposal. At present there were not funds.

Mr Toplies said such provision was made in the Wellington schools.

Mr Grant said one of the teaohers had pointed out to him that were the rooms more square the masters would have a better oontrol of the boys. Mr MacKenzla thought the suggestion was a good one.

An opinion was expressed that the building should be placed as far back on the ground, from Nile street, as possible. Mr Cooke moved that Messrs Haddow, MacKenzi?, and Graham be appointed a committee to confer with Mr Ellis as to some slight alterations io. the plans, and this was agreed to.

The Chairman then read a letter received from the Board, dated 9th June, informing the Committee that it was proposed to transfer Mr Ladley from Wakefield to the headmastership in town. He Baid this was not a consultation, and they had nothing to consider, but they wrote to the Board and suggested that the appointment should be made in the usual way after advertising for applicants. In reply to that letter, he said, he reoeired s, memo, on the sth July etating that the Board had resolved to appoint Mr Ladley forthwith, and stating that the Board was glad the Committee recognised Mr Ladley's eligibility. He said the Committee would remember that they (the Committee) had no desire to disparage Mr Ladley, and they admitted his eligibility, but had the Board advertised for applicants they might have found still more eligible men, This was not the first time there had been friction between the Board— though not as at present constituted— and the Committee. The question of what constituted a consultation had previously cropped op, and ten years ago the Committee took legal opinion, when Messrs Pitt and Moore gave them advioe that a consultation meant a real consultation, with the object of getting advice and coming to an agreement, and not merely an intimation. To make a consultation real all the information available must be put before the Committee. Some five years ago the question was tried in Otago, and Sir Bobert Stout had uged that such a consultation was noli necessary, but he admitted that the Committee had charge of the schools and oould even olose them. Judge Williams in the case referred to laid down dearly that the Board in consulting the Committee must place before Buch Committee all the material in its possession in order that the Committee might advise. 'He said the Board was largely composed of country men, and he asked was it right for these members to thrust npon them a. teacher of whom they really knew nothing. Such a proceeding was without prinoiple. He mentioned that one member of the Board, before its late meeting, bad gajd that the suggestion of the Committee was fair and reasonable, and that he would Bupport it, but he did not, and subsequently had explained to him, the Chairman, that he was forced to vote as he did because a previous resolution of his had been brought against him. Another member of the Board aaid they had to do this because their chief executive officer had advisei them- He asked were members of the Board paid £2 5s a month for attending its meetings to simply act on the advioe of the chief executive officer? It was out of such actions that reforms came, and it seemed to him that the time had arrived when the larger boroughs should be constituted Education Districts, $nd that inspectors should not be attached to Education Boards, At present the capitation allowance was £3 15s a head, and in Nelson this amount covered all the costs in connect tion with education in town, and the office charges, while there was also, a, thousand pounds left, wh r (& went to help educate the country childre o . He thought that if in such boroughs the capitation was made £8 a head, that would suffice fpy their requirements, and that the advantage would be great. _ They had, however, to consider th.c present matter, and he moved thai— .

"In reply to a memorandum from the Nelson Education Board, dated July sth, J693, and eifped W, C. Hodgson, jdto, Sewe-

tary, informing , this Opmmi'tee that the Board has resolved to appoint Mr W, Ladley to the position, at once, of head matter in the cily Bohoo'B, vice Mr George Harkness, M.A., resigned, this Committee respectfully protests against such arbitrary and illegal action of the -Board, no reasons whatever having been furnished to the Committee why this unusual method of forcing a teaoher upon them should be resorted to ; the Board bas neither asked the advice of the Committee nor supplied them with the materials and information upon which it may have formed its own judgment on tbV question, and which are required for the purpose of guiding the Committee ia giving that advice whioh the Board are bound to seek from them before any appointmeat can legally be made." He said this would require to be supplemented by other resolutions, but he brought this forward as a protest against the action of the Board, whioh waa composed largely of country, members j who said they felt bound to act on the advice of what they were pleased to call their chief executive officer. To show the anomolous position of the Board, he said the rule had always been to invite applications for all appointments, and to send the testimonials to the Committee for a recommendation, on which the Board made the appointment. Now, wbile the Board thrust on them a head master, they also sent them at the same time the testimoniali of the applicants for the post of assistant mastar at Haven roafi, and had resolved, too, that a successor to Mr Ladley be advertised for. Why were the Board departing from their praotice ?

Mr Toplisa generally concurred. Mr Grant seconded the motion. He said the salary was paid out of publio money, and every man qualified had a right to have a a chance of being appointed to the position with its emolaments. The Board bad aoted most arbitrarily/and in a way no intelligent men should bave done. No harm could have come from asking for applications, and if Mr Ladley's qualifications proved equal to those of others then as an old servant he would merit the position, but as it was an injustice had been done to all others.

Mr fladdow pointed oat the Inconsistency of the Board in this matter in not consulting the Town Committee. The head teaoher at Bridge street wonld be the head master of the Central Sohool, bat while the Board had gone out of its way to make this appointment they resolved to advertiae for a Buooessor to Mr Ladley. He felt it their duty was to protest againßt saoh high handed oonduot. He was sorry the necessity had arisen. Mr Topliss asked how Mr Harkness had been appointed.

The Chairman said his memory was that applications were received in the ordinary way. Mr Topliss said the other members had said praotically all that could be said. For himself, if the Board forced them to the position that they were now merely to look after wood heaps, he for one would no longer serve.

Mr Low asked the status of a D. 1 cer» iificate.

The Chairman said it was equal to A. 4. Mr Low said then there were three higher grades, and he asked why they should be forced to have a fourth grade man when men of higher grades might ba obtained. They were told that Mr Ladley had served 31 years, but he was only master of Wakefield School, and he was surprised that he did not hold a higher position if he was a teaoher praotically without compeer. For himself he felt that they should consult the householders, whose interests alone they had to study.

Mr Cooke said they had several teachers of fully equal qualification to Mr Ladley, and he did not think Mr Ladley's services in the country qualified him for the position of head master of the Central School. Mr Ladley had served 31 years they w«re told, but he urgsd that modern methods were in advance of those when he himself was a boy. He agreed with the Chairman that the time had arrived when the Education Boards required to be reformed. Nelson city constituted nearly a fourth of the whole district, but a little place with 20 children had the same voting power as they to the Board. He agreed in opposing the Board.

Mr Mackenzie was satisfied that they had not been consulted. Surely to inform a man of what you intend is not to consult him, but if the two put their heads together to exercise their united skill that would be a consultation. They had a more dose interest in the town schools than the Board because they represented the parents, and in their position they must protest, and protest firmly. Mr Bo.ton concurred in what had been said.

The Chairman quite agreed that it would be well to oonsult t*ie householders, if necessary, but he felt certain that they baci them strongly at their baok, and before consulting them he thought they should exhaust other means. He pointed oul that in New Zealand there were 200 teaohers holding higher grade certificates than the D 1, and he did not think long service in a small country school a great qualification for the head master of the new Central School.

The motion was then put and oarried unanimously.

Mr Haddow moTed —

"That in consequence of tHe unnsual arbitrary and undesirale method adopted by the Nelson Eduoation Board in the matter of appointing a snooeessor to Mr George Harkness, M.A., as head master of Bridge street temporary Sohool (which also means head master ot the new Central Boys' Sohool) and, the Board having planned thai the dnties of the proposed new maßter Bhonld begin on August Ist, before the looal Committee oan formally protest against the Board's action in tne matter; this Committee reluctantly resolves that the temporary sohool in Bridge street be closed under protest against the the action of the Board from Friday, the 28th July, inst., nntil satisfactory arrangements shall have been made for a suoeeasor to Me Harknesa."

No doubt it seemed a strong resolution, but he felt that the urgenoy of the caße warranted it. The Board had aotad in a manner contrary to the spirit of the age and of democrapy. The time for aotion'had in his opinion arrived.

Mr Topliss asked when the Board met. Mr Haddow said they would only have to o'ose the school for one day before the Education Board met.

Mr Bolton seconded the motion.

Mr Cooke suggested whether the resolution could be forwarded to the Board, that they might meet earlier and consider the matter.

The Chairman said he was informed that the Board had no existing machinery for providiag for the calling of a special meeting, bat the resolutions, if carried, would be sent to the Board at once. They had a legal right to close the school, and such a course had been adopted at Lyttelton. However, the Board Would meet on the Ist August, so that the school would not be dosed long if the Board acted with reason. It was, in his opinion, better that the Echool should be closed, provided the result was to secure better training in the future. The Board had not given them the opportunity of protesting, because they made the appointment at once, but he hoped th.e?e wqqld be no necessity for keening the school closed more than a day or twq, an<| he fgU Qonvino«d that the householders would Bupport them The motion was then put and carriad unanimously. Mr MaoKepaie than moved— <• That this Committee again respectfully asks the Board to advertise in the usual way for applicants to fill the position of head master of Bridge street School, vioe Mr George Harkness.M.A., resigned; that they desire to point out that the interests of the householders, whose representatives the Committee are, require that the most capable teaober qbjainab'e for the salary fixed should be appointed for this the moßt important position in the teaching staff of the Nelson School Distriot ; that to secure soon a teaoher and to prevent any suspicion of favoritism, it is essential that applications be invited from all who are willing to aeeept the position and qualified to perform the duties thereof, If after euoh steps have been taken it shall appear to the Board, after consultation with the Committee, that Mr Ladley is the most effioient of those applying for suoh'a position, then the Committee will feel satisfied that the imprests of the householders have been studied."

He said this was simp'y a respeQtfal request that the Board should do sb they deoireS Ec expressed his sorrow |or Mr Ladtey, saying he felt the Board had placed that gentleman in a most awkward position. Mr Low seconded the motion.

The Chairman also said he was sorry for Mi La,dley on account of the position ha had been placed in. by the Board. Hia eoirowi feowew, wsjega tbw U woul« b« Y e been

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fart not Mf.tadley written whit^«toej an indlioroet ifctUt to the Board after knowing the opinion of the Town Committee. JHi thought Mr Ladley might tatfw left «£.;£•«• tion between the Board and t^ Oommi ""- fl The motion was then put and carried unanimously. .-.■■■■. .. :/ -v It was then resolved that copies of ihetpwgoing resolutions bo sent to th« Chairman oi the Education Board at once. % '^ Applications for assistant : teacherßMp at Haven road were then read, as received from the Education Board. The applicants were-Mr H. C Sigley, Mr Thos. Lender,- Mr W. A Hall, and Mr OvD Ellis,— and after dv« consideration, and the ; reading of i> tegtimoniala; it was agreed to reaommend Mr. Lander for the appointment, but the decision as between Mr Lander and Mr Sigley wai only arrived at after drawing lots, taoh ol these candidates having Treceived four votes. The Board then adjourned.'