NELSON EDUCATION BOARD.

Colonist, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7698, 3 August 1893, Page 3

NELSON EDUCATION BOARD.

The Board met at a quarter past nine o'clook yesterday morning. Present: Messrs Tarrant (ohairman), Franklyn, Sinclair. Maginnity, Talbot, and just before close of the meeting Mr Denoker. A telegram was read from Mr Phillips stating that he could not attend the Board meeting, as he was river bound, but that he wished to see Mr Ladley'a appointment upheld. The reply of the Town Schools Oommitto was received as follows :— " That the Committee adhere to their resolution of the 10th ultimo, and decline to re-open the Bridge Street temporary School until the question of Mr Ladle.? 's appointment is submitted to the householders of the Oity of Kelson," and that the meeting of householders would be held on Thursday. Mr MsgtDmty said, as the mover of the original proposition, be Gould not see bis way to alter the terms of that proposition in any measure. It was a matter of deep grief to him, but the Board must be acquitted of all blama for this peouliar position. They had noted within thsir rights, and, in doing so, had been carrying out a soheme of promotion to their offioers, passed some months ago. He thought the alternative offer to the Committee was a reasonable one, to obtain the opinion of the highest tribunal in the land as to who was right. It was not for the Board to accept the dictum of the Committee. It was unreasonable of the Committee to lay down a ruliog for the guidance of the Board. He did nqt sea how a mooting of the householders was going to affeot the position exis'.ing between the Board and the Committee. The question was somewhat altered; it was not a question of the appointment of Mr Ladley to the Bridge street Bohool, but had resolved itself iato a question of which is the governing body in the City. The Bo?.rd d'd npt want to govern, but wanted ta perform their duties aB olosely as they could according to the Act, and until found to be infringing their duties by some higher power than the Local Committee, the Board should go on as it had been doing (hear, hear). Mr Graham would no doobt be able to satisfy the public meeting that the Committee were hardly deals by. But It would be but an ex pane statement, the Board not being represented as a Board. Supposing the Committee got the decision of the householders, it would not affect the situation, the worst part of which was that the children were being made to euffer in their education for the purpose of reaching the Board. He moved that steps be t*ken immediately to re-open the school by the permanent offioera of the Board. Mr Talbot said that he felt himself in a great fix. He must reiterate what he had said before, that the Board had in a great measure brought this upon themselves. He was very sorry to make the assertion. He had been a oommitteeman for 25 years, and as such he would feel it very muoh if the Richmond Commit lee had been treated in the same way as the Town Committee. He was not going to argue whether the Commit lea were right or wrong, and he would not pay that they would have acted in the same way. He thought that the Board had gone out of its way in not advertising in the usual way. He could not help feeliog very sorry if the Board was to take these measures, all the difficulty would have baen got over if the Board had advertised. Mr Tarrant said that he thoroughly agreed with all that had fallen from Mr Maginnity. The Board were not going outside of their rights in the appointment, (Mr Talbot I Not out of its rights, but out of its usual course.) The Board had some time ago resolved to promote offioers in the service instead of going outside. They were carrying out that resolution, and if the Committee had shown Mr Ladley to be ineligible, the Board would have given every consideration. He was himself a peace loving man, and regretted very muoh this had happened, but he could not see how they could carry out that resolution if they acted differently. If the matter was looked into, Mr Ladley would be found thoroughly qualified for the poet, and discharge the duties in a thoroughly competent and satisfactory manner. It would be very hard if an officer who had discharged his duties as he had done Gould not receive the reward it was in the power of the Board to give him. Mr Franklyn said he had closely followed the arguments of Mr Maginnity and other members. He entirely agreed with every argument and expression of opinion that had fallen from those members who had, in a measure, acted in opposition to the Committee. As a rule he had} always upheld the authority of the Committees, it had always been his maxim since he was on the Board : but, in this particular action it was well known thas it was in the minds of some of the local Committee to give the appointment to a man outside of the local staff. (Mr Talbot: Name.) He would not give any name, but hearing that, and believing it too, he had acted in opposition to the Committee, holding that if the position was given to an outsider the Board ought really to be ashamed of themselves, If they had not acted as they had done no teacher in this service would have got the appointment. Believing what he had stated he would continue his action and support the majority of the Board. Mr Talbot said that he had kept very quiet over the m&ser Mr Franklyn referred to, and which he (the speaker) had heard of. He could say that neither did the individual to whom Mr Franklyn alluded ask to be appointed, nor did the Committe give this person any reason to believe that he would be appointed. It was a matter that should not have been brought in. Mr Franklyu said that he did not mention any names, but it was remarkable that Mr Talbot should speak in the way he bad done ; it was evident that he, too, had heard the same report. The Chairman thought it would have been better not to have mentioned it. Mr Maginnity's motion was then carried. The lospeotor Baid it would be rather lowering for him to have to open the door. He was not a janitor. Mr Maginnity said that the Inspeotor was only asked to open the door and put the staff in charge. Mr Franklyn said that the school was rented by the Board, and really vested in them. He understood the Inspector had a duplicate key. The Inspeotor said it was the landlord's. He considered it waa his duty to hand it over to the headmaster; this would be muoh better than breaking open doors, a course wbioh wonld be exceedingly offensive to him. Mr Franklyn suggested hiring another room in the town to put Mr Ladley and the other masters in possession, and let it rest with the children whether they came. A few pounds was nothing in suoh a serious matter. It was then understood that the Inspector should take the opinion of the Board's solicitor before acting upon the resolution passed, and the Board adjourned till three o'clook. On resuming at three o'clock, there were present the Chairman, Messrs Franklyn, Sinclair, Maginnity, and Dencker. The opinion of the Board's solicitor, oon, veyed by the Inspector, was received in Committee, and he also reported that he had taken no action to open the Palace Bink. Mr Franklyn, in accordance with his remarks in the morning, moved, " That the Board hire the Princess Bink in Bridge street from Mr Edwards from this date, and open a temporary school under Mr Ladley and the other teachers of this division." He said Mr Edwards was willing to rent this for a fortnight at 30s per week, and after that £1 per week. Mr Maginniiy seconded the motion, Baying it was due by the Board to the parents to obviate as far as possible the inconvenience caused by the closing of the sohool ; beoause, however honest the intentions of the Board] they might still be considered by some parents as a party to that inconvenience. The motion was carried. Mr Franklyn then moved, That Messrs Maginnity, Denoker, Look, and- the mover be an interim Committee to oarry out the resolution oi (he Board, v?UU full power to

i arrange for the renting of the buildiDg ! referred to, and for providing the necessary t sohool furniture, books, etc. i Sjme discussion took place upon the sab- ■ ject of furniture, and the Inspector said it would cost about £100 for desks, but as soon E j as they, were available they would be absorbed in a year by oountry sohoolß, so the money would Dot be lost, but only one year's interest thereon. The Secretary pointed out that there were a large number of examination tables available, and Mr Sinclair knew of desks that could be hired, so it was considered that the expenditure would be very small in this direotion. Mr Maginnity moved — " That the Inspector give notice to the teaohing staff Messrs Ladley, Enapp, Woriey and Poole to be in attendance at the temporary School, Princes 3 Rink, to-morrow morning at the usual hour, and that he advertise to night by the authority of the Board, tbat the temporary School will be open for the scholars hitherto attending at the temporary Sohool in the Palace Rink." Mr Franklyn seconded, saying this would show the householders of the town that the Board were not a party to keeping the School closed a single hour, and had no wish to follow the example of the Committee in depriving the children of the teaohing they were entitled to receive, Motion carried. Mr Maginnity then moved—" That the Chairman give to the lospeotor an order in writing to the Ohairman of the Town Schools Committee to deliver to him what school furniture he, the Inspector, may require from the temporary School, lately dosed in Bridge street." This was carred, and the Board then adjourned.