ANNUAL ELECTION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Colonist, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8246, 13 May 1895, Page 1 (Supplement)

ANNUAL ELECTION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Thkbe was a very meagre a'tendanee at he Provincial Hall on April 22, on the ooeaeion of the annual meeting of householders, held for the purpose of receiving report and electing a new Committee. Mr Graham, M.H R. (Chairman of the late Committee), occupied the clmr, and there were aleo on the platform the following members of the Committee:— Messrs Allan, Bo'ton Cnoke, Grant, Haddow, Toplisß, and tbe Rev J. H. MaoEenzie. The Chairman briefly explained the object of tbe meeting, arid proceeded to say that | occasionally at eimilar meeting- they had bad tkat hall full ; people attfnied to let them know if tbey were not satisfied. He supposed they might presume, as the ball was not full, that the people had no great oanße for complaint. He hoped it was bo, and he certainly thought that tbe work had gone on fairly smoothly ; it would, however, be for tbe boußeholders to state their visve, for the present was tbe annual opportunity for tbe bringing forward of grievances, He then read the Annual Report. The Chairman then called on the Secretary, Mr Hobden, to read the statement of accounts for the year, which he did. These were audited by Mr H. V. Gully, to whom the Committee tendered their best thankß for his gratuitous services. It appeared therefrom that on the Ist April, 1894, the Committee had a oredit balance in hand of £77 12s 2d, that they received by way of ordinary Committee grants £303 6s od, and £175 10s 2d for special pur- j poses, including gravelling, laying on gas,' and sanitary improvements. The teachers salaries for the year amounted to £2787 9s 4d. At tbe end of the year tbe Committee's balanoa had been reduoed to £29 17s 3d. On the motion of Mr Sanders, seconded by Mr Salter, the report and balance sheet were adopted The Chairman said their next duty waa to elect a Committee for tbe ensuing year. Nine members had to be chosen, and Messrs R. Allan, S. Bolton, B. Chisholm, P. Cooke, J. Graham, D Grant, W. Haddow, P. Topliss, and the Rev J. H. MacKenzie had been nominated, but it was open for the householders now to nominate other candidates. Having invited nominations and waited a short time, the Chairman deolared the nine nominated duly elected. Mr Graham then said that he desired personally to thank the householders for the feeling tbat bad been expressed towards tbe retiring Committee. He took it that they wera satisfied at the way in whioh the Committee had tried to carry out its work. The School Commi tee was the most regularly attended public body of which he had had tbe honor of being a member, and he could say that every member did his utmost for the welfare of the schools and the children attending them. As a rule, too, the Committee got on excellently with the teachers, who had ably assisted the Committee. With hardly an exception the teaohers were eager to aid the Committee in making their schools second to nore in tbe Colony. Since their last meeting they had missed a long respected fao<?. For verj many years Mr W. C. Hodgson was wrapped up in tfhe education of their young peop'e, but his race was run as theirs wou'd be, and then tbey would find others taking their place. In the place of Mr Hodgson they had two inspectors, both of them good in en be believed, but he referred especially to Mr Harkne s, who bad been brought up ani eduoated amongst them, who had as a teacher gained experience from wnich he benefited now. (Applause.) ! On tbe motion of Mr Wainhoase, seconded by Mr Burton, a vote of thanks to the Chairman and the retiring Commit' cc was carried by Reclamation. The meeting then adjourned. The new Committee met immediately, when Mr John Graham was re-elected Chairman, and Mr Hobden was re-elected as Secretary. Mr Graham, in returning thanks, acknowledged th 1 efficient manner in whioh tbe Rev J. H MacKenze discharged tbe duties of Chairman while he (Mr G aham) was at Parliament last year. Mr Hobden also thanked the Committee for re-electing him, and for the confidence they had Bhown in him.