TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 170, 28 June 1900, Page 2

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

The Education Board met on Wednesday. Present: Mr. McAllum (chairman), Miss Heywood, Messrs. Adlam, Allsworth, Faull, Mackay, Wade, Hignett, and Kennedy. The repairs and other works required at Midhirst are to be carried out as soon as funds will allow. The teacher's attention is to be called to the disorderly state of the grounds round the school. A long list of requirements at Opunake, including school enlargement, was referred to Mr. Adlam to report upon. Tne question of repairs to the dividing fence at Oourtenay-street School was referred to the Chairman to inquire into. A request for a drain to the teacher's residence at Norfolk Koad could not be complied with owing to want of funds. Tne Chairman's action in appointing Miss Jordan temporary assistant at Stratford; Mr, M. Meyenberg temporary pupil teacher at Cardiff; advertising for a_ sewing mistress for Mangaere, and in other matters, was confirmed. A request from the Ngariki Committee for an additional window was referred to the Inspector with power to act after visiting the school. In reply to a resolution forwarded by the Inglewood Committee exonerating Mr. Woodhead, the teacher of Norfolk Eoad, from culpable negligence in allowing his chimney to catch fire, and stating that he had only lived in the house for three months and had never used the chimney previous to the occasion on which it caught fire, the Committee are to be informed that Mr. Woodhead has been in charge of the school for about fifteen months and that the Board are under the impression he has occupied the residence during that period.

Sanction was given to the Whangamomona Committee to reduee the midday recess by half an hour. In reply to a letter from Mr. Hodder relative to the examination of the Whangamomona School, he is to be referred to the regulations for the inspection of schools. A letter from the teacher of the Tikorangi school, relative to school property, was referred to the Committee for their remarks. A grant of £ 2 10s was made to the Mangorei Committee towards expense of gravelling the grounds at the upper and lower schools. The Chairman of the Tongaporutu Committee wrote relative to refusing to give a certificate to Mr. Eastwood's son—absent from school owing to a bad foot. Mr. Eastwood is to be informed that the Board hope he will endeavour, for his children's sake, to send them to school as regularly as possible. The Stratford Committee are to be informed, in reply to their request for the examination of the Catholic School by the Inspector, that the matter of inspection of such schools is under consideration ; also that the Board will use its influence to secure uniformity in school books throughout the colony. The whole question of school boundaries east of Stratford was referred to Mr. Kennedy to report upon. The report of the Committee on the allegations made about the children at Mangorei school was adopted. A petition from settlers on the Bristol Road for the establishment of a school at or near tha junction of the Bristol and Rimutauteka Roads was referred to Mr. Adlam to report upon. The necessary filling and gravelling round the Fitzroy school was s motioned, subject to the promise made by the Committee. A subsidy of £ for £ was promised for a shelter shed at Norfolk Road school. The Mahoe Committee's application for trees for the school grounds could not be complied with, the Board having no funds available for such a purpose. Mr. E. Mile's offer of 2s 6d per acre' for lease of reserve at Bristol Road, and Mr. Rothesay's oftVr of Is per acre for section 22, block 14, Cape, for 10 years were accepted on the usual condition?.

Mr. Allsworth's motion (mado pursuant to notice) for tho appointment of a joint committee coDsisting of three members of the Board, two High School Governor?, three members of the Wanganui Bjard, aud two members of the Victoria College Council, to arrange details and take steps to settle a scheme and to obtain Parliamentary sanction thereto, relative to the funds arising from the Opaku Reserve was carried. Mr. Hignett's motion (pursuant to notice) that the Board subsidise committees' & for £ (uot exceeding £3) for establishing school libraries, was carried, Miss Heywood drow attention to the present inequality in the salaries of the female teachers as compared with those of the male teachers—The mkt:er was referred to the Finance Uomtnitteo, Mr. Maekay gave nttico of his intention to move—" Th;it the Board urge upon the Minister of Elucation the necessity of taking steps to secure the inspection of private as well as of public schools, so as to ensure that every child in the coloDy is receiving the benefits of a sound primary education." Accounts amounting to .£127 83 lOd and .£77 3i (buildings) were passed. The Board ros9.