HIGH SCHOOL BOARD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143574, 12 August 1911, Page 2

HIGH SCHOOL BOARD.

CHANGE OF CONSTITUTION SUGGESTED. PROPOSAL LAPSES. A special meeting of the board of governors of the New Plymouth High School was held on Friday afternoon to consider a proposal by Mr. Hutchen that the constitution of the board should be altered. There were present: Messrs. N, K. M'Diarmid (chairman), H. Eyre-Kenny, D. Hutchen, E. Dockrill, M. Fraser, and S. Percy Smith. In opening the meeting the Chairman explained that a little delay had occurred in holding the meeting. On the first date for which it was set down Mr. Hutchen found that he would be out of town. Then notices were sent out calling the meeting fob “Wednesday, August 11.” whereas "Friday was the 11th. He hoped that members had not been inconvenienced by this mistake. Mr. Hutchen said he felt regret and : annoyance at the delay. It was important, it his motion were carried, that the alteration in the constitution should be, carried Out during the present sessibn of Parliament. His purpose in bringing forward the resolution was simply to promote what he considered the well-being of the school. He had no intention whatever of reflecting on tho past management of tho board. The ground of his resolution was that tho public had no confidence in the New Plymouth. High School. That went without saying. He knew that past members of the board had tried to get at the root of this want of confidence; but it appeared to be that there wore several matters that wanted remedying in the school, but apparently there had never been any effort to remedy serious blots on the management of tho school. One of the main causes of the want of confidence in the school was the constitution of the hoard. On the face of it the constitution for the management of the school was obviously wrong. It was a self-constituted board. Mr. Hutchen then compared the position of the school with that of.the Stratford High School, and read a public report on the latter. He believed he was right, that the Stratford High School .was attended by 81 scholars from outside Stratford. Of course, he knew that the Stratford school had advantages over New Plymouth, having proper railway facilities that New Plymouth had not got. But what about the children along the coast‘from Opunake to Urenui ? They had no railway, but they did not come to New Plymouth as they should. Considering that New Plymouth had a fine climate and fine surroundings we should have here a High School second to none in the Dominion. There was sufficient population in the provincial district to support a first-class high school without the introduction of boys- from outside at all. It seemed to him that the modification he proposed was a very moderate one. Mr. Hutchen then quoted the constitutions of the boards governing the other secondary schools in the Dominion, showing by whom they were elected, all of them having representatives of local bodies or the unrents or guardians of the pupils. Not one of them had a, constitution similar to that of the New Plymouth High’ School. Mr. Hutchen then moved the following motion, of which he had given notice; —‘‘That the constitution of the board bo amended so that it shall consist of (1) tho Mayor of New Plymouth; (2) three members to be elected by. parents and guardians; (3) three members to be nominated by the Governor.” On the chairman asking who seconded the motion, there was no reply.. Mr. Fraser said that under different circumstances he would have liked to second the resolution. But in view of the plans that the board had now under consideration and the- fact that nothing could be done during this session of Parliament in the direction that Mr. Hutchen proposed, he would like Mr. Hutchen to defer his motion for, say, six months, until sucu time as lie would be able to judge the working of the school. It was quite true that a section of the public, had an idea that the school was going down steadily. Once people got an idea into their heads it was hard it get it out. The public, who had magnified that idea, had never gone to the trouble to see what work was being carried out by the present board. For the last three or four years the board had had a great object m view. It had been waiting until it Was in a position to divide the school and build a Girls’ hivli School and a commodious boarding 0 establishment to be supervised by the .headmaster and the second master. The board bad felt that until it could uo that the school would always bo under a disadvantage. It had thcrelore been "cheese-paring 1 and economising until it had accumulated a very fair amount of money. Now that it was getting better rents it hud a surplus accruing to the funds of something iiKc iodU or rblX) a year, and the board was now in a position to take the matter up at any time. Then during the last awo or three years tho boaru. had carried out very important improvements in the school. it had mult a science room, and fitted it with appliances for the scientific study cucmicals and plants. Agricultural' classes had been established, a plot of j ground had been laid out, and practi- j eal studies of fodder plants, chemical analysis of soils, manures, etc., were now being carried on. ft would be a pity if anything should spoil the harmony of the board while all these works were in progress. Ho (.Mr. Fraser) thought that if Mr. Hutchen would work with the board for tbe next six months and see what the board was doing ho might have an entirely different opinion. When the board s plans were completed ho for one would oe quite willing to retire and allow new men to come in to tbe board. It was not fair that one sot of men should have to carry the burden of the school for year after year. As far as the present board was concerned, whatever might be said about it, it had done its best for the school. When its plans were completed he would heartily welcome a change in tho constitution of the board. He would then be able to have a rest.

Mr. Percy Smith said that Sir. Fraser had expressed his sentiments in a very large measure. . He thought it was a' pity that Sir. Hutcheu had not waited until he had seen more of the inner working of the board. If at the end of six months Mr. Hutch™ found that a change in the constitution of the board was necessary he might be willing to support him. It would be rather a relief to give up a position on the board. Some of the newer members did not realise the burden that the work was, especially to the chairman. He would not regret a change that would relievo him of a burden, but it was not quite right for the board to commit hari-kari, to use a Japanese word, at this stage. He thought a good deal of what Sir. Hutohen had said, and of his proposal.

but it was rather premature. Ail the members had the entire interest of the school at heart.

The Chairman said he trusted that Mr. Hutchen would take his word for it that the delay in holding the meeting , was not intentional. Mr. Hutchen: X don’t suggest that for a moment.

Continuing, the Chairman said that the delay occurred through a mistake. As to getting a Bill through Parliament this session, there was no hope whatever. Mr. Mac Diarmid then read a letter, dated July 21, from Hon. T. Kelly, M.L.C., who said in the course of it: “As I introduced the New Plymouth High School Bill of 1878 in the House of Representatives and got it passed into law, I take considerable interest in its success. At that period the High School could not have stood alone, as the prospective revenue was small, and I therefore placed it under the charge and supervision of the Education Board. And as the revenues of the school were mainly to be derived from Crown lands situated in different parts of the provincial district and from public moneys, the constitution was recessarily vested in the Governor-ui-Council. I see by a press report that a. proposal has been made to alter the Sfconstitution of the.board. / . . I think it would not be advisable to promote such a Bill this session, as the session will be a short one and mainly occupied with Bills of a pressing public character. The general election will probably take place in November, and members will be anxious to close business in order to meet their constituents. If on mature consideration the board desires to promote a Bill I will, if you so desire, do my best to get the Government to undertake the duty." The Chairman added that after receiving that letter he saw Mr. Kelly, who then said it was quite out of the question to get a Bill through this .session. Seeing what Mr. Kelly had said,' he did not try to rectify in a hurry the mistake made as to the date of the meeting. The delay was not purposely made at,all.

Mr. Fraser said he approved fcha principle Mr. Hutchen wished to adopt, but seeing that it was utterly .useless at present, and might divide the hoard, ho hoped Mr. Hutchen would not force the resolution now. He thought the board would fall in in due course with the proposals in view. The Chairman considered that Mr. Hutchen was to be highly commended, and thanked for taking such an interest in the school so soon after joining the board. But he agreed with what other members had said about waiting until Mr. Hutchen had been longer on the board.

.The motion lapsed for want of a seconder. ,