SOUTH CANTERBURY BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2765, 3 August 1883, Page 3

SOUTH CANTERBURY BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The ordinary meeting of the Board ol Education for the month was held yesterday Present — Rov. G. Barclay (Chairman), Di Foster, Messrs B. A. Barker, S. W. Gold •mitb, M. Gray, J. Talbot, E. Wakefiold, and B. B. Walcot. cbaibman's statement. The minutes of the preceding ordi nary meeting and of an intervening special meeting having been read anc I confirmed, the Chairman stated that sinci I the last Board day he had sanctioned thi appointment of several teachers to differenl schools in the district. In accordance witl i resolutions paieed at the special meeting S arrangements had been made for carrying or ; the new buildings in hand. In one ease there wa i still som e difficulty, and the mat ter would hav to be dealt with. Assisted by the Secretary, h I bad enquired into the application of the So View Committee for an allowance for teacher* i lodging money. They thought a grant o > £20 would meet the oase, and the Oominitte ! bad acoepted that mm. With the Secretary I he had waited upon Mr Wigley regarding i ) Motion for a site for the Kakatm Bus ) Sohool. Mr Wigley could not giro a deflnit

nn«wer at the time, but promised to give the :n>|j|.ca(.'Oii hi« favorable consideration, and communicate his decision, lie hud not yet, done so. Jho Seml^ry li.i:l conferred w"il!i the Commit ten of tlie IVmuku eohool, nnrl bad made, arrangements for opening tho school as a riietriot high school. Tho action taken by the Chairman was approved. WAISIATAITAI SCHOOL. ■~*m The Boavd thon wont into Committee to consider ft report of the Architects, Messrs West and Barber, relating to the Waimataitai school buildings. Mr R. Bowio attending on behulf of the Waimataitai School Committee. The contractor for building the school hud refused to reeognieo tho Board's Architects, a« hia contract statod that the work was to be executed un^er the supervision of Mr Duvnl, and a difficulty had therefore arisen. Thi) following aeries o£ resolutions wns the outuomo of their deliberations : — Motod by Mr Wakcfield, e«conded by Mr Barker nnil carried— "That the Waimataitai Committee be informed that, lies?™ West and Barber are the Architects of tho Board, and that the Board cannot undertake to refund any sum paid to the contractor except, upon the certificate of their Architects. That the Architects be instructed to inspect the Waimataitai school buildings and to report promptly to tho Board as to any matters requiring attention. That the Secretary bo instructed to notify to tho gentlemen to whom the Board's gUMuntco of a building grant to tho Committee is hypothecited, that there is a dispute between tho contractor nnd the Cimmittee, and that ths Board's guarantee will not hold good excopt as to payments made on the certificate of the Board's Architects." It appears also that tho lato Architect had obtained permission to look at, in the Education Office, an agreement relating to the building, had taken it away, and offered various exousrs for not returning it. It was resolred on the motion of I)r Foster, leeonded by Mr Tulbot— " That- the Chairman be authorised to take such proceeding*, civil or criminal, against Mr Duval in re»pcct of the document abstracted by him, as tho solicitors to I ho Board may advise." The document was returned to tho effleo, and shown to the Board duriDg tho afternoon silting. PAHKOEA SCHOOL. Mr J. Campbell, Chairman of the Pareors School Committee, accompanied by another momber of the Committee, waited on the Board to urge that tho teacher should be changed, as a good deal of dießatißfaction with him existed in the district, nnd the school uus suffering in cons'qiicnca. Tho deputation produced extracts from the miuute-book showing that resolutions bad been pa^ed expressing the dissatisfaction of the Committee with the master from tiino to time. Tho extracts showed, howevor, that the Co'iimittee were not unanimous on the point, and two of tho present Committee wrote protesting against the action of the majority of the Committee seeking a change of masters. It was resolved on the motion of Sir Gray, seconded by Dr Foster — '• That tho charges preferred against the master of the Pareora School be referrod to him, and ho bj aeked to make any explanation he thinks fit." BHLFIELD. Application had been made to the Minister af Lands for a piece of land of 30 ocres to be referred as a site fora school in the new district of Belfleld. Tho Secretary stated a reply had been received a few days ago, pointing out that a reservo of about nine, acres had ulready been niude for a school site, at a point about, s2 chains distant from the one proposed by the Board, and therefore it did not seem necessary to make a second rcserva. He had written in reply that the reserve formerly mado was in an unfavorable position, and nothing further had yet been hoard of the application. TEMUKA BCnOOL. A report by the Architects on the fencing require! at the Toniuka School was read, ntid explanations of the requirement* of the case were made by the Secretary. The Chairman was authorised to call for tenders, and aeeopt ono if tho price was reasonable, modifying tho plans if necessary. On a request from the Committeo that the Board would tuko a certain cottage for the Head Master at £1 per week, it wis rosolre I, on the motion of Mr Barker seconded bv ilr Walcot — "That tho allowance for masters' houses at Temuka nnd Waimate bo £-f) per annum." The opinnn was expressed that it would be always better to m;iko a cortain allowance to a teacher, leaving him to mik» hia own arrangements as to a home, thin for the Board to hire a house. OEBALDINK FLAT SCHOOL. On the recommendation of the Architects, the Qeraldino Flat Committee were granted £5 to make a fow more improvements about the school. TIMABU SCHOOL. Mr James Hcott, Head Ma»tor cf tho Titnaru School, wrote asking tho Board to let the Master's residence, and in lieu of it to make him an allowance of £50 per annum for lodging money. The Secretary stated that there were one or two applications for the home, one being the Head Mistress. On the motion of Mr Walcot, it, was resolved to let the house to Mrs Grahame if she would give £70 per annum for it, if n&t that it be handed over to Mr Scott. WAITOHI PLAT BCIIOOL. The Secretary presented his report, os Inspector, on a recent special Standard Examinution of the Waitohi Flat Sciiool, reading portiorjs of it and also portions of a report on an examination held in January last, to show that the school wos in a very unsatisfactory Btate in January, and showed little or no improvement since. In tho Januiry examination, of 31 presented in Standards only six passed, and in July of 24 of those who failed in January only four passed. lie, therefore, recommondod that tho teacher bo removed. It wai resolved, on the motion of Mr Walcot, sooondod by Mr Goldsmith, that the recommondalion of tho Inspeotor be referred to Ibo Committeo. MISCELLANEOUS. An application for a grant of £1 Os Gd to cover an unauthorised expenditure on rcpaira at the Orari bridge school, was left in the hands of the Chairman to deal with. An application for a new stove or ranco for the mastor's bouse, at St. Andrews school, was deferred till next meeting. An application from the Sea View Committee, for a refund of £20 expended ou funciog was disallowed, as decided at the last meeting. A similar application from tho Gapes' Valley Committee for a smaller amount, was also disallowed. Applications from the Redeliff Committee for tho emotion of a master's house, and from the South Orari Committee for an enlargement of the schoolroom, wero deferred till the Board is in a better financial position. ÜBB OS SOHOOLBOOMB 108 PUBLIC rCBPOSES. Mr Gray made his motion, of which he had given notice at the previous meeting — "That iu case of their allowing ths use of tho school buildings for other than political, religious, or scholastic purposes, tho Bohool Committees be enjoined to see that the premises be insurod for an adequate sum and for a sufficient time, and they be recommended to make a charge to provi lo for such insurance, and any damage which may be caused on suoh occasions." In moving thie, Mr Gray reminded tbo Board that schoolrooms were used for all kinds of purposes beaidea that for which they wero erected — entertainments, dance?, and what not, at night— and it was probable that if a building wero burned down while being usod for such purposes, the Government wou'd not rebuild it, though they would do so if it were deitroyed while being used for its intended purpose. He ha-J no desire to prevent schoolrooms being used for other than school purposes, but only to save tho Board from loss. Mr Walcot seconded the motion. Ho quite approved of the principle, and doubted whether the Government would rebuild, if n room were burned down while boing 'used for other than school purposes. Mr Talbot moved aa an amendment — "That a circular be issued to the School Committees, drawing their attention to the fact that cases have been reported to the Board where damage has been caused to buildings and furniture during meetings hold for entertainment, informing them that any such damage reported will be charged against ths Committee in whose charge the school is where such damage occurred." He was afraid Mr Q ray's motion, if carried, would give rise to great inoonvenienoe. In country districts the eohoolroom was generally the only room svailable for public meetings or amusements,

and frequently suoh meetings were found necessary to raise funds for tbe use of (he reboot itse'f. The schoolrooms jifTd looked upon a? public buildings, and Kreat hardship would result if the use of 'hnm were refused. No mishap had yet occurred, and na tho Government would rebuild in c»ee of fire, he did not see the necessity for requiring tho Committees to insure their schoolrooms on such occasion). He quite agrcod that all damage should bs made good. Dr Foster Baid the difficulty wa* to know who did the daroago $ Coin mitten, however, should be responsible. Mr Barker thought it would be found a great nuisance having to go to the nearest town ti> insure the building when it .was wanted for nn entertainment. The Secretary read » passage from one of his annual reports, in which ho commontod on tho carelessness of some Committees in looking after the property in their charge, and relatod a number of cases that had come under his obiervntion, in which the schuol furniture had been recklessly knocked about and damaged oil occnßions when entertainments had been held in the schoolrooms. In ono caee, at the opening of a new school, tho blackboards had been taken out of their frainoa and placed on desks to make a platform. Another now schoolroom had been let to a dancing cliss, who " waxed " the floor liberally with the material of ordinary candles, and lolt it in thut state. In another caee tho opening of a new school was celebrated by a concert and dance, and in clearing out tho temporary furnituro used for tho concprt the material wos carolosely passed through the windows, scratching off all tho psitit on tbe lower sill and considerably damaging the plastering of the outer walls, In another casn of the tamo kind tho new furniture was put out of doors and left out all night in a heavy rain, the consequonco being that it was considerably warped nnl injured. In another fchool a cuphoard had been asked fur, and on inquiring what had become of the one supplied, the master told him tho Committee had allowed the managers of a Sunday-school to put their books and apparatus in it, eo that the maeter had not room for school requisites. Many Committees wero quite careful of tho Board's property, but others wero vory care les9. The rooms in some places were regularly used for the meetings of Good Tcr.plars, and other eirietice, nad if they found the rioms a convenience, they ought to be prepared lo pay for the use of them. Mr Gildsmit'i remarked that in caie any damage waa douo, it was generally found that "nobody" did it. It would be little use grumbling ; if the Chairman of a Committee himeolf wanted to get at something beyond his reach he would ttnnd on a desk. Mr Graj's motion, is at first proposed, made no exceptions.but the Chairman pointed out that it would bo herd to require religious bedif « to insure the buildings when used for Fervices, as there was no danger in such cases, and tho rooms were often required for political purposes, aa for polling booths, and for meetings in connection with elections of Commiltees, and at his su?ge.-tion tho phrase making the eicoptionß waa addt-d. On tho iiiiitnlroent being put, the mover iinrt seconder, and Dr. Foster voted for it, aud for the original, the mover and seconder, Ihe Chairman and Mr Goldsmith. MrGrej's motion was therefore ca-ried. TIIE BOOK DEPOT. lii accordance with a resolution pa»sed a few inietiims ngo, the Secretary submitted a statement of the accounts of the de; 6t established by tho Board for supplying school books and otln-r requisites to schools. The 5t itement showed that up to the preient about £376 ha-1 been taken from tho general acL'onnt and spent in hooks and apparatus, the other side of the account — cash. in hand, aocounts owing, and stock in depot — amounting lo about £103, showing a balance or profit of ibaut £24 to far. The Chairman said the statement had been prepared on his suggestion. He thought it was no part of the L) >ard'n business to carry on an affair of the sort. It waa no part of their functions to engage in speculationa for the benefit of Committees. Tbe depot gave j greV. de»l of extra work, and if the proper work of the Board had been behindhand to iny extent, part, at least, of the blame must be attributed to the Board's staff hiving h»d lliis extra work imposed on them. If all the Commit tees lm<l taken advantage of the trnmgement, that would bs an argument in its furor, but ns a matter of fact tbe Cominiticea of the largest schools did tioc do so. It was understood that the Board were to import, goods direct from Home, but a glance it the nurnos of those from whom goods had boen purohased showed that most of the purchurs ha'l been mado in the colony. He strjiiglv advised tho Board to wind up the iffuir by disposing of tho stack in hand and buying no more. The Secretary explained that some purchases had been rnado in the colony, becauso it was found on enquiry to be the best way to procure certain kiodß of material. In other ra>e« purchases had been made in Ohrietchurch to keep up the slock of certain lines. Then in soon ns nrraugoments had been made for direct shipments, which took >omo time to effect, ho was giTco to understand that the sohemo would |be abandoned, ho was told not to import any more until the Board had further considered it, the Qovernnrc.it Auditor having condemned it, and said the Board had no right to nse their funds in such a way. Tho de[ 6t had been a great advar.tige so far ss it had been used. The Board had supplied Committees at something like 25 per crnt, leas than they could obtain supplies for elsewhere, while charging enough to leave the Bo^rd a small profit to avoid !o«s. Mr Walcct spoke strongly against giving up the <Jo| ut, as it had not yet had a fair trial, and moved — "That thodep6t be carried on till tho end of tho year, when a full statement of receipts aud expenditure be submitted." The matter waa discussed at some length, and eveutuilly Mr Walcol'a motion was carried. In connection with this eubjoot a letter was read from the Clerk, Mr Parker, stating that ho could not continue tho depdt work in addition to the duties of clerk. Tho Secretary stated that the depdt did entail so much work that Mr Parker had to work a great deal of overtime, for which he received no extra pay. No decision was come to regarding the lotter, but it was understood that it should be dealt with at eomo future time. The meeting then terminated.