SOUTH CANTERBURY BOARD OF EDUCATION:

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11664, 24 January 1902, Page 3

SOUTH CANTERBURY BOARD OF EDUCATION:

The monthly meeting of the Board of Education was held yesterday. Present — Rev. G- Barclay, Messrs Jackson, McCaskill, Farnie, Campbell, and Maslin. In the absence of Mr W. B. Howell, chairman, Mr Barclav was elected to preside. : CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT. Mr Barclay stated that Mr Wood, of Waimataitai, had written stating that soma repairs were required to the spouting at the school. Mr Wright, senr., and Mr Wright, junr., had resigned their seats on the Rangitata Island School Committee, owing to their removal from the district, and Messrs A. G. Nalder and J. Ashby had been elected in their stead. Miss Freeman was absent, temporarily, from the Hannaton school, owing to the death of her brother. Miss Ida Gardner, of Otaio, had resigned her appointment for the purpose of taking' a trip Home. She wished to be relieved of her duties before Easter. Mr W. J. Tennent had written applying to have his daughter's scholarship (Ida F. Tennent) transferred to the Marton District High School. It was agreed to accede to Miss Gardner's request for a testimonial of long and successful service as a teacher, to serve as an introduction to educational ties in Britain and America. Also that the transfer of Ida Tennent's scholarship (£2 10s) be granted. TEMUKA'S £lO DEBT.

Mr Jackson .asked for an explanation of the dispute of the Temuka Committee over a debt of £lO. . Mr Barclay made an explanation. lne School Committee asked for a master's residence. A Commission from the Board •went out and examined the schoojground, and it was thought at the time that there was ample space for a residence without - • putting the Board to more expense. At. a subsequent point the Committee pressed the notion on the Board that they had better purchase a site outside the school grounds. The building- fund was not very flush at the time, and it was suggested that when the Committee made a request of that sort they should be ready to help the Board a little, and through Mr Talbot and Mr Farnie, and correspondence, the Committee pledged themselves to do so, and finally it was agreed that they were to pay the Board £lO, on condition that the Board purchsed two sections, for which they paid £25. That was the Committee's pledge. That was a considerable time ago, and the Board had asked the Committee from time to time to pay the money. They had never paid it, and he was not aware that they had shown any disposition to pay it, or had ever promised to pay it, by and by. ' Mr Farnie said the Committee admitted the debt, but had not the funds to pay j it. It was not the present, but a former Committee, that pledged itself to pay the £lO, and as a matter of law a Committee was not responsible for the acts of its predecessors. The Committee admitted the debt, and was taking steps to pay it The chairman said there was nothing official in the office to that effect. Mr Jackson spoke of the impropriety of keeping the money back for a reason of that kind. Mr Farnie said it could not occur again, as .'i resolution had been passed that no work be undertaken until money so promised had been paid over. Mr Barclay said that as the matter had been brought up he would state his opinion about it. He considered it entirely unworthy of any Committee to apparently, studiously and deliberately, hold back money which they had given a distinct promise to pay. It was not creditable to themselves, not just to the Board, or to other Committees who had promptly paid the contributions they promised to pay. It was an obvious violation of their solemn pledge. Mr Barclay mentioned several cases of Committees of scattered and sparsely settled districts haying paid £lO, £2O or £25 promised, while Temuka, a populous and wealthy district, had put the Board to a lot of trouble over £lO. The Board should not allow itself to be hoaxed to that extent. In previous cases the Board had collected debts from Committees bv making a monthlv deduction from the incidentals until the debts were paid, and if the Temuka Committee was not- honourable and honest they should apply that- plan to them. . Mr Maslin said that Mr Barclay was making a long statement against the Committee! whilst it was the old Committee and the Board who were to blame. The Board itself had been negligent, and "must- take its share of the blame, and Mr Barclay himself the largest share of it. Mr Barclay said that the ' old Committee and the presnt one were practically the same. Mr Farnie said that he did not defend the Committee at all, and had always said so. The only reason they had not paid was that they had not funds to pay it.

He thought that Mr Barclay had too strong language. The Temnka Committee was composed of respectable men—(Mr Barclay: Then why don't they pay their debts?)—and the presnt Committee, though they did not consider they were legally

liable for the debt, were willing to pay it as soon as they had the money, ana they were taking steps to get it. Mr Barclay talked about- repudiation; , but there had been no repudiation. They admitted the debt.

Mr Barclay : Why do they not write to the Board 'and say so, instead of using you? Mr Farnie: lam not the Committee. Mr Maslin considered Mr Barclay's reference to Mr Farnie as a member of the Committee was unbecoming. Mr Farnie was there as a member of the Board. ■ Mr Barclay said Mr Farnie spoke as a member of the Committee. Mr Maslin said 1 Mr Barclay had no right to refer to him as a member of the Committee; he might refer to the Committee, but not to any member of it. Mr Barclay : Mr Farnie spoke for the Committee. But this should stop now, and let them get on with the business. Mr Campbell said there must have been some looseness in accepting the promise. The Temuka Committee had been dishonourable—(Oh, oh's !) —in keeping back the £lO. The present- Committee was equitably responsible, whether legally responsible or not. Any Committee is equitably responsible for the promises of previous Committees; that at all events had been resognised by all Committees he had been connected with for five-and-twenty years. He hoped such a matter would never occur again, by the Board guarding themselves against it. .

Mr McCaskill said'he had never spoken on behalf of the Committee.

Mr Barclay said he had never named Mr McCaskill at all.

A QUESTION.

Mr Farnie asked some questions as to to practice of the Board with regard to the utilisation of the proceeds of school sites, Rangitata being a case in point. The Act requires that proceeds of such sales shall be expended on the purchase of other lands. —The secretary said the money had not yet come in for the Island site, and it was pointed out that a new site had been purchased for the school when removed. DEPARTMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Mr Hogben, Secretary for Education, wrote on December 24th that the proposal to establish a District High School at Timaru, or to give free education at the Timaru' High School to a. certain number of pupils that have passed Standard VI, had been under the. Minister's consideration, together with applications of the same kind from other places similarly situated. He was now directed to inform the Board that the magnitude of the interests involved has led the Minister to the conclusion that decision with regard to these questions must be postponed until the next session r.f the General Assembly. The Department, in reply to an inquiry, wrote that the matter of exchange on cheques for teachers' salaries appeared to be one for arrangement between the Board and the bank.

"A letter from the Department of January 10th inquired inter alia (1) Whether the Board propose- to. pay Mr Amos, of Timaru Main School, at the old rate, £135 per annum, or at once to bring his salary down to the rate fixed by the schedule to the Act.. (2) Which of the pupil teachers at Waimate the Board proposed to pay out of the District High School subsidy. The letter added that regulations "will be issued bearing on the appointment of teachers consequent on increase of attendance The secretary had replied, with regard to the pupil teachers at Waimate, that--the Board proposed to- allot the average salary of pupil teachers, as otherwise the salaries of other teachers would go up or down with the change of pay to pupil teachers. With regard to Mr Amos, lie had replied that the salary would be retained on the old scale. Letters of the Bth inst. stated that ths matter of making an allowance for conveyance of children to Esk Valley School was under consideration; and that, in regard to the Board's request for a grant for ths training of South Canterbury pupil teachers on completion of their apprenticeship, the general question of making provision for the training of teachers will shortlv be considered. A SCHOLARSHIP QUESTION.

Mr H. R. Bell, of Otaio, waited on the Bo;>~<! to ask if his son, who " qualified" ;:t. the recent junior scholarships examination, could not have a scholarship instead of an exhibition. It was explained that the lad, being eleventh on the list , was too low down to permit of a scholarship being awarded .to him. Mr Bell k said he could send his bov to the Waimate School cheaper than to Timaru, if he received no assistance. It was pointed out to him that his boy is young enough to compete for a junior scholarship next year. - APPOINTMENTS.

Applications were received for the posts of sole teacher Glenavy (15) ; seventh assistant-, Timaru Main extra assistant, Geraldine D.H.S.; fifth assistant, Waimate; and sole teacher, WaihaoTunga. The Board made'a preference selection in each ■case for recommendation to the committees. Some correspondence was read from the Department pointing out that the appdintment of Miss Gough Gubbins as assistant at Redcliff was in excess of the colonial scale.—The .secretary stated that the appointment would have been correct under the Board's old scale, and the applications were called for last year under the Board's old scale, but in view of the new scale the chairman had not made the appointment after the' committee had approved of the Board's selection. —Mr Barclay said the position was very awkward, because the lady had gone to Redcliff and was there now.—A resolution was passed that Miss Gubbins be appoiited. subject to the appointment being confirmed by the ! Denartmsnt. The appointment of Miss Turnbull as mistress at Waitaki was confirmed. The Timaru Main School Committee asked to have three pupil teachers retained for a fifth year. —Agreed to.-—Mr Jackson hope! that "this would not do any injustice to others cominE.fl-B. GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE. Mr G. W. Murray, secretary to the Teachers' Provident Fund, inaugurated by the Teachers' Institute, asked the Board to allow the office to deduct- *jr per cent, /roru teachers' salaries and pay the deduction to the Provident Fund, on behalf of teachers srivine them a written request to do so.—The Board resolved to (rive favourable consideration to the request. The office has been in the habit of deducting percentages to pay Government life insurance premiums for teachers. Tbe Board approved of the appointmentof Miss MaV.e as P.T. at Pleasant Point, subject to the Board's rule being adhered to. that all applications be sent to the 1 office. ' Mr A. E. .Jones, assistant at Temuka. applied for permission to give six months instead of three months' notice of his resignation, as he had been many years in the Board's service.—Letter " received. The headmaster. Geraldine, reported that there were 17 pupils who had passed the Sixth Standard (previous to the last examination) who would attend a District High School for secondary education; and probably there were several of those who passed the Sixth at the last examination win would attend. The Waimate High School Board of Governors wrote offering certain bonuses on salaries in the Waimate District High School, and Mr Barclay having made an explanation of the matter, the offer was accepted with thanks. The Winchester Committee asked for a refund of the cost of a school bell fully paid for bv them. —Not entertained. WORKMEN'S ACCIDENT INSURANCE. The following opinion was read from Messrs Perry, Perry, and Kinnerney: — " Referring to instructions from your Board to advise as to its position and that of school committees under ' The Worker's Compensation Act- 1900,' we have the honour to do so as follows: —(1) Both your Board and the committee? are within, the provisions of the Act, and liable to pay compensation under it. (2) In any ca u e where your Board —under Section 43 of the Education Act of 1877—sanctions expenditure by a committee on any building or other hazardous work and during ihe progress of the work, an accident, such as the Act applies to, happens, your Board will be liable. If the expenditure has notbeen sanctioned by your Board, your Board will not be liable. If the work is done by a committee, out of funds provided by" your Board but the work has not been specially sanctioned by the Board, or the funds allocated to it your Board will not be liable. (3) We are of opinion that Mr W. P. Hawlce has ' no claim either against the Orari Bridge School Committee, or your Board. (4) ' We advise that- youii Board and the comI mittee obtain . indemnity by insurance I against well-grounded claims which may arise in the future."

Mr Ma.slin said and the Board agreed, that the architect should see that the Board is protected by a clause in every buildinp contract. BUILDING COMMITTEE. Mr Barclay, for ~.x>e ' . l. .vttee,

reported- the following ; recommendations : That an additional sum of £2 17s be granted to Temuka, ior hanging and repairs to windows. That £2 10s be paid Esk Valley for expulsion of bees. That £4 6s be paid to Timaiu South for work done at closets. That Bates' tender of £l2 15s be accepted for gemft-al repairs at Hilton. That a clock be granted to Adair. That tenders be called tor additions at Geraldir.e. The architect lias arranged to improve the ventilation at Pareora by louvres hi the gables. That- the. office supply sehuo) furniture asked for by Waimate; the architect to- report on tank stands, flooring, etc. The architect to get spouting- at Wai-iti repaired ; visit Te Moana and report; report on asphalting and enlargement at Waimataitai; and also on application from Silverstream. That with regard to Kohilta site, Messrs Gow and Campbell select one and arrange with the Government Surveyor, if J possible. : That the architect get leak at Lyalldale rpeaired. That £3 be paid to Temuka for driving pipe for well. That fencing and gates at Waihoarunga. be done. That- the architect see to reported leak at Timaru Main, and have fence repaired, the Bank to pay half. That- the application for a ladder at Tiina.ru South be not entertained. That the architect see to the purchase of tank and the screens for closets at Te Ngawai. That 10s be granted for school bell at Cricklewood. That the subsidy for conveyance of- children at Esk Yalley be renewed. That repairs at Fail-view be carried out. -That the tender of Hollamby be accepted at £192 10s. for removal and enlargement of Waitaki Village Settlement school. The report concluded with the statement that- the. overdraft at- date was about £733; .the. expected building grant, £1009; balarce disposable, £1067 ; besides a sum available in addition, through the transfer of accounts.

The architect reported -on cost of repairs to tank-stands and flooring at Waimate. <:ncl on painting interior at Pleasant Point. Mr Jackson reported on a request by the Timaru Main Committee for the removal of certaim trees on the north side of the ground. Both the Committee and Dr Thomas, the adjoining owner, wished to have the trees removed, chiefly, he understood, because boys do damage by throwing stones into the trees.—-The request was declined, the Board, holding that the headmaster could stop the stone-throwing. It was resolved that the architect have necessary repairs carried out at Temuka, making arrangements, if possible, with the contractor, who has put in a tender. THE SCHOLARSHIPS.

Mr Barclay, for the scholarship committed, reported on the result of the. recent examinations, at which Messrs Gow and Bell, ths Inspectors, were the examiners and supervisors. The total number of candidates was 36, a falling-off of eight compared with the previous year. Regret was expressed that no candidate came from any outside or private institution. Nineteen primary schools were represented, as against nir.-e last year, and certain large schools were conspicuous by the fact that they had sent few or no competitors, e.g., Timaru Main and Waimate only one each. The financial position was as follows: —-Expected from capitation (4440 pupils, at- Is 6d per head), £353. Pledged to last year's winners, £l6B 10s. Saving on fees through payments by the Government,. £24. Available for distribution this year, £IBB. The committee recommended that eight junior and four senior scholarships be allotted, as under. The larger sums granted are made up of £2 10s for books and £2O to pay, or help to pay, for board and lodging for pupils who must live away from home to attend school; the smaller sums are,to purchase school books for pupils who can live at. home and attend school. The scholarships are to be held at the schools named. There are no fees to be paid, education at District High Schools being free, and the Timaru High School Board grants free education to scholarship winners, and to a further number called exhibitioners . JUNIOR.

Jessie H. Gow, Waimataitai. £2 10s. Timaru High School. Eva Hammond, Woodbury, £22 10s. Geraldine District High School. Grace Blackmore, Southburn, £22 10s. Timaru High School. Dan O'Connor, Hazelburn, £22 10s. Timaru High School. Alice Taggart, Gapes' Valley, £22 10s. Ggraldine District High Schooll. Lo-uie Gray, Temuka District High School, £2 10s. Temuka District High School. . Violet Jones, Pleasant Point, £22 10s. Timaru High School. Norah McSweeney, Adair, £22 10s. Timaru High School. - Bruce Miller, Hazelburn,. Timaru High School exhibition. Ernest J. Bell, Esk Valley, Timaru High School exhibition (declines). Gordon H. Grant, Temuka, Timaru High School exhibition. The exhibition declined by Ernest Bell is to be offered in turn to the next highest in the Junior Scholarship list, Grace M. Anderson-, Albury, and failing her acceptance, to Campbell Houston. Claremont. SENIOR. Nora Blackmore, Timar-i Girls' High School. £22 10s. Timaru High School. M. Berta McCahon, Timaru Girls High School, £2 10s. Timaru High School. Hugh C. Tennent, Timaru Boys High School, £2 10s. Timaru High School. Michael C. Gudex. Timaru Boys High School, £22 10s. Timaru High School. Mr Farnie suggested that in future some advantage of age, say six months, should be given to country competitors for scholarships, and that the Railway Department be asked to convey free pupils who have to attend a High School or District High School by rail, as they do Roman Catholic children. It would save the pupils 10s a quarter, and that would buv them books. Mr Barclay said he believed this was already to contemplation. ' THE FINANCES.. <Vn informal discussion took place on the condition of the finances, which was originated by Mr Barclay making some siTP-n-es-tions for the expenditure of the next building o-rant These were declined in the ™enntime as premature, and it was resolved that a. detailed statement;, of liabilities urder the building account and estimated revenue ant expenditure under same account for the lollowing year be furnished to members at next meeting by the building committee The Chief Inspector's reports on the District 'High Schools were held over. Mr Howell, the chairman, having returned from Christchurch, joined the Board ]ust as the business was concluded.