BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1167, 14 November 1871, Page 2

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

— ♦ : An adjourned meeting of the Hoard was held in their rooms at the Government Buildings yesterday afternoon. Present : Mr W.. Montgomery (chairman), Messrs Gould, Louglrnan, Maude, Knight, C. C. JBowen, and Kennaway. Mr Tlineker had an interview with the Board, for the purpose of giving ini"ormatio"i respecting the memorial from residents in Okain Bay, praying for the erection of an Educational district. The Chairman said the Board desired to know the boundaries of the proposed district ; the number of children likely to attend the school; and whether the memorialists were prepared to convey a site to the Superintendent for. the school. Mr Thackei" said thoro was a reserve for school purposes, where the present master's house is erected on the face of tho hill, but there is a creek between that and the Oat, 'where the settlers, are almost entirely located. The creek was frequently Hooded and impassable, therefore the present site was an objectionable "one. " ~Th'tff (T'was, however, another reserve near the Church reserve on the ilat- '< which the Government w^ul'd, probably make ! an EducatioriHx-i £ eserve,''iajul thus at one<j j provide them \vith,,.o, site. The number of children likely to'; attend the school was about 40. % : ■-'' I The Chairman i.saidf the memorialists had been written to for. ..the information, but the Board would now most likely be, able to come to gpmc decision pn, that which Mr Thaeker had'given theito, and thus prevent. delay,' . The ■ Board would, consider- it. dming their present sitting, and forward a reply in. d\ie course. ; ; ..MrThacker then withdrew; . ;.- . ; • A letter jwa3, read ,frqni.;tho "Pigeon Bay School 1 Committee asking, what assistance tho Board would grant iin aid? of- the erection *of a master's housoort tho. present play -ground.: , : The Secretary, was instructed to reply that the Board would] graotlfive-sixths of tho requisite amount; (subject to, the sum being ; voted by the Provincial Council), provided the committee coiitriFute Che" femairihig one-srxth;;; the committee riot to' dnterinto any engage-' nidnte or? incur.. any, expense^;in the master without first consulting the Boavdv , /„■ >;:l ! i An application frbin /the- Lower ITeathcpte School Committee ;fori a ; grant in iud4:pr the' 'enlargement.. of-; the ■. present, schopl^wap con-^ sidered. . .: ......... i .-..:.. ' > . The Chah-man said that the grants for school buildings to this district had beendSSGJ), and the local- contributions towards the^saane object amounted to £121. , The committee noTV asked, for aid to the extent p£,,aHpu<s £180./.,; ',-. •.•'.;;". .'■■:■ ' : ... .' ..-.'...;\'u".'i2if-\l ■ Plans of the proposed' alterations, ,^o. the school were laid upon the table, b'ut/.jverq gdt approved by the Inspector. ' "^V ; | The Secretary was instructed to request the

committee to send in new plans, and to state that the Board were willing to assist in an extension of the present schoolroom. Another letter was also read from the same committee asking for a grant in aid of the appointment of an assistant teacher. The committee proposed to pay £30, and desired the Board to contribute £20 of that amount. The Secretary was ordered to reply that tssistant teachers must be paid out of the ordinary grants and fees, aud that the grants to schools will not be increased beyond the amount allowed by the regulations. A letter was read from the Halswcll School Committee, intimating that they had pur-v chased an additional quarter of an acre of land for £10, whereby to secure direct communi- , cation with the school from the Lincoln Koad, and had given instructions to hare the land conveyed to the superintendent, the cost of which they hoped the Board would repay. It was decided that the fees for the conveyance should be paid by the Board. The committee of the same school also asked the Board to take over the policy of insurance for the school buildings, and refund the premium. The i"equest was acceded to. A letter was read from the committee of the Akaroa school, calling attention to the state of the present school buildings, and the necessity for more extensive buildings. The present attendance is about 40, but the committee expected it to be increased to at least 100 when the new district is formed. The committee also complained of the low position of the land on which the buildings are now erected. The natural drainage was good, and a much better position on the same site could be secured if new buildings were erected, and some of the present buildings might be utilised in the event of new erections. The committee also expressed a hope that the Board would take the present' buildings as their contribution towards the new school. The application was deferred until next meeting; the secretary to write in the meantime for information as to whether a bettor site cannot be obtained. A communication was read from the 4 Timaru committee, announcing that they had appointed Mr J. T. Hunt, formerly the master of the South Yarra College, Melbourne, as head-master of the Timaru Public School, subject to the approval of the Board. The Chairman read the Inspector's report, wlrch said, ", Having examined the testimonials and cerLificates of Mr J. T. Hunt, I find them very satisfactory, and that Mr .Hunt ' appears to be highly qualified, both from his scholarship and his experience, for the ma3tc^ ship of the Timaru Public School." The Chairman said the Board had also to consider another point in connection with thi3 matter. Mr Jaggar had hitherto been the master of the school, but it was now proposed to appoint Mr Hunt head master. A previous application had been made to the Board for permission to appoint another master, but the Board had refused it because they considered Mr Jaggar well able <;o occupy the position of master of the ordinary school. The Inspector, in reply to the chairman, said that Mr Jaggar was eminently qualified for the management of anelementary school, and he presumed it was * now desired to establish an upper school in addition to the ordinary school ; iv fact, to form a ;school something of the character^ of the High school in Christchurch, and appoint Mr Hunt head master. He would suggest, however, that Mr Hunt should be appointed master of the upper school, and that Mr Jaggar should retein the mastership of the lover school I when Mr Hunt would only interfere nomi- ■ nally with Mr Jaggar. The Board wo uld rememJ ber that the residents of Thnar'u had made an application for the provision of a higher class oi'* eduction, and the Board; had granted money for the extension of the school so as to permit of the two branches of education — elementary a:ad superior— being provided for. ,- The Chairman asked Mr Restell whether lie thought the intention was that Mr Hunt should supersede Mr Jaggar or merely take the mastership of the upper school. . Mr Restell said he could not say positively, hut the previous action of the committee gave indication of it. . ■ '■ ) \ ■ j I Mr Gould moved that t)io Board express noH opinion as to the appointment of Mr Hunt,H but that any grant from the Board must goflj j in part payment, of tho salaries oiVMr and M.rsH I Jaggar, the' present mastci; and lnwtvess. of theH ir school.. •■ ■■• ".■.'-., ; „..;.,.. •*■ H '.'After some discussion^ it was, resolved toH defer the matter for further considerationM vntil next "meeting," "and" "the "secretary "WosH instructed in the meantime to get together a llH the correspondence bearing on the subject ofß esfcablishhig a superior school at Tiraaru. 8 .': Mr Shadbqlt,- r a member _:orV the- I) uyau-H ; ehelle's Bay School Committee, wrote jfcoßjj ask what should . r be.-dono in the matter ofw the local school site, whish was originally^ given by Lord Lytteltori, and handed over toH the Bishop because thei'e was no Educational™ Board at that time. ' ' • • _ H Mr Speight, 1 chairman of the. committeeJH also wrote, stating- that it' : was 1 '• "desir&t bitherß to place the present school 'an,fl r site 1 under tfyJH Board, and • obtain a^rantas'Saj' kp'ecidr'SchoorH| or, to have an educational xlisfcricti 'ferec'tied; andMJ anew site .obtained: ''■'■'' '* ■'■■ :; ' ■"'•'■' : ■'■■ i BJ : v/ Sir ■ Kennaway •m6Ve l dy ;i * midt, Mr" Shkid-B] bolt's attention be direct&i f *t*6' J Th ! o : Edn6ati6ißJ Ordinance, 1871, and: hS be informed that thdH Board would take an.tc? consideration . anjflj application 'for tne- establishment o.f an edueajßj vional district under the provision's' pf ' the 'ActßJ or f6r a grant in ! aict. {J ln either case> betteißJ building will, however, be required." '■' : M The motion was, secoilded, and agreed to. H The matter 'tit 'tW mfemo^ial and countejH .memorial respecting 'the ere'ctipn.o| an oducaHJ tional district' dt!")?apanui, as 'adijo ( urjied' ironß last noeeting, was considei-ed. ' ,' > ; ."/ ' ..-,'/ " " ' JH " Mr^&nnaway 1 r moved," " That the necessarjHj step's he taken for j-theforua^tioa of an 'edHicaM tional;di9t^ct'iritaccbrctance,with the petiti^jM from the"'Ee'v. L.'Mbbre arid other resident™

.at Papanui ; and the usual public meeting -of householders in the district to be held on Monday, the 27th inst., at the present schoolhouse, Papanui, at 7 p.m." Mr Gould seconded the resolution, wlr'ch was agreed to. An application from the committee of the New Brighton school committee for an extension of the present district was granted, provided that the boundaiies of no other district are interfered with, and that no part of the New Brighton boundary be more than three miles from the school site. The adjourned application f vom residents at Opawa and Hillsborough for the erection of an Educational district, was considered. The Chairman said Mr Pavitt stated at last meeting that he had not heard any objection from Waltham, but since then the residents in that locality had also forwarded a memorial praying for the erection of an educational district. There were now therefore three districts interested in the boundaries proposed by the residents at Opawa and Hillsborough. The Board considered the boundaries proposed for the Opawa and Hillsborough district, and decided upon certain modifications ■which the secretary was instructed to explain to the memorialists. The Secretary was also requested to inform the Waltham memorialists that the Board required more information respecting the number of children likely to attend the school. Correspondence, and the Inspector's report bearing upon the refusal of the master of the ( Waimate school to send in his resignation as requested by the committee, was read. It was decided that the Board approve of the committee giving the master three months' notice of dismissal. The resignation of the Secretary as adjourned for consideration from last meeting was again discussed, and it was resolved to accept the resignation ; suitable testimonials to be giveu to Mr Mainwaring. The application from S. John's School for -aid, and the Inspector's report on insufficiency of accommodation for the scholars were considered. ; It was resolved, that on the Chairman being satisfied that there is suitable room for the average attendance of scholars, the application should be granted, in so far as the boys are concerned, but that no grant should be made for girls, until Miss Anthony, the teacher, shall have obtained her certificate. Mr Gould adverted to the necessity of better ventilation and a supply of forms for the younger children at the Wesleyan school, and the Secretary was instructed to write and request attention to these matters at once. The Chairman of the Courtonay school reported that there was a debt of £14 odd owing for painting and ofchex* necessary works, and requested that, as the committee had no power to 'levy a rate at the time it was incurred, the Board would vote a sum to clear off the liability. : . The Board decided that they had no funds at their disposal for such a purpose. A letter was read from Mr Mayo, Ashburton, requesting a grant in aid for a private school, until such time as the new district school is formed. The application was refused. Tho committee of the Ashley Bank school reported that tho estimated cost of painting and repairing tho school buildings was about &10. : The Board decided that the committee must keep the school buildings in repair, and that they could not give any aid in this instance. Mr Willrner's geography was referred to the Inspector to report upon, previous to the consideration of its. adoption by the Board. A communication was read from the Eyreton School Committee, stating that it was impossible for the work of the school to bo carried on properly, without tho dismissal of the master — Mr Cox. The previous correspondence, in which .the v. committee gave their reasons for desiring to dismiss Mr Cox, was read. In reply to the chairman, Mr Restell said that for the past ten years he had always to report favourably on Mr Cox's teaching. After a lengthened discussion, tho Secretary was instructed to inform the committee that the Board having considered the want o£ harmony in matters connected with the school, the Board will sanction the removal of Mr Cox. MrMountfort reported, in respect of tho tenders for Gebbie's Valley School, that £250 would be a fair amount for the erection of the proposed buildings. The Chairman said the lowest tender was ;S2SP. II was decided that the committee be requested to invite new tenders. The Chairman of the Governor's Bay School Committee reported that there were no probabilities of sufficient scholars being obtained to enable the Boaixl to form an educational district, and therefore the committee selected the alternative of applying for a special grunt, and hoped that so long as the services of Mr Blatchford were retained, the Board would, continue it. The Chairman of the Kaiapoi Island School Committee wrote applying for plans for the; school, and stating that the contribution required from the committee towards the erec-, tion of the buildings was ready for transmis- : sion to the Board. ; The Chairman was requested to communicate with Mr Lean, architect, on the sub-' ject. : Several accounts were passed for payment," and the Board closed a five hours' sitting atj 7 p.m. ] «AJSflto^pE..mQ&pa. fpr next,_infie.Ung,byJ^[r; /Kennaway: — "That in the opinion of the i desir&ble that a special inspection! 3 frgriade-by 'a competent person of all build-i f r m F gi ! appertaining to schools receiving: aid f rom ; fcK&* Board, for thVpurpose i of ascertaining- the state of repair of eaoh building^eh'cUa' report to be 'laid' before the-B'oafdßhdwing the results."