EDUCATION BOARD.

Waipawa Mail, Volume 5, Issue 516, 24 August 1883, Page 4

EDUCATION BOARD.

At the ordinary meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board, held on Tuesday last, the following correspondence relative to Waipawa County was dealt with :

Erom W. E. Howlett, asking to be re-imbursed for building and other improvements effected by him in connection with the Makaretu School, and stating that if his request were granted he would go on making improvements without applying for further assistance ; if the Board could not legally made a grant he would made them a present of the work already done. — Keply to be sent stating the Board regretted that they could not legally made a grant. From the Kaikora Committee, asking for the retention of Miss Soley as pupil teacher. —Approved.

From the Kumeroa Committee, asking for progress payment of £IOO for new school.—Approved. From the settlers of South Makaretu district, asking what assistance the Board would give tow'ards the erection of a school there. —Answer to be sent that if settlers built the school a Board would pay teacher at rate of £4 per head on average attendance.

Erom the Ormondville Committee, declining to recommend any applicant for appointment as assistant mistress. —The Inspector suggested that the advanced pupil teachers in the Napier and Spit schools would make admirable assistants in country schools. —lnspector to aid committee in obtaining assistant.

Erom the Education Department, promising, in the event of Parliament passing a vote for native schools, to contribute an amount not exceeding £lls for the erection of a school at Tarawera for Europeans and Maoris, providing that the Education Board contributed an equal sum. Erom the Waipawa Committee, covering a letter from Mr Fraser, head-master, expressing regret at the position he recently occupied as defendant in a civil action in the Resident Magistrate’s Court, and stating that he had defended the claim on principle, but was not allowed to explain his reasons. The claim was chiefly for hire of a billiard-table.— Mr Harding suggested that the committee should be asked to make a recommendation on the matter.—The Chairman said he saw nothing wrong in playing a game of billiards ; it was defending the claim which was discreditable.—Mr Harding said that if much of the master’s time was spent in billiard-rooms the school must suffer, and it was the general impressson in Waipawa that too much of Mr Eraser s time was so spent.—Mr Guy said the most serious part of the affair was that Mr Eraser admitted having borrowed a sum of money to enable him to join a card party, and then repudiated the debt on the ground that the lender knew at the time that the money was required for gambling purposes. The Resident Magistrate said Mr Eraser should never have allowed such a case to go into Court, and added that he was sorry for the children under Mr Fraser’s case. The committee partly consisted of warm supporters of Mr Fraser, perhaps from interested motives, and that was why no recommendation was made to the Board.—Mr Sidey moved that the Board express regret at the improper position in which Mr Eraser had placed himself, and warn him that in future such, conduct would be dealt with severely.—Mr White moved as an amendment that the matter be referred back to the committee for a report. He did not believe in letting the committee shirk their duty.—Mr Guy seconded the amendment. He said some members of the committee seemed to think they were powerless to act, and it might be as well to point out that the committee could recommended the Board to dismiss the master or to deal with him in any other way. The amendment was negatived and Mr Sidev’s motion

carried, with an addition expressing regret at the neglect of the committee. From the Wainui Committee, asking for a teacher’s residence. —Consideration postponed. From the Wallingford Committee, notifying the appointment of Mr Simpson as teacher.—Approved. \ Mr Harding laid on the table a tetter from the secretary of the Waipukurau Hospital, and a certificate from Dr Reed, showing that the master of the Takapau school, when recently in the hospital, was suffering from alcoholism. The letters were ordered to be sent to the committee.