Waipawa School Committee.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 2715, 30 January 1892, Page 2

Waipawa School Committee.

A special general meeting of the committee was held last night, Messrs White (chair), Harker, Johnson. Gilmour, Nash, Collett and Mogridge being present. Mr Collett said he had written to Mr H. H. Bridge asking him to allow himself to be nominated to fill one of the vacancies on the Education Board. Mr Bridge had replied declining the honor on account of living so far away. A letter was read from Messrs Gilberd and Cohen signifying their willingness to be nominated. The Chairman stated that the Waipukurau committee had nominated Mr Gilberd. Mr Harker proposed that Mr Cohen be nominated. Seconded by Mr Gilmour and carried. Correspondence was read from the Board stating that a substitute for Miss Rosie would be sent in a day or two. A telegram followed informing the Chairman that Miss Palmer had been appointed. The Chairman said Miss Palmer had arrived and commencd duty. Mr White said he had received some letters from Sergt. M‘Ardle on the truant business which made it appear that there was an attempt to ignore the Committee in the matter, by outsiders interfering. The letters were then read, from which it appeared that Mr Williarjnson wrote to Mr S. Johnson, J.P., enclosing a list of names of children who were irregular in attendance at school. Mr Williamson referred to a recent conversation with Mr Johnson on the question of truantism and asked him to send on the list to the Police to deal with. Mr Johnson, as requsted, forwarded the list to Sergt. M‘Ardle, with a few lines to the effect that, seeing through the papers that the police were appointed truant officers, the said list might be of service to him ; and stating further, that ho (the writer) would he pleased to assist the police in his judicial capacity. Sergt. M‘Ardle forwarded the above correspondence to the chairman with a memo, that the police had received no “ official ” notification on the subject. Mr Williamson being asked in to explain matters, said what he had done was the

outcome of a general conversation one night at a committee meeting. He had had so many communications in the pa«t with Mr Johnson on the same subject and Mr Johnson had interested himself so much in the matter, that he (Mr Williamson) had, without thinking, forwarded the letter and list referred to. He certainly had no intention of ignoring the committee in the matter.

A general conversation then ensued on the truant question, and it was finally decided to deal with the matter at the next meeting to be held on the 4th February, when the Head Master promised to prepare a list of all children irregular in attendance and of those who absented themselves entirely from school.