WAIMATE HIGH SCHOOL BOARD.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XVII, Issue 4, 5 June 1914, Page 3

WAIMATE HIGH SCHOOL BOARD.

THE TtiOO LAND I’URCH ASE. COMMITTEE MUST TRUST GOVERNORS. A special meeting of the High School Board was held _ last. night for the purpose of considering the question of purchasing tho o l-facres now lea-sod by tiio Borough Council to Mr W. Ikarford. There we-re present:—-Messrs M. If. Beckett (Chairman), Hamilton, Bitehencr. inkstcr, Sanders and Lindsay. The chairman said there wa-s a diilieulty, as Mr Barford was asking f)s per week for four years—the balance of his lease. Mr Hamilton said he had spoken Li the Mayor about this mat tea*, an d understood from him that Mr BanV i was agreeable to give up ;ii.- three a.’.res now being used as a plavgromul, without any compensation, but. he wished to retain the portion that i.s sheltered by the trees for his itorses. The paddock offercd by Mr Bilack did not suit him so well. "What lie (Mr HamiltonJ suggested was that the- Coventors purchase, this laud as an investment for the Board’s funds, and that they should not use it, and simply let the School make use of it. He would not prop '>e t. ogive the School Committee the lease of it. Mr Barford was asking ,C2fi compensation if he- was to give up the- whole block, hut, if he were allowed to continue in occupation of the portion n*w used by him he would ask nothing. His (Mr Hamilton’s) idea was that the whole Id ■ck he taken over subi, to tiie present lessee’s rights, with a proviso that the lessee- have the right (-> give up his lease at hjiv time.

.Mr Sanders: That means that the Board's C(!(X> really out of action Mr Hamilton : That is so. But in live > ears or s ;) we might he aide to sell that land and make more on it titan a inoiteage. would amount m. We. are simple varying the invest men I. I don't think anybod;. Mill he. likely to find fault with it. even if we do lose a certain ajnoniit <d inter.-M. Wo have u lake the : isfi. Lm I don’t .think there L much risk in it. Mr Inkster •■mciirred. Th.e endowment was ehctrly fur the assistance of the High .school Depart,Jliellt. ,M-r Hamilton .-aid he really riiouvhi in. a ;. i he framers ef th- Waimatc High School Act meant them l-c .a'hie to do what lin-y v. .-re now proposing ta do. He ili i not ihii.A the authors of that Act intended to block ;the expenditure uf portion M the cmiowmenit; on such an object. Mr Inkster though! that later on ihe IHci; S moo! Board would he in a po dlfim financially th;u i-.vii;', ievem-e iiiere would not be rii". roc i ;o subsidise the teachers salaries in the future—because there wa> a eh ,n-c.e of teachers’ salaric. being rd-ed hv the ordinary mean,-. The Chairman thought the Board wa,- ' lei lie right. Mr Linfisay concurred. There couhi be. no objection to the course proposed. if there "os the necessity Jor this extra playground. Mr Hamilton th f, n formally moved his motion to purchase the land. He -explained that when he made the -mvg-'tioji at tho last meeting of the itour.l it was simply for the purpose of having the matter discussed. ami ascertaining if the proposal was likely to meet with the approval of the bodies eoncenied. Ftoni Cm .advices to hand, it was evident the matter had been received with approval. As the Act gave them power to purchase land, he did not think there was anything wrong in spending money that way. His idea was dimply to allow the land to he made nte of by the IMstn'ef High School for a playground for the use of the pupils there. He did not propose they should mike .-my Mmiing lease- of it with Hm School Committee. In dismissing it v. itii members of that Committee he had made it clear that it wa= not tlm Board’s idea to let them hav anv kvme, but. that the Bo ird would not have any objection to their making use of it as a play,:round. He did not think as a Board it was wise to go any further than t'nat. He did not think my prac.i-al difficulty would arise I- to tenure. The School Committee 'Wild I” in no better position in ■Ms ra-peci if the land belonged to he Li i<-aii ui Board. They would list allow th” School to use it. There w-r- certain reasons which u 'hi nut think it was desirable to 'nUr into which induced him to lifhk tint this was the most dcsirihle nay to fix the matter up, and ie thought the School Committee unFrstc.c.d.

Tli'.* iiX'tkiu w;h seconded by Mr 31 fe-hi> nc r. Mr >in-i--rs jointed out that the so rough’s >ii-jTi contained a condign ha to •.■•unpensatine the tenant or giving «p hi? lease. The purdiasinlt body was to pay the 'Borough -not the tenant -an amount to be lamed by tin- borough. Mr Ink'ier -aid that was at the email's widi. Tin’ Committee were iou- paying Mr Harford £6 per anuim for the three acres sub-leased rom him. In four years that would mount to £2i. The tenant was ■skin? £s*s compensation for giving ip the whole block now. so there ras not. much difference. The motion was carried unaniaously, ;uid the matter of paying ver the cash wa* left in the hands f the 'Finance Committee; the bmiei] (o lie written to and asked > «dl i,o the Hoard.