EDUCATION BOARD

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 125, 21 May 1932, Page 7

EDUCATION BOARD

The Monthly Meeting

NATIONAL MATTERS RECEIVE DUE CONSIDERATION The monthly meeting of the Hawke’s ■Bay Education Board was held yesterday, when Mr. G. A. Maddison presided over Messrs H. M. Quigley, R. C. Wright, C. Lassen, J. Wauchope, T. Coleman, T. Rowe, W. Cuthbertson, W. Fraser, and the Revs. F. L. Frost and R. Waugh. Leave of absence was granted Mr C. R. Sainsbury. Regarding science classes in primary schools the Department aclviseu that in -accordance with the recommendation of the National Expenditure Commission the special capital will not be -vvailablo this year. —Receive*?. The Department advised that Cabinet 'had decided, to reduce by £20,000 the :grant for maintenance of primary school buildings over the whole Dominion. The money available would probably bo allocated to the various districts on the basis of estimated requirements and the board was asked to submit a statement listing the buildings where maintenance work was most urgently required. The chairman’s reply to the Department objecting to the Department’s request on the grounds of the impra.cticabil.ity of submitting detailed estimates for each school and advising the Minister that the board was quite willing to accept a pro rata reduction, was confirmed. Impossible Requests “As soon as we get a busines man at the head of the Department the better for this Dominion,” said the •chairman in referring to the Department’s correspondence. Mr Maddison stated that it was impracticable for any board in New Zealand to give an estimate of the amount that would be required for the maintenance of the school buildings during the year. In ■order to arrive at the amount it would require a thorough inspection of every building by the board’s competent officers and it would take months.

During his visits to the school throughout the district recently in company with the architect, Mr Maddison

said that they had found expenditure necessary which couid. nut possibly have been contemplated prior to the visit. It was only by close examination of the buildings by the architect that the matter could be brought to light. It was essential that buildings be kept up to as high a standard of maintenance as possible and it would bo a very false step to allow them to fall into disrepair. Protests against this decision of the Department had been made by other boards, said the chairman. “We can’t get. the information,” said the chairman, “and it is surprising that a man in such a position as the head of the Department should ask for such a thing.” Financial The statement of funds showing a credit balance of £5,539 7/2 was adopted. Accounts totalling £1.1,682 0/11 were passed for payment. The statement showing a balance of assets over liabilities of £3,521 19/9 was adopted. General Business It was reported that the continuation of the ten additional assistantships approved for the first term, viz., Mahora, Wairoa, Ohurakura, Rua Roa, Tolaga Bay, Taradalc, Opapa, Waipukurau, To Hapara and Hastings West, had been recommended for approval by the Department for the second term. The

Department had also been recommended to approve additional assistants at Dannevirko South, Hastings Central and Kaiti.

Regarding the question of a grant for financial assistance where commer-

cial instruction was given in district high schools, it was decided that the board make a grant for the current year at the rate of £1 per head up to a maximum payment of £l2O.

The Wairoa School Committee wrote asking for the installation of a modern heating system in the side school at North Clyde. —It was decided to decline the request and inform the committee that the Department was making no further grants available for the installation of heating services’.

The chairman of the Tikokino School Committee wrote stating that the contractor for the Tikokino-Gwavas con-

veyance would not run up to Gwavas Station at the same price as

there was no comparison in tho roads. —lt was decided that the owners of Gwavas Station bo informed of the position, and, that it bo suggested that they make some small grant to induce tho contractor to extend the route. Tho board approved of applications from tho Waipukurau School Committee for extension to the tops of chimneys at a cost of £6 and. leaks in the corridor at a cost of £8 10s. It was decided to make application to the Department for funds to erect a reinforced concrete wall estimated to cost £255 to prevent a bank from falling. Householders* Resolutions The following resolutions passed at householders’ meetings were before the board, which referred them to the department for its considration: — Tho Waipukurau School Committee, expressing the hope that agricultural instruction in the primary schools will not bo seriously curtailed. Eskview: That this meeting views with dismay the proposed abolition of education boards. Wairoa: That this meeting of householders strongly objects to the proposed alteration of school starting age from five years to six years. Taradalc: That this meeting of householders enters an emphatic protest against tho proposed abolition of education boards. Hastings Central: Strongly protesting against the action of the Government in cutting out subsidies on fuel and water; also condemning proposal to abolish education boards.