SCHOOL AFFAIRS

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIX, Issue 86, 7 April 1934, Page 3

SCHOOL AFFAIRS

Waipukurau District High MEETING OF COMMITTEE GENERAL MATTERS DISCUSSED The monthly meeting of the Waipukurau District High School was held last evening, Mr. H. B. Smart (chairman) presiding over the following members: Messrs. W. G. Cook, E. Taylor, R. Brasell, L. Wood, R. W. Carpenter and W. W. Jamieson (secretary). The headmaster (Mr. C. J. McLean) was in attendance. An apology for absence was received from Mr. G. E. Gideon. Evening Classes. The secretary of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board forwarded a copy of the following letter received by him from the department:—“l have to acknowledge the receipt of your memorandum dated February 16, forwarding a statement from the Waipukurau School Committee in explanation of the low enrolments at the evening technical classes held during 1933. In reply I have to say that the department will not on this occasion withhold payment of the claims. The position should, however, be put very clearly before the local committee which organises the classes, and attention drawn to the importance of submitting accurate information to the board for transmission to the department. Otherwise the committee itself will be liable for any loss which may be incurred in the administration of the classes, as the department, and presumably the board, will not be prepared to accept any financial responsibility in the matter.” “I may add that the Board will not be prepared to accept any financial responsibility in . the matter,” stated the secretary of the Board. “If the evening classes are to be continued, it will be necessary therefore for the terms of the regulations to be strictly complied with.”

“We discussed this last meeting, and we haven’t heard anymore about it—nobody seems to want to go on with the classes,’’ said the chairman. The letter was received. Conveyance of Pupils. The Hawke’s Bay Education Board advised that the only assistance which could be given by the board toward the conveyance of certain prospective . pupils in the HatumaMarakeke district (at present attending at Dannevirke) would be the usual capitation allowances granted by the department as follow: —If thd child’s home was not less than 3 or more than 5 miles from school, 6d. per return trip; if the distance of the home from the school exceeded 5 miles, Bd. per return trip. The offer to convey the pupils for 28/per day had been noted, but for such a small number of children, the offer was one that the board could not possibly recommend the department to entertain.

The chairman remarked that the committee could do nothing further; it was a matter for the parents concerned. Perhaps an arrangement might be come to with a private car owner. Wall To Be Erected. Advice was received that the board had approved the erection of a reinforced concrete wall, with steel standards, rails, and cap and chain netting on the Porangahau Road boundary to the primary school.—Received. Headmaster’s Report. In the course of his report the headmaster said: — The roll for March in the secondary department was 74 and the average attendance 69.5. In the primary department the roll was 348, and the attendance for the term averaged nearly 329, a percentage of over 94. The average attendance for the last week in March was 335. Election of Committee. The secretary of the Education Board advised that any teacher who was a householder within the meaning of the Act could nominate members for election to the school committee and could also vote at the householders’ meeting for the election of the committee. —Received. Finance. Accounts amounting to £lO 4/5 were passed for payment. Visit of “Frivs.” Advice was received that the Napier “Frivs.” would be pleased to visit Waipukurau and stage a per-

formance in aid of the dental clinic and school funds on April 19. Appreciation was expressed of the offer, which it was decided to accept.