PUBLIC MEETING.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1200, 27 November 1882, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

A public meeting of the residents of Black's Point was held in the methodists Church, (at present used as a school-room), on Thursday 23rd inst, to consider what steps should be taken, in order to press upon the Nelson Central Board of Education the necessity of at once building a school-room at that place.

Mr Watson was voted to the chair. He stated that it was not necessary for him to take up the time of the meeting speaking about the want of school accommodation, as the/ wero well aware of the great want in that direction, but he would state that, had not the residents put their hands in their pockets and enlarged the building they were now in, there would not have been accommodation for over half the pupils, and in all likelihood, judging from the way they have been treated by the Board, they would have no school at all. He (the Chairman) had been a member of the Reefton School Committee for the last two years, md that body, seeing the justice of the demand by Black's Point, during that period, had urged upon the Central Board to erect a suitable building but without the desired effect. Last Jinnary the Reefton Committee were authorised by the Central Board to look for a school site, which they immediately did, and finding several sections of unoccupied ground, they selected one, and got Mr Montgomery, the District Surveyor, to lay it off, and mark it upon the plan of the township as a school reserve. A plan was aho sent to the Central Board, bnt nothing more was heard about it. A few weeks ago, as the meeting was well aware, a memorial was sent to the Board signed by over 100 of the residents, again urging the necessity for a suitable school room, and the majority present knew the reply received, viz., " that our request could not be granted, as there was no available funds." This reply might have satisfied our innocent minds, had we not seen the proceedings of the Board in the Nelson papers, were we find that our memorial was referred to Mr Hodgson, School Inspector, for his report, on which he makes a statement to the following ef feet. (The chairman read an extract from the Nelson Colonist.) " The only reason why a new school has not been built at Black's Point, (the necessity for which has been fully recognised by the Board), iB the want of funds, the Government having declined to apportion this year's building grant until the loan is negotiated. In the meantime he (the Inspector) failed to see why the Black's Point Bchool, which was avowedly an auxiliary school, should be over-crowded, to the injury of the health of echolars and teachers. At "Reefton, which .is within 26 minutes walk of Black's Point, there is and has been for the last 12 months, ample room for 50 more children than at present attend, the average attendance for the last quarter being only T24, with a staff of 4 teachers. There appears to be no conceivable reaßon why the bulk of the scholars over 10 years of age, who now attend Black's Point school, numbering in all 38, shool! I not during the summer months walk te- j Reefton. Signed, W. 0. Hodgson." The same paper also referred to other proceedings of tho Board, among whioh it was stated that they had close upon •62000 to their credit-, and that they could find no other way of gf*ttin?r rid of it, than by going back two years and roftirirl!«rr te teacher, tho reduction made on th r ir salaries. Tt may be argn-*"' t':,af 'M? m *:-.■-.- I

did notTiVlorjar tt t'ia bnil-Tiic fund, hnt we find that part of it has been appropriated _k. • Ihat r-orpr.se, ac from the re-

port an applicatien was sent from 88 Mile Gully asking for £260 for building purposes, which was promptly granted, also £80 for teacher's house at Hampden and j £12 somewhere else, so this meeting can ' judge for itself, whether we are gutting | justice or not, j

Mr J. Gilbert said, that he quite concurred with what the chairman had said, and would propose the following resolution '.—Seeing that there is nothing like sufficient accommodation tV>r the children of Black's Point and Crushington in the present school room, this meeting thinks it advisable that the Government should, if possible, be compelled to build a suitable school room. Seconded by Mr M. Mawhinney and carried.

Mr H. Lawn said that he thought the time had now come, when there should be a school committee for Black's Point, that it was the wish of all the residents and that it was only fair that w.; should have the management of our own school, he would therefore propose the following resolution : — That this meeting is of opinion that it is necessary to form an Education Committee for the Black's Point and Chrushingt. >n district, and that a petition be sent to the Central Board at Nelson in accordance with the act, Seconded by Mr J. Gilbert and carried.

Mr Auld said that he ha 1 been ap- I pointed with several others to see Mr Hodgson and ascertain from him when it was the intention to build the school, but I could get no further satisfaction, than that it would be built some day, but he could not say when. He therefore proposed the following resolution : — " That it is the opinion of this meeting, seeing that the inhabitant*) of Black's Point and Crushington arc almost totally ignored by the Central Board in regard to school accommodation, that a committee be at once appointed to communicate with the Minister of Elucation, and state our position, and, if need be, to ask Parliament next session to alter the Education District boundary. "

The motion wai seconded by Mr Mawhinny, and carried.

Messrs Auld, Gilbert. Lawn, and Watson were appointed to Iraw up a memorial re school committee at Black's Point and Crushington. to h?. s^nt to the Central Board, Nelson.

The meeting then terminated,