Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

6 articles on this Page

Advertising

Correspondence.

Advertising

Football.

Advertising

Correspondence.

News
Cite
Share

CONWAY SCHOOL BOARD. SIR,-I hope you can find space for the follow- ing correspondence on a subject which is of some interest to the ratepayers of Conway at the present moment. I am convinced that it is in their power to abolish the School Board between this and next March. It is unfortunate that steps were not taken immediately by members of the Council to inform the Education Department of the result of the Mayor's proposal. Failing that, the Department can do nothing, but it is not yet too late. I think that if a competent authority is consulted, it will be found that the recent vote of the Council was in favour of an application for a dissolution of the School Board. At any rate, the point is worth trying and if, in addition to this, a petition, largely signed by the ratepayers, were sent up to the Education Department, I believe Their Lordships would give it respectful con- sideration, and, in all probability under the cir- cumstances, abolish the present Board, which is costly, and the work of which would be done equally well by an Attendance Committee. In writing to the Department as to the number of ratepayers who signed the petition which was presented to the Corporation, I quoted from Lord Cranbrook's speech in the House of Lords, but I believe the number was much larger, and I have no doubt that the feeling against the School Board is equally strong to-day. And if such be the case, now is the time for the ratepayers of Conway to give practical and effective expression to it.- Yours truly, H. R. [COPY.] Deganwy, 22 Oct., 1894. To the Secretary, Education Department. Dear Sir,— CONWAY SCHOOL BOARD. I write to inform you that at a meeting of the ToWfl Council of Conway, held on Wednesday last, a resolu- tion was proposed by the Mayor, the object of which was to apply to the Education Department for a dis- solution of the School Board which was formed in the year 1892 by the Department under Section 12 of the Elementary Education Act, 1870. My Lords will, doubtless, recollect the history of the formation of that Board, which, briefly stated, was this, that the application was made by the Council without the authority of the ratepayers, and that when the latter were made acquainted with the actioll that had been taken by the Council they showed their disapproval of it by presenting to the Council a petition signed by 337 out of 520 ratepayers, asking the Council to either rescind 01* postpone the app*1' cation. This was brought to the notice of the Education Department at the time, but, unfortun- ately, too late to prevent the issue of the order. In accordance with Section 41 of the Elementary Education Act, 1876, the resolution above referred to was moved at a meeting of the Council held last weeK, at which 15 out of 16 members comprising the Council were present, when eight voted in favour of the resolu- tion, the remaining seven abstaining from voting, the Town Clerk giving it as his opinion that it was not necessary for them to do so. I wish to know froitt My Lords whether, in face of the words of the Act, viz., a majority of not less than two-thirds of those who shall vote upon the occasion," the resolution may not be regarded as carried nem. con. or, if not that, at any rate as a proof that there is not a strong feelinf? in (favour of maintaining the present School Board. I may point out to My Lords, further, that this feeling is a growing one, for at each Municipal Election that has taken place since the formation of the School Board, the ratepayers have elected those who wer opposed to the action of the Council, four sucn candidates being elected last year, and three the previous year, and it is very probable that the result of the election this year will be similar. I may also add that the ratepayers showed their disapproval of the action of the Council in a marked manner by electing on the School Bjard candidates who shared their disltpproval, and who were returned by large majorities. a I now write to ask whether, in face of the above facts and considering the way in which the order for the formation of the School Board was granted, My Lords will, in the exercise of the discretion they possess, and to which reference is so frequently mae in the Education Acts, determine that, under the cir- cumstances of the district, a School Board is unneces- sary, and that a School Attendance Committee WI do the work quite as efficiently. I send, by the satni t of post, a copy of a local paper containing an account0 the recent meeting of the Council, and have t 0 honour to remain,—Your obedient servant, HENRY REES, Chairman of the School Board. [COPY]. Education Department, 26 Oat., 1894- Rev Sir,-Adverting to your letter dated the 22ti instant, I am directed to state that My Lords have received no application from the Town Council for the dissolution of the School Board under Section 41 the Elementary Education Act, 1876. Failing an application, their Lordships have no power to any action under that Section.—I have the honour to be, rev sir, your obedient servant, J. STEPHENSON. The Rev H. Rees, Deganwy.