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MONTGOMERY COUNTY GOVERNING…

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY GOVERNING BODY. A meeting of the County Governing Body was held in the Town Hall, Welshpool, on Monday, under the presidency of Mr A. C. Humphreys-Owen, M.P. There were also present Mrs Humphreys- Owen, Mrs Hugh Lewis, Mrs M. Lloyd, Capt D. H. Mytton, Colonel Twyford, Messrs W. Forrester Addie, W. Cooke, Edward Jones, Richard Lloyd, T. Watkin, R. Jones, John Jehu, C. R. Jones, and John Jones, with the Assistant Clerk (Mr C. P. Winnall). MORTGAGES. The Charity Commissioners wrote sanctioning the loans of Ll,200 on Newtown and Llanidloes County Schools, aud the mortgages on the general fund for securing the loans and interest were executed and orders made for a certificate for the money. THE TRAVELLING TEACHER IN DOMESTIC ECONOMY. On the consideration of the future engagement of a travelling teacher in domestic economy, Mrs Hugh Lewis asked whether if a school refused to engage a travelling teacher it would be called upon to contribute its share of that teacher's salary.— Mr Humphreys-Owen replied that under Section 32 the salary of the travelling teacher was paid out of the general fund, and that accordingly each school was obliged to contribute its quota to that salary, whether it engaged the travelling teacher or not.- Mrs Humphreys-Owen favoured the re-engagement of the travelling teacher aud pointed out the enormous benefit conferred upon the girls. Sixty- seven girls had attended the teaching for domestic economy and the result bad been entirely satisfac- tory. If a fresh teacher was engaged at a salary of £90 and travelling expenses, the total cost to the County Governing Body would be X150 per annum or less. But in order that tlii County Governing Body might see that it got the worth of its ex- penditure every pupil attending classes under the teacher should be presented in those subjects for the Central Board Examination.—Mrs Hugh Lewis said that although she was not authorised by the Newtown Local Governors to make any representa- tion on the matter, she would like to say before any fresh engagement was entered upon that complaints had been made in Newtown that the present ar- rangements were not satisfactory. Newtowu would have to pay one quarter of the salary of the teacher in domestic economy, which would amount to JE37 10s a year, in return for which they would only get two classes a week.— Mrs Humphreys-Owen said Welshpool were pleased with the present arrange- ment. However, a stipulation might be made that the teacher should live at Newtown.—Mrs H. Lewis asked whether it was possible for each Intermedi- ate School to engage for itself a special mistress, who besides taking the different branches of domestic economy could teach other subjects.—The Chairman said the subject was one which might very well be considered by a committee.—Mr R. Lloyd said be- fore the matter was referred to a committee it should be talked out by the Local Governors who might possibly have diverse views. They had to pay 25 per cent. whether they took the advantages or not.— Mr W. F. Addie said it would be a pity to appoint a teacher at such a salary without the con- sideration of the Local Governors. The committee should have power to appoint with the approval of the Local Governors.—Mr Lloyd said he did not personally object but it should be distinctly under- stood that only those schools that engaged the teacher should contribute their quota.—The Chair- man said he could not see any way out of the diffi- culty except that the charge should be made upon the general fund and not upon each school. He had no doubt that the Newtown Governing Body would have sufficient patriotism to meet the County Governing Body when the position was explained. On the other hand some arrangement should be made with Newtown to give them the privilege they required.—Mr Lloyd moved, and Mr W. F. Addie seconded a resolution, drafted by the Chair- man, that a committee be empowered to make the necessary arrangements with the Local Governing Bodies for the engagement of a travelling teacher in hygiene, cookery, and other subjects at a cost not exceeding Cl50 per annum, and to report to the County Governing Body.-The Committee appointed were the Chairman, Mrs Humphreys-Owen, Mrs Hugh Lewis, Mrs Lloyd, Mrs Edward Davies, and Messrs C. R. Jones and John Jehu. THE COUNTY EXHIBITIONS AND STUART RENDEL SCHOLARSHIPS. Applications for bursaries from two pupils, Mabel Anwyl Hughes and Gwladys M. Morgan, who had obtained exhibitions but would not be able to hold them without further assistance, were received.— The Chairman explained the position of the County Governing Body with regard to the applications. At a conference of the Head Masters and Mistresses with the County Governing Body it was proposed by the Masters and Mistresses that the Stuart Rendel Scholarships and the County Exhibitions should not be tenable by the same persons. There were altogether five exhibitioners, two Stuart Rendel and three County Exhibitioners. That pro- posal was not accepted by the County Governing Body, who decided that if the persons who took the Stuart Rendel Exhibitions were sufficiently high in the list they could take the County Exhibi- tions also, and if they chose to enjoy them at Aber- ystwyth, to which the Stuart Rendel Exhibitioners were confined, they should be allowed to do so. The County Governing Body simply decided not to agree to the recommendation of the headmasters and mistress that the exhibitions should be held separately, and the fact that the recommendation was not adopted was not on record. In advertising the scholarships and in sending notices to the schools no express statement was made as to how the exhibitions would be held, and the result was that there was a general impression that the achularships would be awarded in accordance with the resolution of the conference. Under those circumstances two girls, fourth and fifth on the list, had applied that they might be admitted to bursaries or scholarships. The first thing they had to consider was whether they could afford to do it. The scheme provided that the County Governing Body should set aside at the beginning of the year a certain sum for disposal in this manner. When the County Governing Body decided to offer exhibitions they thought they could not afford to give more than three, but when he came to look over the accounts he found that the scheme limit of one third would be far from being attained even if they were to award the exhibitions then applied for. Ou the other hand there were in front of them two serious items of expenditure, firstly the engage- ment of a travelling teacher, and secondly a con- tribution to a pension scheme for the head masters and mistresses, the preliminary steps of which had already been taken by the Central Board. The pension scheme would probably not come into operation for some time, therefore they only had to consider the charge for the travelling teacher. If they gave two additional exhibitions it would mean an annual charge of 220 for the next three years, and that would be quite within their means. There must be a clear understanding that they were ex- ceptional, and would not be a precedent for giving the same number of exhibitions in future. Having discussed the relative positions of the two girls on the lists, the number of marks respectively obtained by them, and having read a letter from Mr Green, the Registrar of Aberystwyth College, the Chairman said that having due regard to the misunderstanding as to the intention of the County Governing Body and the amount of means at their disposal, Mabel Hughes and Gwladys Morgan should have the additional scholarships, -Captain Mytton Does the arrangement hold good for the future ?-The Chairman That will be for the County Governing Body of three years hence to decide.—Captain Mytton moved a formal resolution, which Mr Richard Jones seconded, and to which the Board agreed. TH8 FIFTH OF THE LLANFYLLIN FUND. Mr Richard Lloyd moved that the Llaufair Governors be entitled to the one fifth of tho Llan- fyllin District Fund in accordance with Section 38 of the Scheme. Without doubt, he said, the Llan- fair Governors were entitled to the fifth share of the Llanfyllin District Fund. The section men- tioned above set out that the district which was nearest to the school should be entitled to the money. If they looked at the question strictly on the word nearest" there was no doubt that Llan- fair was entitled to the money. The money had been paid over to Welshpool on a misunderstanding, but the resolution confirming the payment to Welshpool had since bee* rescinded, and he wished to know whether the money had been placed to the credit of the general fund of the County Governors. After receiving a reply in the affirmaf ire from the Clerk, Mr Lloyd said the case tr.ade out by the Chairman of the Llanfair Governors had satisfied the County Governing Body or they would not have rescinded the resolution. In the letter written by their Clerk to the Charity Commissioneus with regard to the position of the Llanfair and Welsh- pool Schools, more words appeared than should have appeared in accordance with the resolution of the County Governing Body. This caused the Commissioneis to write in reply and make use of the word accessibility which was not the word at all. Nearest was the word according to the section. As to the question of accessibility he did not see how the Board were to act upon the sug- gestion of the Commissioners. Under that section it was for the County Governing Body alone to determine to which school the money should be paid. To the Governors whose school was nearest the district," said the section, and if it was not right he was subject to correction by the Chairman. By way of illustration he would ask them to suppose that there was a school six miles away from a certain place to which the children could walk in two hours or drive in three-quarters of an hour, compared with which was a school 14 miles away to which they could get by train in half an hour. Which school in that case would be the nearest? If they took the construction placed upon the word by the Commissioners, the whole thing would be thrown into disorder, and accord- ing to that construction the Llanfair School would not be the nearest, but the farthest.-Air Richard Jones seconded the motion. There was no doubt, he said, that popular sentiment was in favour oft-Llanfair on this poiut, because it was a very much poorer district than Welshpool. However they were there in a judicial position, and as such it was their duty to admiuster the scheme, and it seemed to him that the case of Llanfair was so com- pletely made out by their representatives at tine last meeting, that they should not hesitate for a moment in expressing their opinion on the matter. There was a dispute as to which was the nearest to Llanfyllin, Welshpool or Llanfair, but he maintained that there was a greater alliance in sympathy and sentiment between Llanfyllin and Llanfair than between Welshpool and Llanfyllin.—Mr W. Forres- ter Addie opposed as heartily as he possibly could the motion of Mr Lloyd. He would have hesitated to speak on the matter at all because of the ex- tremely foolish position in which the County Governing Body must find themselves, foolish because it seemed to him extremely foolish to pass a resolution one day and to rescind it the next; but be thought it would be better that he should, as Chairman of the Welshpool Governors, make clear the position in which the question now stood. What was the position of this subject ? When the ques- tion was first considered, the County Governing Body deliberately came to the conclusion as shown by a letter sent to the Charity Commissioners on the 26th July, that Welshpool and Llanfair were equi-distant from Llanfylhn, and it was then a matter for the Commissioners to determine. The matter of distance they had had referred to by Mr Richard Jones, who knew almost as much about the county as anyone, and who confirmed his (the speaker's) statement that there was a nicety as to the difference. Consequently the matter had been referred to the Commissioners, who had decided that there was some nicety, and agreeing to deter- mine as to which place was the nearest they had determined in favour of Welshpool, because of its accessibility. Was that not the most common-sense view, a view held not only by the Commissioners, but by the County Governing Body as well ? He submitted that the distance at the present time was not different from what it was then, and the accessibility was not different; as far as accessi- bility was concerned he saw no reason why the members should change their opinion. On the last occasion they were clearly told by the Chair- man of the Llanfair Governors that he would not be satisfied unless he had the whole of the money, and he sought to secure the whole of the money because they had, be alleged, edu- cated twelve children. He (the speaker) challenged some of the names on the list sent out from Llan- fair as not those of children belonging to the Llanfyllin area. Butgranting for the sake of argu- ment that they had educated twelve, Llanfair had still to combat the fact that Welshpool had educated 17, which showed clearly that Welshpool was entitled to their consideration, not only because it had educated 17 or 18 pupils, but because of Llanfyllin's nearness and accessibility. He then read a letter sent by the Clerk of the Llanfyllin School District to those candidates who had won a scholarship stating that the scholarship was tenable either at Llanfair or Welshpool, and wishing to be informed which school the winner wished to attend In every case Welshpool was selected, and selected in consequence of its convenience and its nearness and accessibility. He would therefore ask the members to stand to the resolution and not to be moved by popular sentiment, but to administer the Act fairly and consistently, and he was quite sure that the Welshpool Governors were entitled to that consideration of which the Governors had already approved, and which he believed they would now confirm.—Mr T. Watkin supported the motion. A wrong course had been adopted, and the Llanfair Governors were simply asking the County Governing Body to do the right thing. In regard to the word nicety he would like to know the resolution passed by the County Governing Body. —The Clerk said he was directed to ascertain whether the distance should be measured by road or in a straight line. Mr Watkin asked what was meant by a nicety.—The Chairman said the letter was not sent in the form it should have been, for which he was responsible. He recollected that when the question was considered by the Body as to what should be done, it was then mentioned by more than one that the distance was almost exactly the same between Welshpool and Llanfyllin, as between Llaufair and Llanfyllin, and the letter must have been drafted and approved with reference to the conversation.—Mr Watkin said that since the passing of the last resolution the Llanfair Governors had taken the trouble to get the distances measured. The route from Llanfair to Llanfyllin was not confined to one road as from Welshpool, but they had four different roads. The distance by the road through Craigymain to Bwlchycibau was 11 miles 5 furlongs, and by the road through Meifod past the Vicarage 10 miles 5 furlongs, which clearly proved that Llanfair was the nearest. They had had a very brave challenge from Mr Addie in regard to the number of children educated, and he felt inclined to accept it. Mr Addie had challenged them that the whole of the children educated at Llanfair did not live in Llanfyllin, but did Mr Addie know that seven out of the 17 children alleged to have been educated at Welshpool did not reside within the Llanfyllin area.—Mr Addie: Read your list.—Mr Watkin I am going to and I hope you will read yours. He was supported by the Llanfair Gov- ernors in the statement he made, which was, that only ten children, of that number, resided in the Llanfyllin district. He pointed out in conclusion that some portions of Llanfyllin were nearer Llan. fair than the former town.—Mr John Jehu said that s3ttled the question at once. Three of the children named by Mr Addie as being taught at Welshpool were originally taught at Llanfair.-Mr Addie: I must take exception to that, I mentioned no names. —The Chairman then gave a detailed account of the origin of the question quoting at times from the correspondence which had passed between the Charity Commissioners and the Governing Body. It appeared to him that the only way to deal with the question was to refer the matter to the Charity Commissioners. Replying to Col Twyford, the Chairman said a proposal was made at one time to divide the money but that was not possible now.- Col Twyford The question bears entirely upon the way in which you interpret the word nearest. The Chairman: Exactly.-Col Twyford: None of these arguments as to the sympathy between the schools and their poverty are worth anything.—The Chairman That is so if Welshpool insist upon their legal rights.—Col Twyford Then I suppose they will.—The Chairman Not necessarily so. It would be an inconsiderate world if everyone were to do that.—Col Twyford: It would be very difficult for us to decide upon anything else beyond the word "nearest." In point of time Welshpool was the nearest.—Mr John Jones called attention to one fact that had been overlooked namely that the sum of zC70 had been admitted by Mr Addie to belong to Llanfair.—The Chairman said the question was in what form they should put the matter before the Commissioners because the Board could not come to a decision that day, in view of the correspondence.—Mr Lloyd said the Commissioners used the word accessibility strictly upon the word- ing of the Clerk's letter.—The Chairman said the Commissioners should be asked to put a further construction upon the word accessibility."—Mr Addie moved as an amendment that the decision of the Board with reference to the one fifth share be adhered to.—The Chairman said that was a direct negative and Mr Addie modifying his amend- ment proposed that the whole matter be referred to the Charity Convmission-ers for further decision. -Colottel Twyford seconded.—Captain Myttou said the Igoard would be stultifying the question by asking the Charity Commissioners more questions. He thought the matter settled by the word accessibility.- Mrs Lewis Can we arrive at a decision to day ?-The Chairman replied that whatever decision was arrived at woald be liable to be appealed against by either party.—The amend- ment was then put, four voted for and 10 against, and the original motion was carried by a majority of six ^otes—Mr Addie asked if he could have the correspondence which had passed between the Board and the Charity Commissioners and received a reply from the Chairman in the affirmative. THE BEEKIBW SCHOOL FUND. A letter was read from the Newtown Local, Governors applying for a propertion of the Berriew school grant and pointed out that a number of children from the Berriew school district were being educated and had been educated at Newtown school. -MT R. Lloyd was to move that the resolution transferring the amount of the Berriew fund to the general fund be rescinded.—Mr Lloyd said he had since the last meeting carefully enquired into the question and had found that the County Governing Body had no power to deal with the matter. The allotment of the Berriew fund and Llanfyllin fand was a very different question. A paragraph in Clause 38 stated that it did not apply to Berriew aud Deytheur.—Mr John Jones was very glad that Mr Lloyd had adopted that course. When he saw the resolution he thought of the injustice it would cause to the smaller schools if it were passed.—The Chairman asked for the correspondence which had passed between the Charity Commissioners and the Governing Body to be read, after which he said that the Commissioners held that the annulment of the Berriew school scheme entirely precluded the ful- filment of all conditions of the County Scheme, and the money would be treattd as part of the general account, and it would be for the Governors to consider whether it would be dealt with as capital or as income.—It was agreed to place this on the agenda for a future meeting. LLANFYLLIN BUILDING FUND. I The Charity Commissioners wrote that they would no doubt be prepared to consider at the proper time the application from the Llaufyllin ) School Managers for leave to apply to building purposes a sufficient portion of so much of the accumulation of the district fund, but they re- minded the Governors that they had not received the plans, etc., for approval. The plans and specifications of the proposed new buildings were considered by the Governors and subject to a few alterations were approved. MISCELLANEOUS. A letter was read from the Charity Commissioners stating that they saw no reason for altering their decision, that it was contrary to tho provisions of the scheme that scholarships should be awarded by the School Managers to successful candidates not resident in the county.—The Chairman said that at the request of the Commissioners, Denbighshire were communicated with in regard to an agree- ment, but that county wrote a very discouraging answer. However the question was under dis- cussion between Denbigh and Carnarvon, and they might yet hope for a satisfactory settlement with Denbighshire.

---__-----LLANIDLOES.

OSWESTRY.

LLANFYLLIN.

LLANRHAIADR.

ELLESMERE.

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