The Barmouth and County Advertiser and District Weekly News

BARMOUTH COUNTY SCHOOL GOVERNORS. MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary monthly meeting of the above Governors was held on Monday afternoon. Present the Rev. David Davies (chairman), the Rev. R. Lloyd Roberts, M.A., R.D. (vice-chairman), Mrs Gwynoro Davies, Rev. Gwynoro Davies, Alderman T.. Martin Williams, J.P., Messrs Edward Williams, John Morgan, William Wynne, Lewis Jones, and Rev. Z. Mather, with Messrs E. I). Jones, M. 4. (headmaster), and R. Llewelyn Owen (clerk ) CONDOLENCE. On the proposition of the Chairman, seconded by Mr William Wynne, a vote of condolence was passed with Mr Edward "Williams and family in their recent sad bereavement.—Mr Williams thanked the Governors for their kind expression of sympathy. THE NEW COUNTY SCHEME. Alderman Martin Williams reported that at a meeting ot the County Educa- tion Committee held at Barmouth last week, the New County Scheme was pre- sented and adopted in full, and the re- port of Mr O. M. Edwards, M.A., with regard to the enquiry held recently as to the school area of the Barmouth and and Festiniog schools was also adopted. With regard to the Llwyngwril district, he bad done his best to have it re- main under the Barmouth school area, but it was of no avail. He pro- posed that the Clerk should write to the Board of Education withdl awing the Governors request with reference to the Llwyngwril district. The Chairman said, no doubt, Mr, Williams had done his best in the matter, although be believed it was an inj ustice to the Barmouth school, but nothing could be done further in the matter. Mr Edward Williams asked to what extent would the Barmouth school I benefit from the New Scheme. The Rev. Gwynoro Davies said it would be a gain of £ 80 to J2100 per j annum. j Mr William Wynne seconded Alder- h \Villin.m I sccoDded AJdel'- i ril-iii Willizinis' proposition, which was i carried unanimously. I THE MID-DAY MEAL. The Visiting Committee recommended that the Midway Meal should be con- I tinued again and that the cookery in. struction account be kept separate from that of the Mid-day Meal. AldermanMartinWilliams said he did not agree that the mid-day meal should be continued as before. He suggested that the whole matter should be adjourned for a month. He would not be inclined to sgin another cheque after the re- marks the Auditor had made with regard to the mid-day meal, Mrs Gwynoro Davies said she would not sign a cheque after the strong remarks uttered by the Auditor at the j audit of accounts. Mr Edward Williams proposed that the report should be deferred until the Auditor's report had been submitted to the Governors. Mr William Wynne seconded, which was agreed to. AUDITOR'S REPORT. The Local Government Board Auditor (M r J. Ed wyn Hughes) reported having conducted the audit for the year ending 81st March, 1914. According to the financial statement the receipts for the year amounted to £ 1,802 13s. 2d., and the expenditure to £ 1,480 18s. 4d., the balance at tbe end of tbe year was £ 166 Us. 7d., overdrawn, as compared with £ 11 18s, Gd., in hand at 81st March, 1913. Payments of £ 7 7s. 10d., and £ 11 4s. 5d., to the treasurer in re- spect of interest and overdrafts were disallowed at tbe audit and surcharged upon the members who signed the cheques, as illegal payments. The account with the Treasurer appeared to have been considerably overdrawn throughout the year. He was given to understand that the Go pernors hoped to substantially improve their financial position during tbe current year in view of prospects of increased grants and re- duction of expenditure. Alluding to the Mid-day Meal, be called tbe attention of tbe members present at the audit to the substantial loss on tbe provision of mid- day meals to the scholars. To avoid an illegal charge upon tbe funds, the meals should be made self-supporting. The accounts were submitted for audit in good order, and Mr R. Llewelyn Owen kindly afforded him every assistance. Alderman Martin Williams proposed that the Auditor's report should be re- ferred to the Finance Committee and to present a full report later on to tbe Governors. Mrs Gwynoro Davies said tbe Gover- nors were always deferring the Mid-day Meal question to the Visiting Committee. The Rev. Gwynoro Davies said the Visiting Committee had done its work satisfactory, but he thought the system had been wrong. Alderman Martin Williams said it was an impoitant matter and should be gone into most fully. Mr John Morgan said the Visiting Committee bad gone into' the matter most fully already, and bad recom-ended that two separate accounts should be kept in future. He believed that it was essential to give food to the children as much as to give them education. It was not right to place the whole blame on the' mid-day meal department as that was not the case. Alderman Martin Williams explained that a mid-day meal prepared at the Penygroes County School was a finan- cial success, which was entirely due to the menu prepared. Mr John Morgan said that the menu prepared by the Visiting Committee was similar to the one prepared at the Pen- y-groes School. It was not the fault of the Committee if the menu prepared had not been adhered to. Mr William Wynne said he was as anxious as any member to continue the mid-day meal hs so many pupils came from a long distance and had to start early in the morning, but he favoured that the matter should be deferred. Mr John Morgan said the menu pre- pared by the Visiting Committee was one that would not be of any loss to tbe Governors if carried out properly. The Rev. R. Lloyd Roberts asked had that menu been in operation ? Mr John Morgan said be could not say. Mr Edward Williams said that if the menu as arranged by the Committee bad been adhered to, he believed that the Mid-day meal would have been self. supporting. The Chairman said all of them agreed that the Visiting Committee bad done excellent work. After some further discussion," it was decided that the matter should be left I to the Finance Committee. The Governors aat for two hours, &