APRIL 20.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1147

The Education Act, 1914.—Regulations relating to Native Schools.

LIVERPOOL, Governor.

ORDER IN COUNCIL.

At the Government Buildings at Wellington, this twelfth day of April, 1915.

Present:

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE W. F. MASSEY, P.C., PRESIDING IN COUNCIL.

IN pursuance and exercise of the powers and authorities vested in him by the Education Act, 1914, His Excellency the Governor of the Dominion of New Zealand, acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, doth hereby revoke all existing regulations relating to Native schools, and in lieu thereof doth make the following regulations; and, with the like advice and consent, doth prescribe that this Order shall come into force on the day of publication thereof in the New Zealand Gazette.

I. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW SCHOOLS.

1. IF at least ten Maoris actually residing in any locality petition the Minister of Education for a Native school, and if they or any of them offer to give at least four acres of good land suitable for a school site, except in places where the circumstances do not justify so large a demand, the Minister may establish a school in that locality: Provided (1) that there is no school within a convenient distance which Maori children can be reasonably expected to attend; (2) that an officer of the Department reports favourably on the site offered; (3) that the Natives give the Government a proper title to the site; and (4) that they satisfy the Government that the district will keep up an average attendance at the school of not less than twenty-five children of school age.

2. In a case in which full compliance with the conditions stated above is for the time impracticable the Minister may establish a provisional school, and in such case may require the parents to provide the whole or part of the school buildings.

3. Teachers of small schools established by Maoris may receive grants in aid from the Government, provided that the school is conducted conformably with the requirements of these regulations.

4. “Maori” or “Native” means any person belonging solely to the aboriginal races of New Zealand, and includes the descendants of any such person being half-castes, or being intermediate in blood between half-castes and pure descent from those races.

II. SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

1. For every Native school there shall be a Committee consisting of five persons; provided that in a school at which there are European children attending, if the elected members are all Maoris, the Minister may appoint one European member in addition for every ten or part of ten European children attending.

2. The Committee shall be elected annually at a public meeting of parents of the children attending the school. Such public meeting shall be held in the schoolhouse on Friday in the first school week of each year, or on such other date as the Minister may direct. The time and place for holding such meeting shall be notified by the teacher in accordance with instructions issued by the Department. The term “parent” includes the child’s guardian and the householder in whose family the child resides, and, in the case of husband and wife, any qualification possessed by either of them shall be deemed to be possessed by each of them.

3. At each annual meeting a Chairman shall be chosen.

4. Any of the parents, whether present at the meeting or not, may be nominated for election, provided that in the case of a candidate not present at the meeting his consent to the nomination must be given in writing to the Chairman.

5. The Chairman shall decide who are entitled to vote, and shall himself have a deliberative and a casting vote.

6. Each candidate shall be proposed and seconded, and the Chairman shall cause a list of the candidates to be written on the blackboard.

7. If the number of duly nominated candidates does not exceed the number of persons to be elected, the Chairman shall declare that such candidates have been duly elected.

8. If the number of duly nominated persons is in excess of the number of persons to be elected, a ballot shall be taken.

B