Page 252 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

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NE AT H SCH0 0 L

STATE ARCHIVES FILE NO. 5/17082-2

Wickham and Bullock Island Coal Company moved its operations to the
South Maitland Field in May 1906. It had acquired 1632 acres on 2nd May 1904,
which its Chairman, Mr. J.F. Burns described as coal lands of valuable character
near Cessnock. This was Mining Lease 8, Parish of Cessnock.

Like the many other mining developments on this field, it soon
attracted a small mining hamlet. On 11th July 1908, Mr. D. McKenzie, Secretary
of the Cessnock Progress .Association, wrote to the. Department of Public
Instruction seeking the establishment of a school at Neath. In his letter,
Mr. McKenzie estimated there were 130 children of school age.

A public meeting was held in the Methodist Hall at Neath on December
10th 1908, to discuss the establishment of a school. This large crowd decided
to send a telegram to Mr. Matt Charlton, Local Member of the Legislative
Assembly, seeking a school to commence in the Methodist Church Hall after the
Christmas vacation. Mr. Walter M. Smailes of Neath also wrote to the Depart-
ment early in February 1909, on behalf of the then residents of Neath. In
his letter, Mr. Smailes said:-

"An item appeared in the Daily Telegraph of 28th January
1909, .reporting that the Minister for Public Ins true tion,
when . he was being banquetted in Cessnock recently,
stated he would fetch schools to the children, where
sufficient inducement offered. In the face of that
statement, he has refused to erect or provide a school
at Neath, holding that Abermain School is within two
miles and thus the Neath children are well served.
These unfortunate children have to travel through bush
or over a dusty road with the temperature at about 100
Degrees. It would be satisfactory to know the Minister's
definition of 'sufficient inducement'"·

Ten months later, on 13th December 1909, Inspector Friend made an