The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. SATURDAY, JANUARY 20. 1883. The School Committee Election.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 847, 20 January 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. SATURDAY, JANUARY 20. 1883. The School Committee Election.

On Monday next the annual election of the Ashburton School Committee will take place. This event, important as it is from many points of view, has not in the past received the attention it deserves, and it is to be hoped that on this occasion more interest will be shown. There is little reason to complain of the manner in which the work has been done by the Committee whose term of office is on the point of expiring. Some little squabbling over questions of not much public importance has now and then taken place, but this fault is common to nearly all institutions of the kind, and Ashburton is not peculiar in this respect. It is of course easy to over-estimate the influence possessed by a School Committee, but when it is remembered that the administration of educational affairs in the district is vested in its hands it will be seen that every householder who can manage it should be present on Monday to record his vote. Nor does it follow that because the Committee that has been in office during the past year has given satisfaction, that men could not be found as good or even better to take their place. New members may have new ideas, and although we would not advocate change merely for its own sake, the Committee should represent the opinion of the people on the subject of education. This is alone possible when there is a good attendance of voters at the election, and it is only in very few places in the colony that sufficient interest has been shown in the matter to prevent the choosing of candidates being a foregone conclusion. Thus it is that many men, whose sole claim to a seat on a school committee is a desire to obtain a little cheap notoriety and an opportunity to air his not always brilliant eloquence, can by canvassing for votes easily secure the position they covet The system of cumulative voting, an attempt to modify which last session of Parliament was unfortunately not successful, renders the task of such men as we have referred to perfectly easy. Under the pretence of giving a fair share of power to the minority we have accorded them sufficient influence to enable them to override the majority, and it is doubtful if the most perfect organisation on the part of the latter would prevent the importation of an obnoxious element into a committee should an attempt be made in that direction. That no such attempt has been made in Ashburton is simply due to our good fortune, but the power exists, and who shall say that it may not be used some day? The ohly way to nullify the baneful influence of this cumulative voting is for those people who feel an interest in the education of the young—and in this class should be included every member of the community—to put in an appearance at the election, and give their votes to those they think are best fitted for the posi tion.