THREE LITTLE BILLS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1716, 22 November 1887, Page 3

THREE LITTLE BILLS

The honorable member for Wai mate Introduced three Httta billa which deal with very important questions. They are all, m oor opinion, entitled t) a place on the Statute Book, and we earnestly hope that they may meet with the approval of the Legislature. Tho firnt of Mr Steward's trio is very short. It deala with the educational franchise. It contains only one operative clause, wh'ch ia aa follows: — " Notwithstanding anything oontatned m The Education ' Act., 1877,' at any election of a school committee or of members of a BchooJ committee held m accordance with the provisions of the aaid Act or of k The Education Aot, J877. Amendment Aot, 1885,' every householder may exerciie us many votes as there are perßone required to be elected, or any less number of votes ; but no householder shall be entitled to reoord more than one vote for any one candidate." This embodies a principle for which we have long beea fighting. The present system of election ef school committees is a scandalous farop| and ihe only wonder Ib that it has been allowed to continue so long. The second of Mr Steward's bills provides that the election of licensing commit ter-s shall bo held trlennlally and concurrently with the Local Option poll. This amendment is a very desirable cne. The annual eleotloa of licensing committera at present elicits little or no interest, and m many oases tha eleotion Is allowed to go by default and the Government have to appoint commissioners. Were tho elections made triennial and held simultaneously with the Local Option poll, the people would be aroused to a due senna of their duties and their rtsponßibilltles, Nnmber 111 of Mr Steward's little bllla ia, perhaps, the best of the lot. It deals with tbe settlement of edaoatlon reserves, a matter wMoh deeply concerns the people m the ctlsirl Jte m which the. " Advocate " circulates. Its operative olauaea are as under : — Notwithstanding anything contained m section two* hundred and thirty. seven or section two hundred »Dd forty of " Tbe Land A.ct, 1885 " (hereinafter referred to as " tbe said Act"), whon ond so often bb he shall deem it expnd'ent bo to do, the Governor m Council may, by proclamation, deolai* that any educitlon re erve or reserves, or any pirt of any education reßervp, shall, upon the expiry ■of any thep e^'s 1 g lease, 1 C3nse, or other tenure, ba dealt with under the proylpions cf the said Act or any fcmeudruent thereof, m euoh manner a3 shall be set forth m snob proclamation ; and such proclamation shall thereupon have full force and effect, end shall not depend upon the request or recommendation of the body'or person In whom any suoh reserve is vested. The lands comprised m suoh proclamation shall, Id tho case of lease, bo subject to the provisions of sections two hundred and thirty-eight and two hundred and thirty-nioe, or, m case of sale, to the provisions of sections two hundred and forty-one, two hundred and forty-two, two hundred and forty-thiee, twp hun4'ed and forty-fonr, »md two hundred and forty-si*, of the saif}, Aot j. bo;t the right |to renew any then existing lease chill cease to be exeroleable m respect of the whole or tiny port of the reserve fv reserves so proclaimed as and from the date of naoh proclamation. — " Rangitikei Advocate."