CHAIRMAN'S TERMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 755, 2 March 1910, Page 6

CHAIRMAN'S TERMS.

. COLLEGE BOARD DISCUSSION. MR. BRANDON AND EXPENDITURE. An interesting discussion on the question, of the responsibilities and. possible conditions' of chairmanship; which bore at the same time on ..an important difference of policy, i took place at the meeting, of .the Board-of\ Governors of Wellington College yesterday.. Dr. Newman having moved that- Mr. Brandon" be ' re-elected chairman, Dr. Findlay said ho would like to know if .the appointment carried with it the conditions on which Mr. Brandon insisted -when .the matter.- was-last discussed. - - Dr. Newman: I do hope Mr. Brandon will waive '.the conditions. .We would like to see him chairman of the board, and-1 hope Mr, r Brandon will accept the position on the usual terms on which a chairman is appointed. i . Dr. Findlay said that Mr. Brandon's services entitled.- him to re-election, but he- did not think that the suggested conditions were conditions on which he could reasonably. expect to be elected. He noped that; he would not insist on the conditions. '...:.'.. .Mr.. Robert Lee agreed that it was desirable that Mr. Brandon should continue to exercise' an influence on educational .matters. They were-all. agreed, however, that the board should not be bound by conditions. : Mr. Brandon said he .had concluded, after much thought, that the conditions he had suggested were really more than he could ask of the board. If he accepted the chairmanship, .however, he must do so with a perfectly free-mind and will. If there was. any proposal for expenditure of money which in his mind would entail .a reference to the bank or to. the Government for... advances to assist the board in,carrying on.the.wbrk, he would, raise his voice against such a proposal as he had/done in the. past.. If the vote of the -board went.against, him he. must bo free-to reconsider, the position, and, perhaps, resign from the'chairmanship or from the board. He did not make this .statement as a threat by any means. Ho respected the opinions of his fellows on the Ward too'much. He wished, however, to. emphasise s the position that the board was an independent separate body without any resources' beyond its income from pupils'..fee's, and, rentals.-:-. "If the board tynds itself .in any position whereby it is unable to draw a' cheque for some current liability, it has no resource whatever- except to go, on its knees to the Orovernment- of the -day,, or, to .the bank for accommodation:; Tia ; t 'is the position J-- have steadily ,been'.endeavouring to avoid. I. appreciate"-the compliment you pay■ me, but before I'agree to take office as chairman, I rely'bn'the board to assist mo to that exteht-that .is, to. keep the hnances of the board in.such a pbsition that it-will never be placed in the necessity of.gomg either-to.a political body or a n om -ff er , ' iovi assistance." 4 im ?W he was afraid that the position;taken up.by Mr.'Brandon was not one;that, he could conscientiously admit was fair, to 'a',chairman -of the board to take .up. "The position seems to me to be this: If we, in our collective wisdom, or our collective folly, carry'a resolution opposed, to the laid «j y lrr - Brandon, he.will .not feelcalled'. on to continue;; as, pjjr-- cKairman. In .those circumstancw*heiwbiiH frankly resign; .However,-. the'is^temen't' may be couched,.,if '.'than a threat If this,' 'boar'dr'exeroismg, its proper, judgnierit.'.detenhines on such' a line of .action'our chairman-has forewarned as it. will '.'determine his resignation. That surely, implies in the chairman of this board some', over-riding . judgment, some oyer-riding discretion; ,Tne'true position is that..a chairman'i£ there to rule the board, and'loyally''to' carry out the action of- the board-.-Jyshall sit .at: this board .only * on 7tbis '.I think it;-is'un'f6rtunate'.that if.'we choose to transgress as, Mr: Brandon may think, it should"-invo'WiJfWj* retirei&ent. Wo should' be able'to' own. judgment" ;'_''.':!" T; ■'' ■"' _'. .-•'-. . Dr: Newm'an^said'his/view- of the position.was entirely different ; from that; of Dr. "Pindlay. .Mr." Brandon merely submitted what, he considered"..^,'be the proper policy of .-the'board,'and no threat before his; appointment had a right, to, make such a statement.'' If .-the Government. brought down. a : .measure to which ..Dr.. Findlay was opposed; and: of which '.he disapproved, .would hot Dr.' Findlay consider it as in his power to resign? Dr. Findlay: Ishould not make it a threat;.at the.jtune of-my appointment : Dr. Newman said he considered himself, after Mr. Brandon's statement of policy, entirely free to vote. If Mr. Brandon did ■ not like his opinions he could .resign. .The chairman's, statement was quite satisfactory. '.';, , -"',.-'.. Mr. Warburtoh thought, that the chairmanship, should be. accepted unconditionally: Mr. Brandon was thinking. of the expenditure on the'; .'College and • Girls' High School. : : Mr.,; BrandW would be justified-in any objection if the sum appeared too large for him, but he did not agree with. his taking the chair and ' making.conditions. : ' Mr. Brandon said he thought that Dr. Findlay had misunderstood, his motives. : If the board' proposed to take any step '. which he considered: would ..embarrass it ; financially and prevent it from carrying on its work without assistance, he did not think he could continue to hold office with the board voting away money against his : judgment He would have nothing to ; do with borrowing money by way of over- ; draught from the bank. Mr. Brandon was re-elected chairman unopposed. :'-.■•.."■ ' -~.'■' .