JOHNSONVILLE SCHOOL TRUST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 878, 26 July 1910, Page 4

JOHNSONVILLE SCHOOL TRUST.

POINTS FOB MEMBERS OP PARLIAMENT. Sir,—l thank you in anticipation of you grantiug me 'space in your, valuable columns to enter, my protest against the proposed amendments of the Johnsonvillo . School Trust Act now before Parliament, and as briefly as possiblo will givo my reasons. The administration of the trust some years ago being found unsatisfactory, Parliament granted powers to the Commissioners of the Johnsonvillo Town Board to administer the trust as trustees, who Were elected, by the people who owned the property in question. Parliament is now asked to rcvoko and amend the Act, to take from tho representative body the powers vested in them, and plaeo tho trust in the hands of two residents, viz., Mr. J. Kod and Mr. F. T. Moore, or their heirs, etc. Now, sir, how can ono conclude the trust can 'be better administered By two residents than by a body representative-of the people, and responsible to tho people, whoso actions can be questioned, and if found unsatisfactory tho ballot can be applied ? Tho proposed amendments show clearly.tho want of ability on the part of the commissioners to allow tho. rights of tho people to bo diverted after accepting caro of tbo trust and rights of tho people. Power under the amendment empowers tho board to borrow. £2600 for tho erection of town hall and municipal buildings, etc. Tho powers proposed are contemptible to the people of Johnsonyille, and, further, a violation of tie law which provides for any community who may desire to raise a loan for tho purpose stated—a poll by the people, and rightly so—seeing they are responsible for such money borrowed. Members of tho Houso should not ignore tho law in the way proposed, and treat a section of tho community .with contempt. Further, tho statements m tho proposition that tho old school site is tlm only ono adapted for a town hall, etc., is open to question, and tho tivo'behind such a statement may prove interesting. 1 . I conclude the House should Teject the amendments to the existing law on. tho following grounds:— (a) Fi.vd or seven members elected as at present will prove preferable to two residents becoming trustees. • : Hb) Tho board has no moral right to transfer tho trust, being servants of the people elected for three years. (e) Tho lawful rights of the people ifoiild bo violated, ,and their rights to sanction the loan, £2600, as suggested by tho amendment, would bo lost. (d) The amendment mutilated the original trust beyond recognition, which no member of tho Houso would sanction if acquainted with tho original trust and tho attempt to violate tho law .under disguise. (o) Tho advantages of the trust will bo diminished, and tho sohool" deprived of much advantage belonging to it. In conclusion, I would advise residents and electors to call upon tho present trustees to explain their actions in transferring their trust which they only held during their term of office under the Johnsonvillo School Reserve Act, of 1898, and, further, to resent tho contemptible means adopted to' deprive the electors of their lawful rights. Again, sir, thanking you in anticipation, of the above. —I am, etc., OLD SETTLER.