The Evening Star SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3707, 9 January 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 1875.

On Monday evening an election of equal, if not greater importance than that of a representative in Parliament takes place. It is required by the Ordinances of Otago that school committees for the following year shall then bo chosen. We seldom take upon ourselves to recommend particular persons to represent the people of the district, as we con-ider, as a rue, tat the oualifications of mt-n for special duties are pretty generally known by their friends and neighbors ; but there are principles that it will be well to bear in mind that should guide us in our choice of a hool committees. One, on which it cann >t be wrong to insist too strongly, is that men should be sel< ct. d who are able to deal intelligently with the duties that pertain to toe office the district asks them to fulfil. In this respect, what is termed a practical man is useless. Were it merely a question of bricks and mortar, a man who cannot read, but who has learnt the use of the plumb rule, the trowel, and the mixing of lime and hair might be a better judge than one woo weigh air or solve the most involved quadratic question ; but t >e questions to be dealt with by school committees are more complex than even those. To be efficient they must be able to estimate the attainments of schoolmasters, their fitness to teach, and the value of what is t mght ; in addition must possess such business attainments as will enable them to economise the money to be expended, and see that school buildings are constructed and retained in condition to secure the greatest possible result with the least advisable outlay. It will thus be evident that only those who have had the twofold advantage of a good scholastic and business training arc likely to understand the widely different subjects with which they have to deal. In many districts there is a tendency to undervalue the services of educated men. We do uot know that Dunedin can complain of much on that score, nor can our later school committees be reproached for nonattention to th- ir duties ; hut much more is required now than was expected a few years back, and therefore, without for one moment reflecting upon those who have so creditably worked the business of the Dunedin Committees in times past, we earnestly recommend, in the interests of sound education, that all who desire the progress of tbe Colony in wealth, morality, and religion should exert themselves on Monday to secure the election of a committee of welleducated men. The election is to take place on Monday evening at seven o’clock.