THE DUNEDIN SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND THE OONVENTION.

Evening Star, Issue 4274, 7 November 1876, Page 2

THE DUNEDIN SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND THE OONVENTION.

. £ h f special meeting of the above body held last night to consider the Superintendent s circular was attended by Messrs Robin (chairman), Sherwin, Street, Ramsay, Strode, Fwh, Bell,,Livingston, and Wright. Mr Fish, in moving That this Committee having heard that Mr Maoandrew has invited the chairman to attend apblitioal moating to confer and determine as to the beas means of extricating the Province of Otago from the evil results involved in the Abolition of the «ovinoes Aot, reaolves that inasmuch as its functions are in no wise political, if the chairman attends such meeting, he does so as representing himself only, and not the opinions of his Commit.

said that as they were not a committee elected for the purpose of considering political questions, ©r for entering into political discussions, but for carryingout the law as it rtood in reference to the Dunedin schools in the best possible way, he would not, in moving the resolution, introduce anything of a political nature, or make any remarks of that character. It was a step in the wrong direction, on the part of Mr Macandrew, to have invited any member of an Educational Committee to attend a political meeting; for, if they were to entef into a discussion as to the propriety or.btherwise °* ,%" r chairman, representing the political Opinions of a majority of the committee, it would possibly engender ill-feelings, which would prevent them acting harmoniously together in the furtherance of the work which they had been elected to earry out, namely, the conducting the schools of the City. He therefore regretted that their chairman should have been invited to attend the Convention, and have the apple of discord thrown among them by a gentleman in so. high a position as the late Superintendent of "the Province. Supposing the majority of the committee were in favor of Abolition, they might pass a resolution requesting the. chairman not to attend the proposed Con vention, or, if he did, to advocate' their views. The same 1 might jtake place suppo£ ing that the majority were in favor of Provincialism. What, then, would be the I result? If they expressed an opinion on I this matter, it would be simply that of the j majority of a number of gentlemen assembled !as an Educational Committee. What would j that be worth as representing the views of a large number of the inhabitants of Dunedin? The best way»of getting over the difficulty would be to carry the resolution; for they could not ignore 'the communication which their chairman had received from a gentleman occupying so high a position as he who had till lately occupied the position of head of this important Province. Mr George Bell : I second the resolution, and do not think it necessary to make a single remark in support of it, as it commends itself so completely to the mind of every member of the Committee. We were not elected for a political purpose, but solely to superintend the management of the schools which are under our control.

Mr Shkkwin : I am decidedly opposed to this Committee • having anything to do with politics, as I think that it would create an unpleasant feeling." I may hold strong political views, and other members may hold contrary views. I think the best way is to say " yea " or " nay " to_the resolution, and so settle the matter. : "

Mr Livingston: I would like to know what position the chairman would take at the Convention, and whether he would claim to represent the Dunedin School Committee?

The Chairman: I hare received' this invitation, and I trust that you will not think me wanting in respect to the committee either colleot«ely or invidually. In this matter I hold the same opinions as the Mayor of Lawrence, namely, that the letter having been sent to him personally, he was asked to attend the Convention, not as representing the views of the body of which he was Mayor, but his own particular-views as a representative man in the district in which he lived. Having now explained my views, I may tell candidly and straightforwardly that I am going to the Convention. But it was never my intention to go" there and say that I represented the views of the Dunedin Sohool Committee. I am pleased with the temperate manner in which Mr Fish introduced the subject, and I hope that, although I hold somewhat different views from the gentlemen who have yet spoken, that this matter will not be the means of introducing an apple of discord among the only body which has hitherto conducted its meetings with propriety and decorum. Mr Fish said something about your being asked to express an opinion; but you are not asked to express an opinion upon the matter. lam going to the Convention, but I never intended saying that I represented the people of Dunedin, or the School Committee. ; Mr Street was pleased that the question had been discussed in this straightforward way, and would regret that a political discussion should be introduced, as they had hitherto kept clear of that kind of thing, and he trusted that their action that night would show that they were determined to avoid it. Mr Robin had expressed his opinion on the matter, and was a free man to go to the Convention if he chose. So long as the position which he occupied there was clearly understood, he did not think that it mattered much whether he went or not.

Mr Ramsay said that, as Mr Robin had declared that he did not intend to represent the School Committee, it might be well for Mr Fish to withdraw his motion. He had been under the impression - tnat those invited were supposed to represent the views of the bodies over which they presided, but was glad to find that he was mistaken in thinking so, and that Mr Robin was only to represent his own opinions at the Convention. Such being the case, it was singular that the chairman, above all other members of the committee, should have been requested to attend. Seeing that the chairman was going to represent his own views only, he did not think that the School Committee had much to do with whether he attended the Convention or not. Mr Str de : That letter is addressed to the Chairman of the School Committee, and if he does not attend as Chairman of, the School Committee he has no lucus standi at. all. The letter is addressed to him as representing that School Committee. Mr Weight did not see any harm in Mr Robin attending the Convention. Mr Strobe: The distinction is, that Mr Robin has hot been asked to attend in his private capacity. . . Mr Shebwin : If .the ohairmajij Jiad beeii jnfkrf tto attend hi hsa yiiviittoS fajtoityv

there would have been no occasion for being here to-night. But he has been as) as Chaiman of the lohool Committee, we are bound to expneu ovr opinion oA matter. He goes as representing himself, and he has honestly said so.-. But the lef' is addressed to him as Ghaprman of. .-'chool Committee, and wo ;6u£nveurel|>k. pay deference to the gentlemenfwhd are lerl to-night. Mr LmirosToir thought that the wht object of the committee should be toll that its views would not be compromised Mr Robin being present at the Convention, [f Mr Robin would state that the majority ef the committee opposed him going, and if, on his telling the Convention that, it liked to receive him. he did not see Why they need object to Tfr consent to the withdrawal of his motion after what had been stated by Mr Robin j it looked as if he wished to get a dig at the Convention. --'--■ • :-.^.*»;.--.-^i«,.

Mr Bell: That is introducing the tipple of discord.

Mr Livingston was then understood to withdraw his last observation.

■ Mr Steode:pointed out that i&e-School i Committee in April, 1875, affirmed the Principle oHts not interfering in political aflairs, by passing a resolution" declining to express any opinion as to the advisability of levying an assessment oa .property for, school purposes. ~, ;/.,. „,;,'.;. ..'.'.'/' • T • Mr Fish hoped the chairman would, after the expression of opinion on the part of the committee, decline to . attend the Convention. Mr Strode had in his remarks really hit the nail on the head when he said that Mr Robin would have no loots standi at' the Convention, except as Chairman of the School Committee. He most respectfully said jihat the chairman, who was supposed to have no political bias in the matter, would have boh, suited propriety best by not attending under the circumstances. He denied thatlie'was" actuated by any desire to have a dig-atl the Convention. The motion was supported by Messrs Bell, Fish, Strode, StreeV and Snerwiii) and opposed by Messrs Idvingstoh7 Kamsay, and Wright. It was therefore'' declared carried.