OUR KUMARA LETTER.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 16 February 1901, Page 2

OUR KUMARA LETTER.

(OUR OWN CORUESX’ONDENT.) The action of the Westland Education Board in forwarding only five names to the School Committee for selection for Head Teacher has been severely commented on here. There were 40 applicants for the postition ranging in certificates of the highest competency downwards, yet the Board cooly ignored

the question of merit and made the bounds of their own district the test of suitability. It has been urged that local candidates should get the precedence; but that is at best a lamo contention; Surely when it is question of education of tlio young, localism should have no place. The best: than should have the position irrespective of where ho is domiciled.

All things being equal by every means take the local man and my remarks are not to be taken as a reflection on any of tho gentlemen whoso names have been sent to the committee. They refer merely to tho action of tho Board in restricting their choice to five local men, because they were local men when they could havo given the committee an ample field. But then the ways of public bodies are sometimes “ peculiar ” like Bret Hart's Ah Sin.

The report that the prospectors boring on the Greenstone Gold Dredging Company's claim, had found the bottom at 27 feet was a little premature. The facts are, as I reported a little while back, the lower pipe got broken at 27ft without reaching bottom, and they had to bo drawn, and a fresh stare made.

Greymouth will not hear the last of the alledged salting caso. The civil action P. Tansey v. Lawson Bros, in connection with the above, is set down for hearing at the next sitting of the District Court before Judge Ward. Next Saturday is the day fixed for tho sitting.