KOKIRI SCHOOL ELECTION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 13 May 1901, Page 4

KOKIRI SCHOOL ELECTION.

Wo have received a letter signed by the two scrutineers duly appointed at the the election of the Kokin School Committee asking us to publish their plain statement of the facts ; and have been asked to publish the petition sent in to the Board on the matter. In order to place the whole dispute before the public, and seeing that some further disclosures are promised, we comply with the request. The refusal of the Board to hear Mr Smithers under the circumstances becomes all the more extraordinary, especially when we note that the date of the petition was got up ten days after Mr Meyers letter was written. 1 Petition to Board. Kokiei, May 3rd. “To the Chairman and Members of the Grey Education Board. “Dkab Sibs, —We, the undersigned householders of Kokiri, who have children in the district think that our election on the 22nd of April was unfair and unjust to us. As the committee does not represent us, and we as a body and legimate householders beg for another election, as the one already held was anything but fair, the room being filled with people who had not a right to vote, and on being asked to leave the room they staunchly refused, and the gentleman who were standing in the interests of the householders left the room, as they considered the election could not be carried on under the circumstances. Hoping that our request will be fovourably considered by the Grey Education Board. Robert Armstrong J. Klemple John Hahn W. Stephenson W. Conney James Bisstdl J. Muir James Cosligan Alex. Cameron Chas. J. Gibbs. J, Saunders Chairman of Meeting’s Letter. Kokiei, April 2C. “In reference to the election of the Kokiri School Committee held on the 22nd April, I think as Chairman of the meeting, and wilh all due respect to the heads of families in this district, that a committee elected as the present one has been, and allowed to remain so, is unfair and unjust to the householders of Kokiri. As the room was filled with persons who had not the right to vote, and on being asked to leave the room they sternly refused. Hoping that this letter will meet with your approval, and that the householders of the Kokiri School District will bo given another chance to elect a committee which will carry out the work to the satisfaction of all, and be a credit to the District.” I remain, Sir, yours truly,— P. C. Meyees. Statement of Scrutineers. (To the Editor). g IK> _As scrutineers duly appointed by the householders of Kokiri during the recent election, wo heg to set a few maters right respecting the report of the gnid election.

The acting-chaiman's letter to the Board is certainly misleading. In the first place the only person challenged by the Chairman was Mr Kirkwood, who offered to leave the room in order to allow the election to proceed, although maintaining that he was qualified to vote. There was no need to take a ballot, however, because, at. this juncture seven candidates withdrew their nominations, thus leaving Messrs T. Baxter, W. Baxter, G. Bellami, Shand, Pane, bmi tilers and Latta.

The Chairman formally notified to the meeting that there were then only seven candidates remaining. Following the instructions laid down by the Act, he declared them legally election. lie must have been satisfied that the election was valid, for he courteously superintended the transfer of books, etc , from the old to the new committee.

A.s a matter of fact, in his letter to the Board, he does not even, now venture to state that the election was not legally carried out. He merely expresses an opinion that the election is not fair to the heads of families. This is a question that admits of other opinions, and is a little outside the province of an acting chairman’s report. As Chairman, on behalf of the householders generally, it was his duty to report the same result that he publicly declared that evening. This, however, he omitted to do, and the committee were thus placed in an anomalous position. In order to put matters right, the secretary of the committee, under instructions, wrote to the Board, giving details, The chairman of« 'ommitteo was deputed to attend the Board meeting. Both these efforts to place the matter fairly before the Board were uncourtiously ignored. As we do not intend to enter any wordy controversy, we have carefully refraimed from expressing any unsupported opinion. We, however, maintain the truth of the above report and beg to subscribe ourselves.—Yours faithfully. W. BUTIiER. W. CUNNINGHAM Kokiri, May 9.