A LITTLE STORM.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1563, 20 September 1905, Page 2

A LITTLE STORM.

Hawke’s Bay has got a little storm o 1 its own to work out. Under the heading “ The Bungle,” the Napier Telegraph states We raoently commented upon the extraordinary oiroumstances in con. nection with the failure of the Government to appoint Mr Gold-Smith to a seat on the Board of School Commissioners. The letter forwarded by the head of the Department, and published in our columns on Monday last, makes the whole business more mysterious still. We neod not waste t'ms in wondering how it came about that the Government had to be asked to appoint Mr Gold-Smith, the facts being so simple- He was a member of the Board, but was shunted by the Government to make room for a Daanevirke appointee as a result of political wirepulling in Wellington. It should be here . explained that there are five members of the Board. Of these two are appointed by the Education Board and three by tho Government. The Board appointed Messrs Tanner (their ohairihan) and Patterson (a Dannevirke representative), and prior to tho aotion of the Government above noted the three Government appointees were Messrs GoldSmith, Cornford, and Cohen. The wirepullers aforesaid, not satisfied with one Daanevirke representative, wanted another. To please them the Government had to i wipe out OD6 of thoir former nomiueee. They selected Mr Gold-Smith. As he was in many respects tho most indispensable member, owing te his expoit knowledge as Crown Lands Commissioner, the Gov-, ernment made a fine mess of things in shunting him in order to give Dannevirke two members out of tho live composing the Board, Mr Tanner would have resigned to make room for Mr Smith’s re. appointment, la. this weald not have helped the position, as bo was elected by the Board, and the Board would bavo to olect another member of that body in hiß place. It was plain that one of the Government nominees must resign in favor of Mr Gold-Smith. Mr Cornford expressed his willingness to resign, but in his capacity as solicitor be also wob of considerable expert value to the Board. Mr Cohen ultimately decided to resign, and in doing so to ask the Government to appoint Mr Gold-Smith in his place. We understand that Mr Cohen affirms that he formally resigned, by letter to the Minister for Education, some time ! ago. Tho Government say thoy have not I bad any intimation of any vaoancy oo tho ! Board. Who iB going to eolvo the mystery for us? Meanwhila the Board have not met since they decided to ask the Government (to re-appoint Mr Gold-Smitb, bis services being necessary to them, end tho business of the Department in this province is la-gely at a standstill. Primarily the Government are to blame for consenting to a suggestion that the Commissioner should be Bhunted to make room for a Dannevirke gentleman whose capacity to deal with educational matters has not hitherto been proclaimed from the housetops, but that genera'isation does nothing towards solving the puzzle now blocking business. Has Mr Cohen resigned? If so, why do the Government deny receiving any intimation to tUst effect ?