Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY JANUARY 10,1890. THE WANGANUI BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 10 January 1890, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY JANUARY 10,1890. THE WANGANUI BOARD.

The Editor of the Warigahui Chvonicle in its issue of the 7th instant endeavours to create a rivalry between; What Jie terms, the North and doiith of the Education District. The Manattatn Times and ourselvw ftreefcarged with endeavouring " to take nway a member from the North, and giving an additional member to the Sbttth; " Ik may suit the ends of the representatives of Wanganni, on the Edncntion Board, t > |»nt the matter- in this light, but beyond the statement of the Kditor there appe >n to be no foundation for the assertion What we ore desirous of seeing is a radical change made in the representation da the Board, as no words can be toohar«h to use, wh^n mentioning the [acts of the Board and their ■Secretory in tho past, thou«h wo have, some months Mg', gl dly welcomed the improvement wrought, in the con. duct of the business of the ' oard on the election of Mr Parmm as Chairman. Surely the Editor of the Chronicle cannot have 'forgotten the many and well faundpd couiplaiws made by the Foxton Committee, as they created a deal of discussion «t the time, and neither can he shut his eyes to the all round complaints of the usurpation of the rights of Committees, by the i^pnrd. Until we have further cause, in this respect, toicomp'ain, we desire to refer no further to to the past, as tve do trust that the desire to do right, on the part of the present chairman, will act as a check on the older members of the Board, who were greatly the cans* of much of the past unpleasantness. We can now coma back to the explanation why we, the Battlers ' residing; _ south of Wanganui desire. further representation. The assertion that we are askiig for what is unfair is misleading as is the statement that the division is now properly made. Hy a rul« of thumb principle this may be said so, hut on examination the injustice will be at once noticed. We have referred to the Education report frr 1889 and that only represents the position for 1888, and therefore the growth of population in these districts will show, ia the next report, even more telling than the one now quoted. The Chronicle, being on the weakest side, urges that because many years ago the proportion of representation was fair, it must needs be so at this day, but though thn Education Board's office ia available at its door, for reference, no attempt seems to be made to prove the same by figures. In the first start of the Board, or at, any rate for many years past, the proportion has been, two members for north of Wanganui, three for the town of Wanganui and four for the south of ' Wanganui, and the Chronicle asserts that this is fair. We admit that actually five members reside south of the town, but we agree with the statement of the Editor that Mr Baker " may be said to represent the Central Committees " The Chroniole cannot say that we have not described the position even as it wpuld.desire to have it. The Education report dispels the charge of unfairness made against us, for simply desiring proportionate representation for pur ; numbers and the amount involved in carrying out the system. J . In 1888 tho number of schools north of Wanganoi num. bered 23, with an average attendance of 13f 9 children and cost of staff amounting to 44488. Wanganui hadl6 schools with an average attendance of 1222 children, and cost of staff reached L8239, whilt south of Wanganui, the schools numbered 47, having an attendance of 8700 children and the ooßt amounted te 1.9,352. The position lies thus, that Wanganui and the district north of it has only 39 schools, with 2540 children to attend to, and has practically five members, whilst the south of Wanganui has 47 schoofe with 3700 children to look after, and has only four members. As the Chronicle has come forward a» the champion of the rights of school committees, and has been mistaken as to the position, we may fairly claim its stout ohampionship for the o »u§e we. espouse We are desirous of injuring the. commit • "tees north of Wanganui, but it^ is our buaint g to care foT our own interests at the first opportunity, and if we f-U'ceed we shall be only too pleaded* to help those committees to acquire a m>re satisfactory footing. It may be pleating to Wanganui to

hold the control of the Board, by a corn; act three membeis, who are oloso to tho Board's office, and can therefore bS reh'etl up"dri to rtttend tvery niodtiilg 1 , "but It is extremely doubtful if it ia right or fair that it should be able to do so, considering the aujnbev ot its seiloolS find its 6X penditure. No doubt no district like* to bo tlepi'jveil d ft pliviltige which it has enjoyed f6r riiany tears, but it is just Ms. irii^d^ibilily, bit %} fctoH B! tiia .ISuiibiitidti Board to view questions ducting themselves directly, in a fair spirit, which has causejd tji^m ty . beat tHe Ijliar4cter W HHtjiuP; wliicli II M ffl ttm the truth, t __