Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1897. The Education Board.

Manawatu Herald, 6 March 1897, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1897. The Education Board.

Much interest is naturally taken na to which member of the Wanganui Education Bpard Will be elfCted as chairman. Unfortunately, owing lo lhe v^ry large district the work nf he B Kird .covers, representative)* re B' j n*, to h from Jong distance, nd there being practically no pay attaching to the office^ the question of expense has seriously to be considered, and thus the country members cannot be expected to be candidates for an office which must entail a large amount of Work upon the holder, as well as a very frequent attendance at the Board's office. Thus the selection of a chairman is very confined, and illustrates the happy-go-lucky manner the interests of a large district are cared lor. We once again repeat we object to the Boards, and also the system of election to them, and all who have watched the system at work for many years must have arrived at the sama conclusion. As, however, we havo to put up with Boards, we ought to make them the best we can out of the material at hand, and the duty thus devolves upon the residents of Wanganui to select one of their best townsmen to offer himself as a candidate in the place of Mr Carson > who has resigned. This nomination should be considered one of very much moment, and if a thoroughly capable man was proposed, and bis qualifications for tha office publicly made known, it ia exceedingly unlikely that the country committees would desire in any way to oppose his return. There is a rumour that a gentleman who is now a candidate for election, and an old member of the Board, will be chosen ; but it is possible that he might not secure election, and then it may be possible that the new chairman might be one who is wholly unacquainted with the duties he may be called upon to fulfil, and so the Board be run once again by the salaried officials. Such an unfortunate position could be remedied by there being a salary attached to the office, which would thus allow any other member to be eligible without loss to himaelf. Salaries are, however, not in keeping with the income of the Board, bo that we ate met, face to face, with an undesirable position, which helps to show the advantage we might all gain if there were no Boards. The position might be" altered to meet the difficulty as to a chairman if the Board did not cover so large a district as it does, but then the increased cost in members expenses and clerical staff would practically find the sum required as salary for the chairman. We have ever objected to asking members of local bodies to do public work for nothing, holding that in the long run the publio suffer for it. The members of the Board have allowed this unfortunate position to arise from reticence in stating the oase, and the candidate who is rumoured to be mo3t eligible for the position may not secure his election simply from the committees not understanding how much hung upon the votes they gave. Evidently some one has blundered, and we only hope that the oversight of the Board will not result in an unfortunate way.