Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, MAY 8, 1919. SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1974, 8 May 1919, Page 2

Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, MAY 8, 1919. SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS.

OUR Palmerston evening contemporary, commenting on jjio above subject, s;iys:—The School Committee elections lost month in more limn one centre emplmsised the necessity for mi amendment of.' (he existing system, which is neither democratic nor at all in keeping with the exigencies of (he present day. At best, the ejections where contested lake on the semblance of unseemly .squabbling between rival parties claiming (he right to dominate the educational policy of the schools, so far, that is, im it is within the functions of the committees to control such- policies, ami rival tickets arc in some cases put forward, isueeess in the carrying of which depends more upon the smartness of (hose formulating the tickets than upon the actual merits of the candidates themselves, or even upon the support accorded by bona fide voters. Although there is no actual evidence of the fact available, owing to the very unsatisfactory methods adopted in distributing the ballot papers, there are good grounds for the belief that many of those voting at the householders’ meetings did not possess the necessary qualification for doing so. And, in*more than one instance, protests have been lodged with the Education Boards on that score, one such case occurring 10--cally, wherg certain householders in the Campbell Street School district are understood to have petitioned the Wanganui Board against the election of two householders, who are said to be resident in the West End School district. The method of conducting these School Committee elections is anything blit satisfactory.” We agree with our contemporary that the present state of things is very unsatisfactory. Apart from several of the points touched upon, we "cannot under-

stand wliy School' Commil fees arc elected upon a restricted franchise, These and other xnutters will, we li’ope, be given attention when the new proposals to amend the present Act come before Parliament.