A SUGGESTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1981, 24 May 1919, Page 3

A SUGGESTION.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —From what I can gather of the general “mix-up” re householders’ meeting and school committee election, I don’t think the present Committee can feel happy in holding oilice us things stand. Here is the way 1 look at it:—(1) The general opinion is that the meeting was commenced before 8 o’clock, although one cannot get all watches to agree as to accuracy; (2) ihe chairman was not a resident householder, as according to your report he admits, although I heard him say at the meeting’ he had the right. W ell Sir, if he admits now that he should not have presided, the meeting had no legal chairman; (3) If it can he proved that certain people recorded their votes who had no right so to do, that would make the election of one or two problematical, and on the top of that there were 40 informal votes because the name of a candidate was written on the voting paper which was overlooked, which makes the election of the Committee still doubtful; (4) Then a recount of the votes, whether legal or not, I don’t profess to know, leaves two candidates in doubt of election. "Now, Sir, I have not any objection to those committee-men, but we have heard a lot of talk about “British fair play” and “sports” and I think everyone without exception agrees that the whole business was not carried out according to rule,. Then, in order to clean the thing up once and for all let the whole Committee resign, and throw the responsibility niton the .Board to tix up tilings until a fresh election is held next year. This, Sir, is not only my opinion, bat Die opinion of several people 1 have spoken to, and would clean up the whole business, for f don't think any of Die men elected can feel happy under the circumstances. I make this suggestion to the Committee as the only way out of the mix-up. I am, etc., iIOCSEHOLDEIi.

To the Editor." Sir, —Would you allow me space in your paper to make a few comments on remarks made by Mr Pirani and his follower Mr .Fraser which appeared in Thursday’s ->’qporl of the Eoxton deputation to the Board meeting. Mr Fraser, who never ventures to make a speech in (he open, but while allending .Board meetings reminds one of a pouter pigeon, says “the householders’ meetings at Foxton which had been presided over by Mr Hornblow had been poorly,attended, and the reason of the large attendance on this occasion was on account of the German piano. Forgive me for contradicting so worthy an exponent but the reason for the large meeting was that Mr Fraser and his coterie had tried to cause such a stir in the community that a great many people wlio had no right at the meeting went to sec what really was going to happen, and to have “a night out” as many of them thought; but our worthy Board member does not go on to say much to the coterie's astonishment the men whom they were striving by all means to overthrow came almost lop of the poll, and the people who were responsible for all the fuss scraped in, and hold a questionable position at the bottom of those elected. Indeed, Sir, Mr Pirani could hardly find them, and omitted to read out, their names, and no wonder, for .1 can assure Mr Eraser that the wish of the large meeting of which he was so proud of at the Board meeting, as proved by the poll, was not to place the three lastnamed on the Committee, and the public are quite agreed on this point. There is a quotation which I think would tit in here, and it is: “If a man strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except lie strive lawfully.” I leave the public —not a few Board members —to decide whether the recent decision has been gained lawfully. As regards Mr Pirani’s remarks, 1 think that gentleman is too well known to warrant much comment, but the way he tried to tangle several of the deputetionisls shows how very British he is. He even tried to bring the church into ridicule by bis sneer at one of the deputation “as the parson who was one of (he disappointed candidates.” If Mr Pirani and his followers were held in as high esteem as Ujis candidate they would be able to appear a little more in the open (ban they do at present. In closing, may I say, now that this affair has ended, that I hope, as a parpnt, that our headmaster does not allow himself to he used as a party to any dispute that may arise in the future. He is a local boy, and one fur whom I have much, respect, and I would like to think he is more interested in fitting our hoys for the part they have to play in life’s battles than in taking sides with any party. Trusting I have not taken up too much space, but I could not allow such statements to go without comment. — I am, etc., . PARENT.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —As one of the deputation to the Education Board, I wish to pass a few remarks in connection with the grossly inaccurate statements made by Messrs Eraser and Pirani, and the other members of the Board, and while doing so I will continue the same in the manner which the deputation have maintained all along, in marked contrast to the questionable methods of those guilty of perpetrating the repent “frame-up,” by " wjuch they

sought to gain their ends. In the statement made by Mr Pirani, he says he sent Mr Fraser out to tell the Committee to come in, but Mr Fraser never came near us, and I challenge him to prove to the contrary, and his action in not doing so is very suspicious, to say the least. Then the fact of Mr Fraser proposing Mr Pirani to the chair disclosed Mr Fraser’s ignorance of the Education Act, which, to say (he least, is pitiful. To me it seems as if he was simply carrying out his part of the “frame-up.” His admission to let them “light their own battles in future” gives one the impression that Mr Pirani was appointed to the chair before the meeting opened, hence his retreat. The further statement that it was to get an orderly meeting is ridiculous and an insult to the more rational members of the community, as Foxton has the reputation of extending that courtesy to all speakers, and at all meetings. It is common knowledge that only about a dozen voted for the motion to elect Mr Pirani to the chair, and they were those mostly concerned with the “frame-up,’' and I can quite understand their surprise at the orderliness of the meeting, ns no doubt they expected their move to cause trouble, hence their satisfaction and Mr Eraser’s refusal to help them again. So much for Mr Fraser’s part, and I leave the public to judge his Illness to represent their' interests on the Board, and the sooner the public have a say in the mat ter of who shall represent them the belter. As for Mr Pirani’s part, he says he was not speaking when the Committee came in, yet I was the Ill'st to come in, and he continued to speak. He asked me at the Board meeting how I enjoyed his lecture, and I may stale I answered him most politely. His subsequent attitude to others showed ho lacked politeness. Yet this was the person who said Mr Hornblow was ignorant of the Act, and at the Board meeting made the admission that he had no right at the meeting, which proves that a “frame-up” was worked, and who was in it. Those who worked it arc entitled to all the self-congratula-tions they have bestowed on each other, but now (he public have had an opportunity of hearing the facts and judging the methods of the clique who succeeded in obtaining scats on the Schon] marked contrast to the clean, open tight put U]) by the old Committee, ts it not far better to be beaten and go down knowing that at least one has fought a 'clean fight 1 The effects of the late election will be reflected next April, when any attempt at questionable tactics will be nipped in the bud, for I am satisfied that anything may he attempted by those who up to date have had no interest in education till recently, find then only to gratify a grudge against a certain person, “for as one of them said, they would leave no stone unturned to bring him off the Committee, and that was the attitude taken up against the old Committee, and yet these individuals pose as goody-goody, nice people, who seem to think, and try to impress upon the dungaree section of lhe community, the exalted position they hold in the social scale, but which discloses their higher attributes at such a low ebb. —I am, etc., E. G. MARTIN,