THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XII, Issue 1717, 26 May 1886, Page 2

THE SCHOOL C OMMITTEE ELECTION.

(to thr Editor daily standard.) i Sir. — [ was m hopes the last of the above unpleasant matter had bt»en heard, but it- apjrears from your issue of Satur r day that tuo Chair^iiaiv is still niggling at the old sbre. Xi it ba true that the Committee "did refuse the' " deputation from AVauganui the^use of the schoolroom m which to hold tho (to my mind and that of many dtKTe'rs) very necessary enquiry about? the alleged illngal election, it id certainly, boyond^ doubt that the ComtnUtee'Bh«>\ved Very scanty respect for the deputation.. To my idea pf such tiaatters a direct insult was offered to the gentlemen representing the Wanganut Education Board: If there' was nothing doubtful about the mode of .ejectiou, why did the Committee shew fifoh jinks to thadeputaiion? Wl.y cquld i notmattera, have been placed respect- ' fully before the .deputation by. our Committee, m a discreet and dignified manner, for the very purpose ofj shewing to the householders who have' a decided right tokiiow, that the election was as it should be,' freer from- ..all doubts and 1 unpleasant. rumours. Mr Snelson, the Chairman of tl>e public meeting, ruled at its c<imin*et]cenietit..'- l 'wbo'. was >n..titled to yote," aud m my judgmedt'' his ruling wAs ) c.q l r;eet,<-.aud I toel quite sure that; .almost "every unbiased person would sco that the Act- clearly iutends no one but a householder. has any right to vote. It never was intendedthat art election. should besvyayed by the votes of a number of single jffeli f lodger^, who have no real' interest m auch Oujnmittees. Mr Wright may have acted imprudently m lodging his complaint, but /that was no justifteatjou for the Committeo toact iv a much more imprudent ra an non I consider Mr Wright, as a householder, had every right tp lodge a complaint, -and so had anyone else, when an "election is conducted contrary to the ruling of ' the Chnirhian of the meeting. HaoTTbeenactiug mMr S'nelson'a place I would have ruled as he did-; m fact', I did on a previous occasion some year* ago, that Mr Wright whilst a lodger could not vote, and I. would not take his vote. Mr Stewart l asks people to judge for themselves; I now do so, and without any hesitation say that m my dpinibu he and his Committee, have i:ot done as they would, wish to be, done by, and I - also believe* that fhe Education Board will say the aaiue. thiugj and further, I beiieve for", tho. sake of all parties interested a' new flection is what is required^ iti order to place matte's on a proper footing and; elfict a committee- prdiperly. Our public schools are most important institutions,, and should, be. governed by v the very 1 best possible feelings and- judgment. , There should be'no bad blood there, nnd i; no bitter opposition, wbi,ch if allowed' to remainjwill prove a canker worm, ami become the immediate cause of much .... mischief. Looking back over a- number of years, while the inhabitants of Palinerefon were justly struggling to obtain the very fullest share of consideration from the Wangauni Board, and often asking for a little more than we felt wo were perhaps entitled to at the lime, and somewhat encroaching on the finance of , the Board for extension of outbuildings, &c, &c, I know for certain that oiir wishes. had the fullest consideration, and that our wants were well supplied; the Board never behaved impertinently towards us, consequently I feel that through 6uY present chairman we have ill repaid previous benefits. I trust the Waiigaijiu Boird will declare : the late election null acid void, and order, a new one.. I.dqu't object to tli,e present members of our ' Committee at all, 1 artd shall feel quite pleased if they are agjiin elected, m a more satisfactbty wa>^' but IJdo object to their actioii: tbWailds the deputation and to the present unpleasant tone connected with scuftui," matters' geuerftlly. Our chairman may -be poss^Bsed ot inpre legal knowledge than the most of his .- contemporaries, but I doubt if this is any qualification for' the post, or any benefit to the householders of Palmerston North. I am, yours truly, .-;'■■ - :: ■■■':■'■ ! .. . James Linton, '