SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTION.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3465, 20 April 1920, Page 4

SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTION.

Tai-hape householders cannot be congratulated in connection with the conduct of their meeting held last [night for the purpose or I‘ec?-firing the yea."r’s statement of ‘accounts,’ and for the election of a. school" committee |for the ensuing yeaflr.” The attendance was lai-ger—much larger—_—than usual, but it was not a healthy interest in school management that ‘ constit-'ute'd the influencing factor.’ Mr Joblin had a grievance against the old committee and it was evident at 300 d (1031 Of engineering had been done to secure an attendance that could only result in a regrettable factions display of jfeeling. But let it be said that whatever the direct cause of‘ last nights’ Vicious display was it had its foundation in the altogether inadequate provision made by the Government to rmeet the increasing demands of a reputedly free and compulsory educa*tion system. There was no charge. Tmade against the retiring Comlnif-tee 301‘ having failed to furnish a state;ment of an excellent .V€3l'S Wol'k.» £o’ ‘the man that made himself I‘eSDOll~ ‘sible for their expulsion from-noflice, himself testified to the splendid work they had do-ne wtih the money at their disposal. The sin of the Committee was that it held contrary views to the Taihape representative on the Education Board respecting the question of Whether the Education Authorities or the parents of children at» tending school should be responsible for the erection of, or repairs 120,} school (buildings. In all pl'obabilit3‘i the Education Board is doing its Ute“ most in the position it finds itself——‘ a buffer between Education De-_part~' ment and School Committees and‘ parents—-but it cannot in common fairness be claimed that in a _free and compulsory system parents should be waited upon to voluntary contribute to the erection and repairs of school building out of their private purses, whichare all too slender with the patriotic and other demands for char- 0 ity they have, during the past five years, been subjected .to. It is notable that Governments have refi.-ain~ ed from establishing schools untilparents in the interests For their children have been virtually compelled to deliver over to the Department ,property and money, or bring; -up" ‘their children in ignorance".' It'is‘,'undeniable tliatvery much offthe property

owned by the Education Department

has been dragged out of the pockets of poor people and struggling settlers, and it seems from What took place at last nights’ meeting, parents are not to (be relieved from finding ‘money for building extension and repairs. Householders made the initial blunder at last night’s meeting by ,electing the chief disgruntled protagonist to the School Committee chairman of the meeting, for l_3v_so doing business that should easily ‘have been got through in an hour dragged on, in bear garden fashion, till nearly eleven o’clock. We‘ are not disposed to discuss details, but in the best interests o-f the school we say unhesitatingly that factions antagonism to an admittedly ‘good working committee is something more than regrettable.