SOME METHODS CRITICISED.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3466, 21 April 1920, Page 5

SOME METHODS CRITICISED.

(To The Editor.)

, Sir,—-—ln re lass night’s meeting: Surely it was hitting below the belt a little for Mr Joblin to spring on Mr Swindells a “reply to those letters” at the last moment before the election. Mr Joblin has surely had plenty otf time to consider his reply, seeing that the letters were written some weeks ago. But this is a time-honoured campaign trick, and “Mr Joblin is am honourable man.” Mr Joblin would not talk up from his own point of View the recent much—magnified. grievances, and so ‘Work up an attendance of supporters, nor would he allow the meeting to depart. from" “a point of order,” vide his effort to disqualify Mr Hopwood smififl nomination as chairman. It was easily seen that Mr Joblin had come to the meeting with the fixed determina-tion that he, and no one else -but he, should have charge of the meeting, and he came well primed with his method of procedure.‘ However, “all’s fair in love, etc.,” and “Mr Joblin is -an honourable man.” But is it not -a just and usual method of proceeding, where a .ballot has to be taken, to place before electors the candidates’ names in alphabetical order? At‘ .last hight’s meeting, Mr Joblin placed the whole of his candidates’ names first on the ballot paper; but it is surely just that each candidate's name be given alphabetically; each wou«?d-be-‘, member is then judged‘ on his merits, and none havelundue favour from the order of precedence. Surely, if this is required by law for Parliamentary elections, it is equally~“in -order” for a school committee election. But? Mr Joblin, being an old Campaigner, would have eognisance of the‘ ,’fact »_whether this were or not, and “Mr Joblin is an honourable man.” When Mr Joblin told of the Education Board’s efforts to make -both endsm-éet. under the increased cost of materials, of labour, etc-., m:ght he not also have conceded that school committees are labouring um’-or exactly the same ditfiv eerit'ies—‘.sr'.c the_ largely incre.l.=sed amount for school cleaning alone, for i.-Ista.nce*? . . ‘

One niight refe-r°to the ‘fact that Mr: Joblin quoted amounts raised by Taihape and “other schools for 19151920 only, not from 1914, which would have placed Taihape m-uch higher on the list; also one might ask why it is that, even after seventeen months’ striving by the committee, -the children’s. shelter sheds, which were" blown down in November, 1918,’ have not.been rebuilt, the old tanks «replaced by new ones, and the required additional ones" supplied, ete., prom-‘ lsed alterations involving an expenditureiof £2lB, while "on one school alone in Palmerston the huge sum of £40,000 is being spent. V In conclusion, While not adnlitting that on. the whole the best members were not returned,‘ ‘fife old committee congratulates the district on the personnel of the new committee that was induced to stand, ‘who, by the way, might have held office‘ long ago had they chosen to take suflicient interest in. the school to ofi'er themselves. One would express the hope ‘that the interest egineed at Tdst night’s meeting may continue. At such a meeting every householder t6"a man or woman should berepresented, for surely it is only when parents. teachers, and committeemen Witrrk together in the" best interests of the children that the cause of education is most. eifectively furthered. Th’anl<in'g you, I am, etc., ‘ FAIR PLAY.