WAIORONGOMAI SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 92, 7 March 1885, Page 2

WAIORONGOMAI SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

The monthly meeting of above was held on Monday evening last in tbe Schoolhouse, WaWon.'omai. There was a full attendance of members. The ; chairman, Mr Smardon, , was early on ihe scene, and lost no time in taking possession of the disputed, §eat, and never gave " tlie opposition" the slightest chance of " jumping" his claim. The Secretary read the minutes of the previous meeting, but Messrs .Ferguson, Miuiro, Gallagher, and refused to sanction their adoptipf»»bei%, it was statetl, incorroct. Thus all \>i)siness'came io, a dead-lo6k at the 'staftj; and although the" meeting continued- jur sjnxe houv«, no business was transacted

whatever. A majority of membe r0 called upon Mr Smardon to resign, bat that gentleman aprarently " didn't quite see it," and stoutly refused to accede to the request. It will be- remembered ufc the first Committee meeting after the annual election, Messrs Fergmon and Smardon were both proposed for the office of chairman. Mr Ferguson declined to vote for bimgelf, the rotes of the other six members being equally, divided, some one proposed electing a temporary chairman to decide the question. This was done, and by his giving; a casting vote in favour of Mr Smardon, the latter wa* declared elected. Query : Under the circumstances was the election of a temporary chaiiman, having both a deliberative and a casting vote, valid ? Meantime school interests must; suffer thnugh the dismption, which is much to be regretted. Some members at the meeting advised all resigning and a fresh electirn. But others objected, and declined to do so. It is much to be regretted that such a want of unity exists amongst the representatives of the inhabitants of the sister township in a matter such as this, where all personal or party feeling ought to be sunk, and all be united with the one sole object in view of how best to promote the educational interests of the district.