The Daily News. FRIDAY, JULY 14, 1916. EDUCATION BOARD ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 July 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JULY 14, 1916. EDUCATION BOARD ELECTION.

The school committee throughout the newly-enlarged educational district of Taranaki have now to select two members of the JOducation Hoard, a duly that '» ut the utmost importance to the future of the children throughout the Province, it may be claimed with perfect justice that the administration of educational affairs is the first essential to a country's progress and welfare. The chief aim of education is not the production of prodigies in scholarship, for these are only the exceptions, but it means the making of h nation the units of which all contribute to its peace and prosperity, or the reverse. School committees are somewhat prone, as a rule, to regard their duties as perfunctory iind of little real good, but that is only because they do not realise that they are a link in the body politic. In reality they are the foundation of the educational fabric, just as in democratic countries the people rule. It is one of the gratifying signs of the times that the committec. s in the Taranaki district are realising their potentialities, and are co-ordinating tlieir interests by means of associations having for their object the beat interests of eduction. If these

associations are widely and we]] administered tliey must become the dominant factor in shaping the policy -of the Board, the personnel of which is selected by them. The enlarged educational district of Taranaki is now materialising, and though there was naturally at first some regret at the southern end of the district at being severed from the Wanganui district, it was only the outcome of the feeling of old assoeiationship, possibly with a passing idea that the new order might not prove as satisfactory as the old. That, unfortunately is a common human view, the error of which is being daily proved in every department of business and State activity. We are confident that the future will convince all sceptics that the Taranaki Hoard will be quite as successful in its administration of educational affairs of the whole province as ever the Wanganui 'Roard could hope to be, though it will not aim at talcing so prominent a place in the limelight. The responsibility for the success, or otherwise, of the Hoard rests, however, on the committees' choice of its personnel. The district is divided into three wards—Southern, Cen'tral, and Northern—there being two members to be elected for each. In the usual way at elections it is a fairly easy matter to pick out the best and most suitable men for the position, but ill the coming election of members of the lulucation Board all the candidates in each of the three wards have so many good qualities that the process of selection will probably finally be carried out more or less on persona] grounds. It is

for the members of the committees to decide to whom they will entrust the task of securing for the country it s future supply of well equipped citizens. We venture to suggest, however,'that the committees will be best serving thei/ own interests and those of the State by carefully considering not only the personality of the various candidates, but also whether they possess the requisite administrative impartiality and progressivcuess, coupled with the leisure to devote to the many calls 011 their time that must inevitably be made if the educational affairs of the Province are to tske and maintain that high status which will secure for the district as notable a success as its productiveness and progressiveness have achieved. -Moreover it is extremely desirable that the mem hers of the Board should be sympathetic with the committees, so that both ma\ w«rk in unison for the cause of education. In the South ward there can be no question as to the selection of Mr. Dixon as one of the members, for not only is he exceptionally qualified for tinposition, but he will also be a most

important medium for securing a continuity of policy that, under the Wan ganui Board, proved so acceptable to Unpeople of Southern Taranaki. The two oilier candidates, Messrs Wilkinson ami

Voting, have each many qualities to ic commend them. Mr. Wilkinson lias a great advantage in that lie would be ol immense service as a member of Parliament in upholding the claims of the lulucation District to liberal treatment I in respect of its pressing needs for education advancement in the primary, secondary and technical departments, lie is a man of great force of character and ability, and with a strong faith in Titranaki's future. Mr. Young has already dune good service 011 the Taranaki Beard, as well as on the Parihaka Road Board (of which lie is chairman), and the F.gmont County Council. He is well versed ill the educational requirementof the district and possesses' sound common sense arid breadth of view. The electors therefore will have two excellent candidates from which to elect the second member. There is a plethora of can didates for the Central ward, Messrs Harold Trimble, F. Mackay, W. L. Kennedy, E. Mari'ell, and E. Masters. The latter is the coming man of the Board, and committees should not be in two minds over his selection. They will, however, have no easy task in selecting a second member. They are al! present or past members of the Board, but no one has greater claims than the ;present chairman (Mr. Trimble), who has given largely of his time for the benefit of education. For the North V.ard, Messrs. A. Morton, S. 6. Smith and Rev. A. B. Chappell offer their services. Mr. Morton represents the country, is an able educationalist, and deserves support. Mr. 8. (i. Smith is in close touch with primary education, the interests of which he lias obviously at heart. Rev. Chappell has special qualifications for the position too, and the selection of a town representative will present some difficulty.