The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1881.

Temuka Leader, Issue 356, 22 February 1881, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1881.

At the meeting of householders held in th.a Temuka Schoolroom last Saturday evening, considerable interest was mani-. tested in educational m liters. The feel-, ing-- against Boards of Education appeared very strong, their utter uselessness for good seemed to, bo admitted by most of the leading men present. The Rev. George Barclay, a memb.er of the Board, being present, was called upon to speak, bu,t lie did not show- much good that the Board had done. Ife dwelt chiefly in his speech on what he had done for the Temuka School Committee when lift was taken in.to its confidence, and the folly of op-: posing the Board if it wanted favors. This i< noble talk for a member of a Board. It is as much as to say ‘ Gentlemen, you must keep quiet i y° u must-not speak against the Board if> you want anything/ When members of a Foard can talk thus the sooner it is abolished the y better. The days are gone by, however, when any body of men could thus curb public opinion or free discussion of its doings, Mr Barclay had many faults to. find with the old Committee because they Were too blind to see any good he had done them, and he counselled the new Committee to, be a little m® r ® submissive to their betters, and take some member of the Board into its confidence: if they wished to get their wants attended to. Mr Barclay did not in as many words say they should make a covenant witli himself, but if we are to judge by the success of the district thiit he more directly represents, it would be a good thing for them to dd so, B,ut the question we ask ourselves is. Will the new Committee be so cowardly as' to do so, 1 Past Committees demanded tfieir wants should be supplied as a right, and when a Board refuses to ,grnnt them because the Committee is not prepared to stoop to. such mean practices as to court favof with-such meq as his reverence, it ought to be abolished. The chance for Mr Barclay being present -Was a good one as an electioneering' Opening. Mr Barclay knows that the members of the nd\v Committee are aware that he is a candidate for a seat on the Board, and he, no doubt, hopes in his

heart-they will vote for him, and, when make him its confidential member. jkow, we repeat again our opposition to clergymen being on the Board. It -is not very dong since the whole of South Canterbury rang with the condemnation of people at 1 the wrangling between’ the Rev. Mr Gillies and the Rev. Hr Barclay, Both are again candidates. Are the electors prepared for a repetition of these bear-garden performances 1 We hope not. Clergymen, as a rule, are pot men of large Spread of mind, and if they can be just it is difficult for them to be generous. The speech of the rev. gentleman is a case in point : Matter me, and you are right ; oppose me, and you are wrong.