The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, MAY 13, 1882.

Temuka Leader, Issue 9410, 13 May 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, MAY 13, 1882.

When the Education Board passed a resolution that it had no power to accept the resignations of members of ihe Terauka School Committee, we advised the latter to go back to work again, and they did so. We also advised them to raise no question as to Mr Harrop's position, but they did not take our advice, and the consequence is that the Committee now occupies a rather peculiar position. We quite agreed that Mr Harrop had forfeited his seat when he sent his resignation to the Com-

mittee. From that" moment .'he ceased to be a membeiynnd we believe that the Board of Education knew this perfectly, but it wanted to work out a clever bit of diplomacy, The Board was not sure that the four members who had resigned would consent to act, but they knew Mr Harrop would, and so they pronounced him still a member. The object of thi s was that in the* event of Messrs Mackay, Mendelson, Hayhurst and Russell declining to carry on their duties there would be a quorum, - and that quorum would be competent to replace those who had resigned. We saw through this clever bit of manoeuvring at the time, but we allowed it to pass unnoticed, because we knew that to point it out would only create fresh trouble. The trouble, however, has come, and it seems to gain strength as it goes along. We predicted that at the time ; we pointed out to the Committee that to exclude Mr Harrop would only bring on fresh trouble, and be fraught with much annoyance to themselves, but like Sam Weller's acquaintance they saw a principle in the affair, and they would die before they would yield. what is the result ? It is that every meeting of the Committee presents the ridiculous spectacle of a man being present who claims his right as a member, but who is, not recognised as one by the majority. This would not have occurred if our advice had been taken, and Mr Harrop reinstated. The Board of Education is partly to blame for its duplicity in conniving at an illegal act to get out of a difficulty, and that section of : the Committee dubbed the " Ministerialists "cannot be exonerated altogether from culpability, but we think that the meaningless persistency with which the Oppositionists try to attain their ends is the worst feature of the whole affair. It is time this should come to an end, and time that there was some plain speaking on the subject. It is going to an end that is making the Temuka School Committee a laughing-stock,.and we must say that Messrs Bolton, Harrop and Davis are the principal cause. The other members have done things of which we do not approve, but they have one redeeming quality, there can be no doubt that they feel a thorough interest in the school. We cannot say the same for . the other side, tor though we say it with regret, we are convinced the school is a secondary consideration to getting the best of those who are opposed to them. What are they fighting for ? 'Where'is the"principle which all the noise is about ? Merely : this : Mr Harrop, because he could not get his own way,resigned, the committee accepted it notwithstanding that he sent a letter withdrawing it, and the Education Board to get out of a difficulty decided he was still a member, and we are never to hear itheend of it; We say that it serves any public man right who has not patience to put up with a beating to have his resignation accepted, although we certainly do not approve of the coaduct of tLose who accepted it. They certainly might have treated him with more courtesy, but they did it so that they would not leave a quorum behind them when they resigned, just as th« Education Board pronounced Mr Harrop a' Committeeman so as to get up a quorum. All "this, however, is now .past, and we do not think it is either dignified or manly of Mr Harrop to; persist in the course he is following any longer, The Education Board is! r bound to decide against him; and he will have to submit.

It would be far better for him to give in at once and not create a further annoyance, or interrupt business, and when the next election comes on get reelected and be careful not to resign unless he means it. The cause of the whole thing is . stiffneckednesi and pugnaciousnessthere has not been one word of difference over any business, and we think it time to stop it.

The Timaru Harbor Board has made itself ridiculous -in the extreme. After many threats it dismissed its Harbormaster at the last meeting, and reinstated him again at last Thursday's meeting. When the question was under discussion before we did not hesitate to point out that the animus shown by some of the members indicated that they had not the good of the port so at much heart as a desire to turn Captain Mills out of his position as Harbormaster. It would be as futile as it would be ! useless now to point out the motives which actuated Captain Mills's opponent. They ] are well-known and freely discussed in Timaru, and the action taken by these gentlemen with regard to the matter has not raised them in the opinion of any right-thinking man. Captain Mills was Harbormaster in Timaru almost before some of them had left their mother's apron strings, and all they could rake up against him was the

wreck of the Cashmere. When Messrs Turnbull and Evans were put to the last reaourse last Thursday thay would have made out an indictment against Captain Mills if they knew any negligence ot which he was guilty, but they did- not; they could only say that his want of nerre lost the Cashmere—a charge that was puerile, and foolish as it was mendacious. The inquiry into the wreck of the vessel was creditable to Captain Mills, he had been exonerated from all blame by a properly constituted tribunal, aid certainly that wreck was a sickly and weak excuse for those who wished to dismiss him. Tt was evident from this that efficiency as a Harbormaster was not the cause for which he was dismissed, but that some persons whom he did not please personally wished to remove him for private reasons of ..their own. The fact that his opponents were principally the town members on whom influence was brought to bear, and that they -belonged to a certain political i section proves this. We are gladj however, that there was sufficient manly indedendence, and sense of justice amongst the country members to thwart this little game, and. that they re-appointed Captain : Mills» The petition signed by captains of vessels showed plainly that he is thoroughly competent to carry out his duties. Such men are better judges of the Harbormaster's capabilities than other people; they come in frequent contact with him in a manner that gives them an opportunity of forming an opinion of his worth; they are men deeply interested, as not alone are their vessel? at stake, but their lives also, and when we find these men sending a most urgent petition asking for his reappointment, natural conclusion that can be come to is that he is a reliable officer, and that his dismissal would be a great loss. Those who wished for his, dismissal took no notice of this, thej only cried out for his removal, and were ready to place in his stead a man who had no experience of such work, That convicts them of a complete disregard for the interests of the port. There may be some of them cajoled into the belief that they were doing right, but we believe that the leaders knew very well what they were doing. At any rate they have been worsted thanks to disinterested country members, and we trust that the question will not be brought up again until they can bring some definite charge of negligence against the object of their spleen.