The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 1884. THE EDUCATION ACT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1133, 31 January 1884, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 1884. THE EDUCATION ACT.

There is one clause in the Education Act of 1877 which urgently needs i amending. It is the one which regulates the election of School Committees. Ever since it came into force it has disgusted everyone who has i bad anything to do with*it. It tends to bring the institution into contempt, and to make people look upon a’ School Committee election as a grotesque farce. Several efforts have been made to change the system. In 1882 Mr Steward, of Waimate, tried to pass a Bill that would prevent persona from giving to any one candidate more than one vote, but it was thrown out. He renewed his efforts in the same direction , in 1883, but failed, although he carried the Bill further on the last occasion than on the first. We hope that he will try again next session, and that his efforts , will be crowned with success. It is really humiliating to think that the collective wisdom of New Zealand in Parliament assembled will unite year after year to persist in perpetuating this farcical system of election. The great argument in its favor is that it gives minorities an opportunity of being represented on School Committees. It was at first instituted so as to give Roman Catholics, and- any other numerically small denomination an opportunity of obtaining representation on Committees, but, has never been made use of for that; purpose. We have been present at many Committee elections, in different parts of the colony, buty we never yet saw the Catholics putting one of their own body up for election or voting -in a body for any particular candidate, A The fact is Roman Catholics, as a general rule, take.very, little interest, in elections of this kind at all. In every district of any importance they have erected schools oi their own, which they maintain by private subscription. Very few, if any, Catholic children attend the public schools, and cpnsequently the interest Catholics feel as to who is in or out of office in the School Committees is of the slenderest bind. If the system were made use of. by only denominations to get good representation on the Committee it might, not be so bad, for then the best men would undoubtedly be selected. Supposing the Catholics of Temuka took it into their heads to take advantage of the 'plural voting power, they 1 would naturally select the most intelligent, the most respectable, and the fittest men amongst them for election. The, Presbyterians, the Wesleyans, and so on would do the same, and we would then have a Committee composed of men representing whole denominations, We do not admit at all that this would tend to the general advancement of education. We would not like ' to see a Committee composed of various denominations, each trying to take advantage of the other.' Still, we believe that such a Committee would be far more representative than some of those we have at present. It is useless to refer to the peronel of any particular Committee, or to find fault with any individual member. Some have been elected by a few hangers on, others by a few friends, and if these people feel proud of usurping the position which the public begrudge to them, wo do not begrudge to them their feelings. They know that it is by this trick alone they could be elected to any public position, and as they are ambitious to enjoy such paltry prominence we do not feel disposed to quarrel with them over it. What we ivant to find fault with is the rotten system under which they have attained the position. We sincerely trust that Mr Steward will take the question up next session again, and that be will not cease until he gets the / :

present system knocked on the head, for until that is done we cannot expect to have popular representatives on our School Committees,