Conference of School Committees.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2884, 14 May 1878, Page 2

Conference of School Committees.

The adjourned meeting 6f the Con* ference of School Committees was held in the Council Chambers last night. Dr Eilgour occupied the chair, and there were present—Messrs Renshaw, Speight, Power, Grigg, Farrell, Hunter, Steedman, JRowe and Bawdon. ■

At the request of Mr Speight Dr Kilgour y stated the Kauaeranga District Committee had this evening adopted the compulsory clauses upon a vote of 4 to 3. Mr Davies stated that the Waiotahi District had also adopted the compulsory clauses, and Mr Steedman on behalf of the Tararu Committee said after consultation it was decided not to enforce .the same clauses in that district.

Mr Grigg said as he had moved the adjournment it was his duty to commence the business. He said there were one or two subjects the conference should express an opinion upon, namely, cumulative voting, and the amalgamation of all the Committees in one for this district. It was his inteation to move a resolution aga'nst the cumulative vote being taken at the election of committees. It had no doubt been introduced for the purpose of giving minorities a voice. His experience in this district of that mode of voting had been that the power given had been made use of for the purpose of persons getting a private advantage, instead of doing public good. In the district generally persons had gone to the election of committees with the intention of electing the five persons in their opinion beat suited for the position, but they had found that a percon who had the good opinion,; only of a few electors, who gave all their rotes to that person had obtined a seat as against those who had a greater' number of individual rotes. He mored the following resolution:—" That after fire years' experience of the effect of the cumulative rote in the election of school committees in this district, we are of opinion that its tendency is to promote private rather than public benefit." Mr Power said he could safely second the resolution".

Mr Rowe said, as one who had a hand in framing the present Education Act, he would, therefore, say a few words upon the resolution. He would strongly oppose the resolution, for in his opinion the power given by cumulative roting was one of the rery best means to prerent any but the best men being elected. On the Thames he could not see a single evil resulting from this cumulative roting; and no eril could arise as long as the people as a whole took an interest in educational matters. It would be very wrong to do away with the cumulative roting power, thereby depriving the minority of representation. It was well! known that the Roman Catholics were in the minority on the Thames, and if the cumulative roting system was done away with, he would ask would they hare had a seat on these . committees. Roman Catholics had had seats on these committees, and had they not made as good committee men as those of any other denomination P Mr Reusbaw, Mr Farrell, and Mr Scott Hunter supported the riews enunciated by Mr Rowe in faror of keeping the Act as it was. Mr Speight Laid he thought that one of the main reasons for haring the clause in. the Act was with the otject of enabling sects io be represented on School Com- | mi,tees. He differed with the position that was taken that if it were not for this clause Roman Catholics would not be able to get seats on such committees. The objection he took to the cumulative roting was that rery indifferent men might be placed upon there committees, while good men were rejected just because half a dozen of the personal friends of a . man might by giring him their rotes place, him in a better position than the man who had the greater number, of indiridual rotes. He said why should

Ministers be consulted in this cse, and not in greater matters ? He thought it was wrong in principle. Mr Davies endorsed the remarks of Mr and thought that the references to other sex should not be .made. The whole Act ceemed to be made for the centres of population, and the out-districts could never be represented on the Eoard of Education until districts were formed, and each allowed to elect a member. He thought the whole act should be amended from beginning to end. .Their member, Mr Rowe, should have known about the question of representation. He suggested that, a committee should be appointed to report on the whole Act, and communicate with the out districts on the question of representation. if : Mr Steeilmun said that he had heard the remarks of the other gentleman, and thought that something should be done. He thought that the fault lay more with the people in their apathy than with the clause. He suggested that consideration of it should be postponed. Mr Power said that what he meant by seconding the resolution was because the clause gave one candidate a preponderance of votes. Mr Howe moved that the question of cumulative voting be postponed till next meeting of the coaference. His feelings were very strong and clear on this mailer, and he was quite sure that the principle was right; He questioned that a single evil had arisen from the carrying out of the clause, and he was certain that the legislature would never alter the principle unless good, strong and sufficient cause was shown. Mr Grigg said if they moved that the question be adjourned he would agree to that Mr Speight said that he would agree to withdraw the,motion. Mr Grigg said that if Mr Eowe said | that he was quite sure that persons had , not got on committees to satisfy private ends, he might say that he was quite sure that they had. Then he would have to adduce instances to prove that he said which would not be advisable. The amendment in the clause should be to discourage canvassing for rotes. Mr Speight seconded the amendment, which was carried unanimously. (Messrs Hunter and Farrell here with* drew.) The Chairman read a letter which had been received from the Board' of Education requesting that the Committees nominate a candidate for Mr Lusk's vacancy on the Board. Mr Rowe said that that gave him an opportunity of answering seme remarks made by Mr Davies re his action in the House on this matter. No person in tje House had expressed his opinions so strongly as he did. He and others had advocated the dividing of the provincial district into districts, and had got into trouble for it. In a district like this they should not be subservient to any other place in this province. In scattered districts a number of school districts might be grouped together. The Education Board in Auckland had gone further astray than, any other elected body in the colony. They had greatly increased the expenditure without adding to the efficiency of the -schools. They had the power, and had entirely ignored the local, committees. The committees received replies from the secretary to the Board of the most curt nature. He felt that they should take no action in the election of a member in the place of Mr Lusk, as it was no use them trying to elect anyone; Auckland could put in who they chose. They should protest, against the system by refusing to vote. Mr Davies said that in no part of Hansard had he seen Mr Rowe making any ' complaint against this part of the Act. He was quite prepared to take Mr Howe's statement as a fact howe7er. He coin* cided with Mr Howe's remarks in respect to the Board of Education. They had the reins in their own hands, and no one from the out districts could be elected on the P-oard. .They would have a hard work t ? iiave that part of the Act amended. He referred to the filling up of the allotment, for the Thames School which had been done entirely without any reference to the local Committee.

Mr Grigg asked if there was such a preponderance of committees in Auckland orer tbe Thames district that they should be always in the minority: Mr Daries said in explanation, that he had stood for the last election, and the wb V.c of the committees from Cape Colville to Te Aroha mountain, had voted for him, but that was only nine rotes, and he had got 18 more, and thought that he was vi-ell off. The gentlemen who had got in with the lowest number of rotes, got 60, or about that. This showed that the power was in the hands of the centres of the population. Mr P we enumerated the committees in and about Auckland. He said their voice would only be heard when the Provinces were divided into districts, each one to elect a member

one to elect a member. Mr Speight thought that they should decline to take any action in filling up the vacancy in the Board. He suggested that a small committee should ba appointed to go through the Act and suggest amendments in it. The amendments might not be assented to by the conference but they would hare something practical to go upon, The old Act was entirely preferable to the prosent in several matters, one of them being that under the old act they had the appointment of the teachers. He moved a resolution to the effect that this conference take no action I in the election of the member of the Board. Mr Davies said the Waiotahi Committee had already done this. Mr Power said that he would sooner have a good Auckland man' in than a bad Thames man. They should Lave more extended views in this matter. He denied that the Thames was not represented. Mr Speight: Mr Power forgets that this is purely r.ad simply a matter of the distribution of money. (Hear.) Mr Stecdman said that the fault did not lie so much with the members of the 'Board, but with the Act. Mr Grigg said, that he hoped that the remarks made about the present Secretary of the Board, Mr Bice, would not go into print. Since he bad been Secretary, to the Kauaerenga Board he bad found that that gentleman had always answered his questions politely and speedily. Mr Rowe said that be did not retract what he had said at all, and had said it wishing it to go into print. Mr Power moved, as an amendment, " That the request of the circular be acceded to." The Chairman said that the amendment was a negative. \ It failed to find a seconder, and the

resolution beiug put was carried with one dissentient—Mr t ower.

Mr Rowe moved that each committee be requested to appoint a member to form a sub-committee to go through the Act and bring up a report at an adjourned meeting of the conference. Mr .Davies seconded. This was carried unanimuosly. Mr Rowe moved that this conference be adjourned till Wednesday fortnight at 7.30, to receive the report of the sub-com-mittee. * Mr Erasmus seconded. Carried unanimously. The meeting then adjourned.