HARAPIPI.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2693, 15 October 1889, Page 2

HARAPIPI.

Educational. —News has been so scarce of late in this quiet little spot that I was beginning to wonder if ever anything would happen again to write about, but it is an ill wind that blows nobody any good, for lo and behold, a bit of a breeze springs up in the educational department of this community, and it has blown me something to write about. On Monday evening last a meeting of the Harapipi School Committee was held in the school house. The members present were Messrs W. H. James (chairman), Jan. McGuirk, John Strong, H. Pohleu and Thos. Hunter. As I was not present at the beginning of the meeting, the proceedings I cannot report, but after the usual business had beeu done, Mr McGuirk requested that Mr J. H. Thompson, who was waiting to interview the committee, bo admitted. When Mr Thompson cams in, Mr McGuirk stated that the cause of his visiting them was the present action of their chairman in connection with the proposed removal of the Te Rore school, viz., that ho was acting in direct opposition to tile wiihes and interests of his own committee and the householders of the distiict. Mr Thompson said that he should not have beeu there but for the wishes of one or two of the committee, and, to put it in a very mild form, the most extraordinary conduct of the chairman. A deputation of the Te Rore School Committee waited on Mr Eidler, the inspector of schools, Mr W. H. James being one of them, to get the Te Rore school moved 011 to the flat near the bridge, stating that by doing so they could get enough children to have a full-time school. But I am not quite sure if they stated that this was to be done by taking them from the Paterangi and Harapipi schools (I rather think they forgot that little bit of information). The next day Mr James, chairman of the Harapipi School Committee, was one of the party of the Te Rore Committee who came over to Harapipi to point out to the Inspector the houses of the different settlers who send children to the Harapipi school, and how much nicer it would be for those children who cannot go to the Teßore school to go to the Karamu than to their own. Mr James says he was not the head of the party, but the tail, which was no doubt the most suitable place. Mr Thompson, who met the inspector, asked Mr James how it was that he had not got some of the committee to meet the party. He said it was not his place to do so. Mr Thompson told him that ho was in a false position, and acting a two-faced part, as, while professing to act for the Harapipi ichool as their chairman, he was working in the interests of the Te Rore committee. He then said he was not interested in th°. Harapipi district; in fact, during the whole of the time the inspector was there lie was acting in direct opposition to the interests of the district he waschainnan of. Mr James MeQuirk said that in view of the above facts, ho would propose that Mr James resign tho chairmanship of the school committee. Mr James said he would not do so at the dictation of Mr McQuirk or tho bullying of Mr Thompson, but would only do so if it was the wish of the majority of the committee. Mr McQuirk told him that if he had a proper sense of tho false position he was in, he would resign at once. The discussion on the matter got rather warm, and it was decided to hold a public meeting on the matter the following evening in the schoolhouse at (i.30 o'clock. All the parties concerned in the above deputation declared that they were perfectly disinterested, and that it was wholly and solely for the good of the Te Rore district. But it is rather a strange coincidence that all their farms are close, or I may say border, 011 the Te Roro flat. Honi soit qui mal y pense, you know, but still it's passing strange but such things are.

I'lisi.ic Mkkting. — I The public meeting alluded to above was held at llarapipi on the evening of the Bth inst. Mr li. Neil was voted to the chair. Tho chairman said he had no doubt but that they all knew the cause of the present meeting, viz., the action of a few self-interested individuals. It was much about the same thing throughout New Zealand, in Parliament as well as local affairs. It was all self, and for his part as soon as he heard a man begin to tallc about the public good he always set him down as a d rogue ; in fact the cry was beginning to stink in people's nostrils, they all knew that the removal of the school at To Rore was to enhance tho value of certain farms close by, as not one inare child would go to school, as all the children in the district were attending school. He thought the best thing would be for some ono to make a proposition.—Mr McGuirk said that the present action of certain parties was disgraceful in trying to rob the district of its school. He himself was ashamed and very much vexed that he had helped to place such a man as Mr W. li. James in the position he was in as chairman of the school connnittoo, but he never thought that he would act as ho had done. He had met him at the last Ohanpo sale and had told him what he now said, and that the best thing he could do was to resign at once. He thought that not only those who had children to send to school, but every man in tho district who owned ail aero of land should do his utmost to retain the school in the district. It was truo it was but a half twre one, but we had doue very well with it, while those who had been trying to rob us of it had been reaping tho beneHt of the two schools for years.—Mr A. S. Sherrett proposed that Mr Jas. McGuirk and Mr J. H. Thompson draw up a petition to the Board of Education, embodying tho principles expressed by this meeting, and that every house-holder in the district sign it.—Mr John Rosn seconded the proposition, which was carried unanimously. A good deal of rather wnpn conversation followed in reference to the conduct of the parties referred to, and the meeting separated.—(Own correspondent.)