WHATAWHATA SCHOOL ELECTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2933, 2 May 1891, Page 2

WHATAWHATA SCHOOL ELECTION.

As reported in our account of the Whatawhata School Committee election, considerable dissatisfaction was evinced at the time, at tho ruling of the chairman in regard to the conduct of thu election as provided under clause 7 of the Amended Act of 181)0. This has culminatud in the preparing of a petition to bo presented to tha Board of Education, praying that body to talce such stops, as may be necessary, for talcing a new electbn. The following is a copy or the petition now in course of signature:— " Whatawhata, April 30th, 1891.—T0 the Chiirman of the Board of Education, Auckland: Sir, —We, the undersigned petitioners being householders in the Whatawhata " School District" respectfully ehoweth (1) That in accordance with ad« vertisomf.nfc appearing in Tub Waikato Times under tho heading " The Education Act, 1877," and " The Schools Committees Elections Act, 1800." that the Whatawttata school-house would bo the place and 7 p.m. the hour, 17th iust., for householders to meet for the election of a school committee, eight candidates were duly nominated. (2) That a small number of votes were recorded in the chairman's house for some of the candidates before 4 p.m., bat by far the larger body of householders abstained from voting till the appointed hour. (3) That the householders did meet at the Whata • whata school-house nt the hour appointed aud Mr Edwin C. Shepherd, one of the candidates, was appointed chairman of the meeting. (4) That the meeting requested the chairman to proceed with the election of the committee, there being more than the required number of candidates as provided by the seventh aud preceeding section of the " School Committees Elections Act, 1800." (•">) That thu chairman after producing tfouie votes rocorded as ahovu and rending out the wiiiies; of thii candidates declared ha would not allow any votes to ba recorded that evening for any A tho candidates but would have to abide by the votes recorded before 4 p.m. that day, and there and then declared himself and four other persons the now committee. (0) That the meoting with the exception of one or two of the chairman'* friends protested against tho chairman's alleged erroneous ruling and still demanded to proceed with the election, but the chairman having possession of tho papers and declining to yield, the meeting broke up in angry confusion declaring they would not acknowledge the committee. That in view of tho forgoing your petitioners would respectfully submit that the law has ii<>t been complied with in the above matter, but on the contrary was set nt defiance by the chairman's ruling and in consequence of this fact there is no committee for the Whnt'iwhatSchool District. '■ Your petitioners would therefore respectfully request that the Board of Education would take such steps as inay be considered most agreeable to enquire into the above matter and give the necpssary instructions for anew election, so that a committee may be elected in a legal ininner for the Whatawhata School District, and your petitioners in duty bound will feel most thankful.