CHOSEN BY DRAW FROM HAT

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21866, 20 August 1936, Page 9

CHOSEN BY DRAW FROM HAT

CHAIRMAN OF EDUCATION BOARD MR J. W. PREEN ELECTED The Canterbury Education Board yesterday decided who was to be its chairman for the next 12 months by drawing a name from a hat. There were two candidates, Mr C. S. Thompson, chairman for the 12 months just past, and Mr J, W. Preen, of Timaru, both of whom had secured five votes in a ballot. In accordance with the provisions of the act governing the election, the names of the two candidates were placed in a hat and. one was drawn. The successful candidate was Mr Preen. Mr Thompson was nominated for reappointment by Mr S. Baird, the nomination being seconded by Mr J. J. Hurley, and Mr Preen was nominated

by Mr W. A. Banks, with Mr H. Wild as seconder. “I take my election as a compliment to South Canterbury and the Timaru district,” Mr Preen said when his appointment was announced. “For some time we have thought that we would like the office filled by someone from down our way, but in the past both Timaru representatives declined nomination. I was quite prepared to be defeated, as happened last year, but luck has favoured me this time. When the appointment of the standing committees was being considered, and the appointments committee had already been elected, Mr G, Benstead objected to his reappointment. T have been on this committee for four years and do not intend to function on it again,” he said. “Every member of the board should have an opportunity of seeing what is going on in Other committees.” He announced that he wished to withdraw from the appointments committee and stand for the building committee. Mr R. Wild moved that the motion re-electing the appointments committee be rescinded, but it was pointed out that this required notice of motion. Mr Benstead then nominated himself for the building committee but he and Mr W. P. Spencer were the only members to support the nomination in the ballot.

Mr Benstead was op hisieetagam at the end of the meeting. He objected that the Timaru urban area was not. represented on the new conveyancing committee, and gave notice to have the motion of appointment rescinded at the next meeting. , ~_ _« _ Mr Hurley then said that if Mr Benstead were going to persist in bis intention about the appointments committee he was going to claim the same privilege concerning the finance committee, but the chairman pointed out that Mr Hurley could not resign from the finance committee, as be was not on it. Committees Elected The committees elected were as follows: „ „ , . Appointments—Messrs S. Baird (chairman), W. A. Banks. G. Benstead, W. T. Bangley, S. Smith, R. Wild, Buildings—Messrs G. W. Armitage (chairman), H. J. Bignell, J. J. Hurley, W. P. Spencer, C. S. Thompson. Finance—Messrs Thompson (chairman), Benstead, Bignell, Bangley. Spencer. . . . . , Training College and NormalMessi* Bank* (chairman). Baird. Benstead, Smith, Langley, Wild. Agricultural, Manual, and Technical —Messrs Bangley (chairman), Armitage, Banks, Smith, Spencer, Hurley, and Thompson. „ Conveyancing Messrs Bignell, Thompson, Spencer, Armitage.