MOUNT COOK SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 232, 24 June 1908, Page 8

MOUNT COOK SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

j THE COMING 'ELECTION. A MANIFESTO REPUDIATED. . With reference to the articlo that appeared in yesterday's Dominion regarding the election of the Mount C'ook School Committee on Friday evening (in place of the one whoso election the Education Board recently annulled), a gentleman called at the Dominion office yesterday and stated that the. sccon'd of the manifestos published yesterday was issued without the consent of, and in express defiance of, the wishes of those whoso names are mentioned in it. Our informant stated that tho names of the second ticket published wero. correct with ono exception, that being tho luime of Mr. Are!;. Wilson, whoso place is being'taken by Mr. R. 'W. Eurbidge. This committee is doing its best to recall tho manifesto, as nothing, it is stated, is further from their wish than to stir un' strifo of a sectarian character. -

' Tho" following aro copies of letters forwarded to Mr. T. S. Lambert on tho subject of tho manifesto (alleged to have been issued by that gentleman on behalf of a '''ticket") by Mr. Alex. Wilson, whose name appeared on tho " ticket "• published, but who rpsHied his place at a meeting held on Monday evening:—. • " J ' mo 23 > 1908 " "Dear Sir, —I am extremely annoyod that you have disregarded the instructions given you at tho meeting held on June 16, in the matter of, having tickets printed containing names of candidates selected for nomination on the Mount Cook School Committee, at tho coming election. Tho manifesto printed on tho card-ticket shown to mo is altogether unwarranted and vexatious. .1 must decline to have my name used in connection therewith, and hereby forbid you to distribute any of the cards or to hand them or permit them to be handed to anyone for distribution, or any other cause whatever. I would remind you:that I at oiice protested, and forbade you to issue theso cards, and now notify you that I< withdraw my name, and request you to erase it from'the ticket, forthwith. I also note that a: fresh name has been added without authority. . "1 am, ... "Yours faithfully, ; . "A. M. WILSON." '«"June 21, 1908. "Dear Sir, —Re Mount Cook School Committee election. • I regrot that- despito my verbal request made yesterday afternoon, when you left copies of tho manifesto (prepared by you) with me, that you would not distribute copies of such manifesto nor allow anyone olso to do so, followed by my written request in .Jho same strain, delivered to you last evening, you persistently and vexatiously and with absolutely 110 right so to do, havo continued to further distribute copies, and also havo caused and suffered others to do so. Your conduct in this matter is to me inexplicable, and shows. uuwarranted presumption on your part, for which thero'can bo no justification. You explicitly ( stated yesterday evening when I handed you my letter that you had not distributed the manifesto, and undertook not to do 'so. Tho instructions given you at tho mooting on Tuesday last were definite as will be shown by th 6 minutes taken by Mr. Besant. You wero authorised' to get cards printed setting out the time and placo of meeting for tho election of tho, Mount Cook School Committeo, a list of names of thoso comprising the selected ticket, and a memo, soliciting tho votes and support of debtors in favour of the ticket, and no other matters whatsoever. My objection to your manifesto is, therefore, quito justifiable,, and I must request that you will havo all issued copies of tho manifesto recalled forthwith, and if "proof that this'has been done is not furnished to mo by noon of Monday (to-morrow), I will be compelled in order, to make my position light with tho public, to take such steps as may seem to mo advisablo to generally make known the fact that in this matter you havo acted solely on your own responsibility, and not in conjunction with tho signatories of tho petition. I quito fail to „understand your conduct, and if you aro allowed to go on I believe you'will wreck tho chances of election of thoso associated with you. Tho whole matter will bo put before tho meeting to-r morrow evening when I jtrust a ticket commanding tho confidenco of tho honsoliolders ■of tho district will bo selected, and satisfactory arrangements made for tho purpose of ensuring tho election of tho ticket then selected. Trusting' you will make an effort to undo the mischief you havo wrought "I am, ' "Yours faithfully, "A. M. WILSON."

Mr. Wilson says that the general statements made in his letters were endorsed at a meeting of tho "ticket" held on Monday night, at which a committco was appointed to recall tho cards containing manifestos and destroy them.