INDIGNATION MASS MEETING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 400, 8 January 1909, Page 6

INDIGNATION MASS MEETING.

. ABOUT A SCHOOL APPOINTMENT:

(BT TKLXCJKITB—ritK3B; ASSOC! j TinTO ' - Westport,. January 7. . The ..Westport Town Hall was packed, and large numbers of . people were unable to 'gain ; admission. to.-night,' when a- public meeting was held;to protest against;.tWaction of a majority of. the Westport - School; Committee in regard to their, selection of certain, names'.j of candidates for. the positiotfof priiiiiipal ,to -forward to the Nelson Education' Board.:. At 'their first meeting/the cominitteerdecided to' send, the'-'names of. Messrs.; Wake. (Hokitika)' :and Hunter' (Stratford).'forward to tbe board. Five of the committee. were in. favour of a •Mr. Harkness, and four-against.. : It was dccided iu the first vote'to reduce the names of eligible candidates to two, with the result 'that Messrs'.: Hunter and Wakei each '-got six votes'and,Mr. Harkness only five, .'the final vote being as'above —the names of Wake , and Hunter to go -forward. The .majority then-found. that. three-days' notice' .of the meeting,had. hot,been" given, declared the. meeting- invalid, and called: & ..fresh vone,' at, which .the.,four minority spoke, out .very strongly, stating that. it was the intention of the, majority to send- forward the-name of Mr.- Harkness,..and .also the intention of theboard to appoint him irrespective of qualifications." -They then 'left, .the meeting, and the fivo derided to send forward. the names of Messrs. Harkritsss aiid_ Wake, in'that order. As.a;result of-,their action,■ ajjublic meeting was held to-night,, and Mr.. Samuel, one of the minority, moved"That. this .meeting- is of opimbn that the firstselection- made .by the committee, in submitting >the names'of .Messrs. Wake and' Hunter, for the -position 'of; principal, was best in the interests; 'of I education in .Buller!" An amendment,.was moved upholding the majority^'action, .arid,' after a long. a.n(T warm discussion a vote was taken and the amendment' was-declared-lost by . 64. votes to 43:. (householders 'only;.being allowed to.vote). A further,amendment that all tta committed resign-: and the board he asked to■suspend-the appointment was lost. The motion, was-then put and: 'carried ;ty 74 to 48.