THE NEW EDUCATION ACT.

Evening Star, Issue 4622, 21 December 1877, Page 1

THE NEW EDUCATION ACT.

We are at a loss to understand what diw culty the Education Board hendmg the very distinct provision Lot the Education Act relative to the Xt?on<f t&wT** 8 ?- Noting can be dSr'J than that these elections should take oSca early m January in order to allow the noainations for the new Board to be sent in ; before the 31st; and no one can reasonab£ SPr* 11 !^ 6 Act c <» n t«nplateß these nomuiations being made by the Hasting committecs. An intelhgent perusal t)f tfie Act wiU show that this is, indeed, not so! although section 62 is unfortunately worded 80 as to leave the door open for the S 8 v J**i <l aiDbl <» as the legal nund delights in, giving authority asrt does to tnejßoard to call the first meeting of housholders "on suohday in the year 1878 as they may appoint." Tbi. has, however, to be read with the rest of the Act, and we hnd in section 12 that the duty of nominatmg c mdk' ates for the new Boards tf *5» by the Committees between the Ist and 31st January. The very fact pointed out by the Secretary at yesterday's meeting, namely, that the franchise of the electors is altered by the new Act, proves to a demonstration that « could not be the intention that the most important functions under it should be exercised upon the old electoral basis. What is the necessity, we should like to know, of raising the question at all, or of taking "the .opinion of a sol citor, as suggested-by Mr Hislop, when the arrangements can so easily be made for the elections taking place in ample time to comply with the strict letter of the law ? What is there to prevent a circular being issued by the Board upon January 1, calling meetißgs of householders in every school district upon January 15 for the election of committees, who would then have plenty of time to send ia their nominations before the 31st. This seems the plain and simple course, and would avoid any possible embarrassment. Even if the law can with impunity b3 strained so as to leave the election ot the Board to the present committees, we think it would be exceedingly unjust to the new electors to thus deprive them of their right to have a voice in the matter. If the consideration ef the chances of re-elec-tion of the present members has any weight with the Board, we would, without offence, desire to suggest thatthenew committees, who may not have had experience of their power of administration, are just as likely to Belect them as those bodies who have heretofore enjoyed that privilege.