THE NOBLES EDUCATIONAL DIFFICULTY.

Grey River Argus, Volume LVII, Issue 9977, 13 May 1898, Page 4

THE NOBLES EDUCATIONAL DIFFICULTY.

[To the Editor.] Sir, — I hope I am not troubling you too much in asking you to publish this, as I am living here going on for thirty-three years, and this is my first letter.— Nearly two years ago tbere was a subscription list got up to start a school at Nobles. When the school was finished there was a meeting of subscribers and householders to elect a provisional committee. The following persons were elected : — Mrs J McCullam (chairwoman), Mr J McCullam (treasurer), Mr H Pugh (secretary), Messrs D Jessup and A Haigh. Since then there has been no other committee elected. During that time (eight months) Mr H Pugh resigned, and Mr D Jessup won't attend the meetings, and through his neglect to attend our worthy Chairwoman disposed of him by giving him the 'sack,' thereby leaving me to face man and wife. According to your answer to correspondent of May 6th it is illegal for man and wife to sit together (on school committees). It is only a farce forme to attend any more of those meetings under such circumstances. It will be seen that I could carry nothing if I wanted to do so. I will give you a sample of last meeting as an illustration. \ The Chairwoman opened the meeting by saying that she had received the sum of LI for fuel and cleaning purposes, from the School Board for six months' allowance. A month or so before the money came, she said that they had cut a cord of fire-wood, as there was no money on hand to call for tenders,, without even letting me know anything about it, until meeting night. I said as they had cut the wood and no funds were in hand then, they should charge at the same rate as it had been delivered before,

namely : — 14s. per cord. The Chairwoman said she had entered LI in the book for it, showing that it was cut and dried before they came to the meeting. I said that in future they should put tenders up to give others a chance. That closed the meeting. About two weeks before the late election I acquainted Mr Marshall by letter how the committee stood. In about a week after I personally saw Mr Marshall, our representative on the School Board. He said when the election came roupd that they would do the best they could with it. The morning after I saw Mr Marshall, I \f ent to Mr M Graham and asked him if he cared about making one of a committee. He said "Yes," and thought he knew another or two that would join in. I left the matter in his hands then, thinking that he would take it in hand and get members to his own liking. I did not speak to him again on school matters till after the election. He seemed to have taken a different view of things from what he had when. £ first went to Mm, as he thought I wanted to oust the McCullams' (man and wife) for spite, Now it follows, Mr Editor, that it wanted a change. . Had he formed a committee, as I understand he was going to do, the M'Cullams' would have had the same chance to be returned again as others. But in the place of \ that he seemed to have been bought over by them, and let things slide as they were before. My object was to get a full committee here or get the Board to appoint some one to take charge, and failing in either of them to be placed under the nearest comrrittee. The election takes place, and I thought we were placed under the Totara Flat committee, as Mr. Graham made no move here. Apparently we were. Even the teacher's cheque and other moneys belonging to Nobles' school were sent up to the Secretary of Totara Flat school. All at once word comes up from the Secretary of the Board for them to be returned immediately. I find out then that Mr. M'Cullam and Mr. Willing have been to the secretary in the Grey, no doubt telling their own side of the story, which I suppose was a very bright one. The latter named gentleman has nothing to do whatever with the committee. The married men here seem to think, and even say, that only they who have children going to school have any right to say anything. Why didn't they put that on the heading of their subscription list 1 "To give us your money and chenyou can go to the devil, for we don't intend to give you any more." I challenge anyone to contradict anything stated in this letter. Hoping the different members of the Board will take note of this letter, and that Mr Marshall will bring it before the Board next sitting, as I have got no copy. — Your respectfully, Allan Haigh. Nobles, May 9 th, '98. P.S.— I am accused of asking Mr H. Hugh to attend the Totara Flat school committee meeting, to represent Nobles school. I never spoke to him upon the subject after leaving it in Mr. Graham's hands. Mr. Graham was quite at liberty to get the ' renowned Willing.' the whole of the M'Cullaras or any one else he liked, so long as he formed a committee. For it is a dis--1 grace to the Educational Act to remain ) as we are. — A. H.