GREY EDUCATION BOARD

Grey River Argus, 26 June 1906, Page 3

GREY EDUCATION BOARD

STILLWATER SCHOOL COMMITTEE. THE ELECTION UPHELD. The adjourned meeting of the Grey Education Board was resumed last night. Present— Messrs J. Byrne (chairman) J. .Flynn, W. R. Kettle, White and J. Petrie. The standing orders were suspended in order that a deputation headed by Mr F. Heslin should be heard in respect to their objections to the election of the Stillwater School Committee. It was also decided to take down, the salient points of the evidence given by the deputation. The protest against the election stated — That" it was conducted- in a. .most irregular manner and not in accoi dance with the Education Act. That the chairman (Mr Jf" Shannahan) hawk? Ed the voting papers around the room offering them to all and sundry, irrespective of whether they were qualified to vote or not. That voting papers were given to L. AndersoTi, Miss Devlin arid Mr Blanche and many others who did not possess the .residental qualification ; Blanche having declined the paper offered him and having stated that he was not entitled to one; notwithstanding this the voting paper was thrust into his hand A'as filled in and handed it to another person who put it -in£o the hat when the voting papers -were collected. That in several more than one voting paper was given :to one person and these papers- were filled in and returned. That, regarding the result of the polL^the number o_f votes .recorded for,, the lowest success ful .candidate was only three more than the, number , recorded for the highest unsuccessful candidate; there fore the^election was , unfair and the -result would have been, different if the irregularities had not been permitted.^ That the chairman did riot define the boundaries of the school district. That anany were present who reside outside die district. Petitioners, therefore asked the Board to call for a fresh election and in the event of their granting the same they were asked to be represented by one of their number or by some ■ competent person to see that the election was conducted in accordance with the act. J. J. Shannahan, chairman of the School Committee, wrote in replyThat he never gave L. Anderson a voting paper and he did not vote. That Miss Devlin was one of the sup porters of the objectors and' before giving her a paper he enquired if she was entitled to vofe. That Mr Blanche had a residental qualification having resided in the district since Christ-, mas. That the^ statement re more than one paper having .been issued to one person in several instances, was too vague to be seriously considered? That the two scrutineers accompanied him when he handed the* papers out and in only one instance was two papers given one person (the papershaving been stuck together),^feut the "extra paper was handed back. The statement that due care was not taken /ith the voting papers,, owing to the presence of visitors, was "pure rubnsh"; the scrutineers had been careful to see that no papers were given to visitors who had come from Brunner for the sole purpose of votingfor the objectors. . ■ Mr Heslin, in support of the protest, described the proceedings at the meeting. Mr* Johnston (one of the scrutineers) had; challenged the chairman ,when he handed a voting paper to Miss Devlin but ;nevertheless he had given her a paper and it was reasonable to suppose that she. used it. A little ■• later Michael Johnston told the chairman that he had given him two papers one of which was returned to the chairman.. I A little later the chair man "gave two papers to Mary Johntori who had written to the chairman of the Board as follows — "I have_been asfced by Mr F. Heslin to forward to you, in writing,' • a statement .as to the number of voting papers' l received at the Stillwater election on Tuesday sth June. I received two voting papers and used both and returned them to the hat." Mr Heslin (continuing) stated that when" the chairman offered a paper to Blanche and though his action was challenged by one of the • scrutineers he continued offering the paper and Blanche took it though he (Blanche) had said— "l have no right to it." Mr Heslin contended that the chairman should have asked the voters to come up to the chair and get their voting papers. As to L. Anderson he (Mr Heslin) had seen him vote when the question -of who should be chairman was being decided and he maintained that if such a person .was offer ed a paper he would use it. Mr John ston (one of the scrutneers) had seen Anderson receive a paper. The speak er also objected that the chairman had assisted to collect the voting papers ar.J that he ihad assisted in counting them. He also alleged that one of the scrutineers (Mr Church) had hesitated in giving out the names on some of the voting papers and he had selected names suitable'to him (Mr Church). He further alleged' that some • votes had been wrongly disallowed. He said, further, that Mr Church took care to destroy all the voting papers, having rolled them up •and put them in the -fire— he (Mr Church) evidently believed that "dead men tell no tales." At this stage, he added, he considered it was useless to protest. In recapitulating he said thar Blanche belonged to what was known -as the "flying squad"— here to-day and gone to-morrow— being em ployed on the railway bridge repairing. Blanche was a resident of Grey mouth, and had no .dwelling in the Stillwater school district— he lived in a railway van." In reply to questions he stated that he thought only one of the Shanriahans was a householder. He contended that Mr Mullins, one of the candidates, ."was not qualified to vote. Mr M. Johnston- (another of the deputation) stated that he received two voting papers and had returned one. Mr J. Johnston, (one of the scrutineers) "said that when he challenged Miss Devlin's right to vote the chairman (Mr J. Shannahan) had said— "I will give-them-to anyone who likes lo take them." When a paper was offered Blanche, Johnston said— "Sure ly. Jack, you're not going to take a paper to vote?'! Shannahan had said —"Take it, Jack, and vote." Johnston had offered to 'collect the voting papers but the chairman was too smar< for him and had started before Johnston could get a head of him. Mr O'Donnell said that he saw Blanche hand the voting papers to his mate who had put it in the hat. Shannahan had "forced 'the paper on Blanche. - ■ Mr -Johnston (scrutineer) replying--2 a estion by Mr Heslin, said that Mr Church had thrown the" voting papers, when finished with,.. .behind tile fire screen. Mr Heslin thanked the Board for their attentive hearing and the deputation withdrew. ""--.■.'' •A deputation consisting- of -"Messrs J- J. and W. Shannahan then attend- . Mr J. Shannahan produced the following letter from Miss Devlin who wrote — "I have been asked to state in writing whether I voted at the Still water election last Tuesday. I did not ask for a voting paper but I had one given mejjy, Mr Shan- , nahan and I used it." . , Mr Shannahan (continuing} detailed what occurred at the meeting. Miss Qevlin had told him she was entitled to vote. Blanche had a"" residental qualification,, -The only person who received papers, was M.cjoh'nston, who had handed .one- back. He (the speaker)-' counted the papers- before issuing them and when they were re-

turned and they, tallied— the numbe: being 102. Mr Kettle— There is a- declarator by Mrs" Johnston that she^ voted twice, Mr Shannahan— Then it is false. The letter was read. Mr Shannahan said that the statement was not true. He read a letter from Mr L. L. Anderson who wrote that he did not receive a voting paper and that the statement that he voted was a deliberate untruth. "He added that the voting papers had - not been burne.d ; there was no fire in the grat' He had collected almost all the pape: and could supply the Board with them Mr W. Sriannohan endorse! h ; s brother's- remarks and contended that the. election was conducted fairly_ and squarely. He -reckoned that . the .present committee .'fairly represented the district. „- . 1 * ' '"<- ■ After the deputation had withdrawn, the" Chairman suggested that consideration of the matter should.be deferred till the Board's' next meeting. It was pointed out that this" would result in "the committee being disfranchised for the forthcoming election of members: of the Board. Mr White contended that the election had been a fair and square one. He dealt with the evidence given by both parties. Mr Petrie thought that the voting papers : '. t should be produced. — Ultirriateiy it was agreed— "That sufficient "evidence has not been advanced to upset the election, |the chair man . having absolutely denied that Mrs Johnston had two papers given her,~that the papers were destroyed, that Anderson voted (which I is supported by a letter from Mr Anderson) ; therefore the Board uphold the election of the present committee." MISCELLANEOUS The Chairman's report was adopted and on his suggestion it_was decided to^provide each school in the district :with a framed photograph of the late Mr Seddon (each to xost 4s iod) and" also to procure a framed photograph of Mr Seddon for the Board- room. On- the recommendation of the Board's Inspector it was decided to advertise for two teachers — one to take the secondary work at the Greymouth district High School and the. other to take the cookery classes at the Technical school. The salary of each is to be ,£l2O. . On , the recommendation of the Inspector it was decided to reply-' to the Taylorville committee that' it was not considered desirable that two pupil teachers ' should be appointed in place" of- the present assistant. Recommendations 'for filling vacancies ,on School committees were approved as, follows — Dobsori, Rev Mr Joyce; Marsden, Mr Wm. Cron; Kokiri, Mr.T. -Saunders. ■• Resignations - were accepted as f ol.lows^Miss": Mpriaty, .Te Kinga ; Mrs Abram,':Moana;-Miss Larkin, Poerua. The names of ,- Misses M. Leany, M. C. Larkin, T. M.' Murphy, L. Askenbeck, M. Anderson and E. " Dempsey are to be forwarded to the Te Kinga committee and applications for the other vacancies are -to be called for. Other business was postponed till next meeting.