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Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 602, 2 May 1891, Page 2

Many comments have been made concerning the working of the new Act regulating the election of School Committees. There is no question that it is a great improvement on the previous Act; but in practice many weak points have been discovered, and with the unreasonableness that often characterises people who act on the spur of the moment, there is an outcry for a complete change of some kind. However, the really strong point that we have seen urged against the Act is that the reports of the School Committees are not read until the night of the election, a week after the nomination of candidates has been made. Upon the report the householders would to a great extent form their judgment of the old Committee, who might all be teelected as a compliment on their past services, or might all be rejected by way of punishment for neglect. In Gisborne the report was a few days beforehand given to one journal—why the same courtesy was not extended to us we are still at a loss to perceive. But in most towns the newspapers would object to publish the reports beforehand except as an advertisement, and they would seldom be available for publication in good time before the nominations were to be in. By the system of voting during the day the election may be decided before the annual meeting is held in ths evening, and if that were not so, it is sufficient to sap the interest when many simply record their vote and do pot attend the meeting. It has been suggested that the better way to regulate the election of each Committee would be for the annual meeting of householders to be held on a night appointed, that the reports be then read, and nominations accepted for positions on the Committee. If only a sufficient number was nominated, they could at once be declared elected, but if there were more than the number an election could be held on the following week. That seems a suggestion that will be generally commended.