Foxton's School Squabble.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 6 May 1919, Page 3

Foxton's School Squabble.

At the annual meeting of Eoxton householders that stormv petrel, Mr,! I '. Pirani, Chairman of the AVangamii Education Board, appeared on the senile, and on the motion of Mr Eraser, a local householder and member of the Board, was voted to the chair. When the old Wchool Committee, who had been holding a "wash-up'' meeting, arrivtod at the meeting they were surprised to find the proceedings in full swing. Mr Hornblow, chairman of the committee, raisedi a protest that Mr firani, not being a householder, was not competent to preside, but the latter assured the meeting that he was, and the proceedings went forward.

There wore over 350 people present, the controversy over the purchase of a German piano by the old committee for tlie school use having roused intense fueling. The result of the election was art fallows:—Perreau, 155, Hornblow, 122, t'olcy, 115, Claris, 107, Parkin, 104, Alexander, 101, Kobinson, 99, Kellow, 9S, McMurray,' 05. The above were declared elected.

The votes received by the unsuccessful candidates wei'e as follow; — Jno. Ross 94, F. Woods 83, Rev. Bredin 67, MeCool 06, Henderson 56, Aitcliedon 51, Sexton 51, Stevenson 42, Marton 41. Read 21. There "were 40 informal votes. Of the new Committe l -'. Messrs Hornblow and Claris (late chairman and secretary. ,respectively), , were among the old Committee who sanctioned the purchasing of the piano, and against whom there was a vigorous campaign. Mr Perrteau, an anti-piano member of the late Committee, was elected, th-este three being the only representatives ot tlie old Committed; Messrs Geo. Coley, Kellow, and McMurray (together with Mr Perreau) were a specially selected anti-piano ticket, to which Mr P. Robinson was subsequently added ; Messrs Alexander and Parkin wlere ejected on the Labour ticket and also opposed the piano purchase. The sequel is that a petition has gone forward to tlie Education Board signed by 85 householders asking that the election be declared null wild void on the following grounds:—(l) That the meetin was started before th© statutory time; (2) that the chairman was not a householder within the meaning of the Act; (3) that votes wei'e recorded by ineligible perslons ; (4) that' the ballot was not caried out in accordance with section (i, schedule^ 3 of the Act. Evidence in support of these allegations will be presented to the Board by a deputation of Fox.to 11 householders. The ballot papers an connection with the election were deposited with the Town Clerk,- and a recount was said to. Siavo disclosed that a- tie for last placfc has been registered by Mr McMurray. who was recorded to have been elected, and Mr John Ross. This adds a complication to the already complicated, situation.