The Manawatu Standard PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1883. EDUCATION BOARD VACANCIES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 3, Issue 33, 14 March 1883, Page 2

Manawatu Standard PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1883. EDUCATION BOARD VACANCIES.

In a recent issue, of -, the, jM/w*°n paper.; Mr W. H. Lash- contributes /a * vary sensible letter on the question 1 of H tlie' best 'selection of ca^cliaat'es'W' fill the vacant sea t Bin, the Wangeimij3?duca,t}p^i ;Board. ; ; We quite agree with; the/writec m his- expressed views as to -the tinde^i] sirabiliry of the clerical element bfcirig introduced into ,tbe personel of, the Board, m sopport of ; whion he.gi^es the, following .feasible ; reajspnsu-i^e ,quflte ; ■his own words: — " Without m any way -wishing" to- wound{ the " feelings' of the rev. gentlemen nominated, I would state as fmycanaid 1 Opinion (and a great .manylwitn Whom' I have conTersed on the sobjec.t hold similar opinions), thut clergymen (notwithstanding their social standing, "or hWever 'estittfable they may be. in;^private >life) are totally un* fitted for the position, and would therefore be quite out of place on the board, and this, for many reasons, the principal of 'which I give as — Ist. The risk of sectarianism creeping m, and preventing jast consideration of matters coming before the board. ■ 2nd*- Because Wit rule of their b^gutteirly*wttndng m business capacity ; and as I maintain that good business men alone are the men to serve on the be aid, I would istrong'y advjisj6 [thej-fqo/itfg out of tho names of all three clergymen." No one can dispute the above reasonable and legitimate grounds of contention. We note, that the name of Mr Greenwood has been withdrawn from the list of candidates for the three ordinary vacancies, caused by the retirement of Mr Notman, Wanganui, Key. Mr Bo3s, Turakina, and Mr Snelson, PalmerBton,ibr..whicfe the have been nominated — viz. Mr (Jabsdn, Wanganui, Mr Menzies, Wanganui, Rev. Mr Boss, Turakina, Major Willis, Greatiord, Mr merßtorij.andl^rlMACAßTHDjßlPei^^g. Mr LASHsubmifcs thefoilowing "ticket" ,: — '.'. Qf the remaining^ pan/iidates, as business men, I should say Mr Menzies is very weak, and would erase ;hirname/from the list. Of the others, I would say there is nothing to find -fault with, but only the question of residence to be dealt with; and as I am a great believer m, a resident repres,e,nta r tive as" against an absentee-/l think? this a point to be considered. Having disposed of the clergyman and Mr Menzies, and having stated above that ManaWatW should have the third member, I would, of course, score out Mr Carson's name ; this would leave" Mr Taplik, Patea, to fill Mr Coutts' place . Siß-jor Wnirs," .3RaMtikei, ■tp r fi|4Tt|^i Rev. Mr Ross' place ; Mr Snblson-, .Manawatu, to fill the place he lately retired from ; and Mr Mao Arthur to . fill-theTjtface pfi MrKqT'i^N, but instead [of { foV r Wang&nui «» -wobld bo be for I-Manawatu." With all but the last mentioned we entirely concur. Mr !VfACA^THDß,u ; nfortimatel^hafe;iidi%efefr a pucre : s as a member of local public an'f( we fear his peculiar temper;amenj» engrpsßJng^pvjeyOj power , would assert tbemseivea m tKe' Education Boar 3 as m other positions he has jailed., ft is. to be Regretted that t the Committees it ia almost a matter" of ' r Hbbs6h'fe-cfabice." Had Mr Green"wood stood, his return m preference to '• Mr M^ACARTHDR in! wchild hay« beenj equivalent to a foregone conclusion.! Presuming that Mr Snelson will be; re-elected, as he deserves to be, and; nlinost cert'aitily will, and <hat Mnjor; Wilus— a gPod. and tried public manj! _— oßtain, a seat, ipe 'choree i of'"' the; Committees is, limited to Messrs Car Son, ' MEKZiBSi Macarthdb, and the TteV.' Mr Ross. We may say that of the four Mr Carson is the least objectionable, though m many respects he id entirely uhatfitedjfor^uthe position. We -jCaQT^only hope the Committees will exercise a wise discretion m returning the best meo, m the interests of educa-

tion generally, »part tram personal influences altogetlu-r, [We may re"mind the Committees that all voting papers must be m the hands of the i3eere"tary of the Board by the 24th ihßf. — nwtt Saturday week.]