EDUCATION BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15550, 6 March 1914, Page 8

EDUCATION BOARD.

GITY'S REPRESENTATION.

NOT ENOUGH MEMBERS.

CENTRAL WARD SUGGESTED.

Educational matters are not often discussed at the meetings of the City Council, but there was an exception last night, when Mr. J. Trevethick moved a resolution regarding the constitution of the Auckland Education Board. He moved, "That in the opinion of the Auckland City Council, representing the citizens of Auckland, the present distribution of the Education Board wards is unjußt to the city and suburbs, and that the creation of a central ward, embracing the city and suburbs, with northern and southern wards as well, would be a more equitable arrangement of wards for the Auckland Province."

Mr. Trevethick said notwithstanding that the city and suburbs supplied a very large proportion of the children attending the schools in the district, the present arrangement of the wards giving three members of the board to each did not give the city anything like adequate representation. As a matter of fact, all the members but one were country members. He contended that the city and suburbs should be entitled to at least three members in a board of nine. The contention was all the stronger when the financial aspect was considered, for the city had to provide a large share of the money spent by the board, and should have representatives to take a share of the responsibility for it. Mr. F. E. N. Gaudin supported the motion, saying that one reason why the country representation was so strong was that some of the country committees governing several schools had larger voting power than the City Schools Committee. The Mayor said that there was no reason why the City Council should not express an opinion on a matter of this sort. He had been a member of the Education Board when the present system of wards was devised, as he admitted in rather a rough-and-ready way. That was some years ago; the system now worked rather unjustly. There were many matters in which the interests of city schoolchildren suffered, and in which betterment would depend upon the city having fuller representation on the board. The chairman of the board alone could not do everything; it would be putting too much upon hi"? shoulders. The motion was carried.