A LIVELY MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18685, 15 April 1924, Page 11

A LIVELY MEETING.

MOUNT EDEN COMPLAINT.

NAMES ON MEMORIAL.

The liveliest meeting of Mount Eden householders for some . years was held at St. Barnabas' Hall last evening. The meeting had been called for the school, but owing to the large number of people who attended, it had to be adjourned to St. Barnabas' Hall. There were between 200 and 300 persons present. : The ; abnormal interest was due' to the non-in-scription of - soldiers' names on the war memorial gates, arid to the non-admit-tance of the public to the Maungawhau school baths. Mr. R. H. A. Potter, chairman of the retiring committee, presided. The ,: meeting J became ' disorderly on several occasions. •- " ' ': '. "

The annual report referred to the satisfactory' scholastic and athletic records of the Mount Eden and Maungawhau schools. A credit 'balance of £75 was shown. ' \ ' " . .■ .' ■'.'-

A Voice: I (want, to know why, the names of the TO soldiers have not been inscribed on those Kites? (Applause.) The Chairman: I did not say. there were 70 names, but so far as my memory 1 served, the headmaster had ; received ;70 names. Mr. Potter then detailed the history, of the memorial. . The commit* tee made every possible effort to J obtain the nameg of those soldiers who had been through the : school The efforts were! disheartening, arid the ; blame, for, y the failure rested on the relatives. ;; The committee considered it ; would be doing a great injustice if ,' those few names were inscribed. ■ .-•::,■:;."'.;" . , A Voice: Returned soldiers should have their names there in. place ; of those that are there now. • ~ I Mr. S. E. Chappell, secretary of the committee, said the memorial was also a district one. They should have had 1000 names, and where were they going to be put? He had recently been as far' south as Christchurch, : and *' there were several schools with memorials but ;no nambes inscribed. . An Interjector: What was the motive in putting on the names that are on ?;,;.: The Chairman: There was no motive. The Voice: '. It is J; robbing our dead soldiers of the ; honour belonging to them.: Mr, W. J. Hammill asked what was the purpose of the meeting. -He felt the meeting would only " get out of order lif continued. ?'■■■ y ;>5 '■'• ir.y;

The Chairman: . When . householders uni pute motives, 'i the: committee is* not - going to take that lying down. We are here the cause of education. The subjects ;or the war memorial U and the .baths y seem to be chief,~and the question of ; the education of the children is being overlooked. (Cries of "No.") . ,y : >-' • '■■■;';:.;4 The wrangling which had been the outstanding feature .of the , meeting showed no;, signs of slackening; at this stage. s ■ v Mrs., Mason, a candidate for the new committee, urged more sensible > conduct. "Please, people," she implored, "do have a little common sense. It is a bad example to the children. .If children behaved like you people are • doing: ,•— (Laughter ; and applause.). '-. • '- v r The chairman, moved an amendment that % Mr. Hammill and ■ himself v act as representatives ;of y the , meeting, - in % con-; junction withy they committee, to ascertain the names of those old boys of the school and district, and; if an adequate representation was forthcoming '■-- to make the necessary financial arrangements to have; the names put on the gates., Mr. Potter added;, that that, meant • not less than 1000 names. -• ; v

Mr. .;> Haramill did not agree to "act in the suggested capacity, and the amendment was withdrawn. '■. : :

\ Mr." Hammill's motion was then carried. A long discussion followed on the right of the', public' to use the,school boths st Siaungawhau. ■" •X':;vv-;.;.,v ; ..'V 'The Chairman : This meeting; should support the Education Board in not allowing the public to use the; baths, and this is in the interests of the children. -'. * ;-' • . : .:.-C ; '~': ::\." ■■''• '.":■' Mr. Hammill . moved that .= permission be sought from the Education Board to allow the 'public to use the baths. v ;„:.;;, This motion was lost. ." . A resolution protesting against overcrowding and the ' unjust delav in re- ; modelling the Mount Eden school, was ballot papers were not distributed till 11 P.m. m result of «"'**»B was ,as follows '"Successful; J. G. Turner, 128: S. E. ChappeJl, 126; YV~ \ G. ,\ 121; A. J.' Le Boy, 118; J. Mars, rid • W J. "r, Evans, 108; Mrs, A. yF. Crimp, MS; D. Murray 100; G. E. 'Spooler/ 100. Unsuccessful: S. ,J. ATarks 83 • -■'■■'C. .H. Cowan, 82; A. J. %£Z*/ni Mrs. M. t Mason, 66. The old committee was returned. , with the addition of Mrs. Crump v and ■£ Mr. Murray- , Mr. Potter did nob .■ seek _,; re-, election- ~ .;' ■ '