EDUCATION BOARD ELECTIONSOUTHERN WARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13642, 11 July 1906, Page 7

EDUCATION BOARD ELECTIONSOUTHERN WARD.

TO THE KDITOIt.

Silt.--Those (if us who belong to tho Southern Ward nuu-t have bad some of our; lixoil ideas vuilfly shahcii by tho I'luiinnitely vci'lioso circular of tlio Rev. I'. It. t'l'iiser. Kor inslaiice. I, along with oilier I'K'clni's, was undei' I lie impression Ihat the liliiny rliiilipfo.-i which have tnken lilace in nui'ttei's cililcatinnal emanated /rom tin l lu'iiins of our M.ll.lt.'s, iiiii'tictihirly from ilia! of mir laic I'reinicr, iind tlini. it is lo our 11.11.H.'s lluit we lnuSt look for progressive iinproveiiiiMils. Nothi. according to Ibe aUivenienli<ineil circular: the lielielicout cham-i's were brought about by-the Rev. l\ R. Kruscr. lie poinfeil mil to I'arliainenl wlial must be done, ami il was done. However, llmi's n mere trillc I'urllier, the eircular .strongly emphasises by repetition lbe fact thai ivo in the south must return three strong cduciltionists-meii who do nol let things drift if tackling them is likely lo lie troublesome. In previous elections we have nol been doing this, apparently. We have hitherto been electing men who have presided over overy board in their respective districts; men who have devoted ungrudgingly their time, their energy, and their very best to the interests of their respective districts. Wo have been returning Messrs T. Mackenzie (the übiquitous popular politician), Sim, and Snow-men of .v.'bc-ni any district might feel justly proud. We elecied men who brought their varied ami .sound experience to tho board's table, who managed tho affairs of our education district to our entire satisfaction, who did not burlesque matters, nor '" play to the gallery." nor wrangle ov,er "splitting straw-.'' 'Nevertheless, according lo the circular, this time we must pause and consider, tor it behoves ua to return three strong educationists. The warning Hngcr of the Rev. P. U. Frnser points to 11 critical moment in llio history of education: thus we must beware. As lniieli as lo say: the (tovennnput of the country, the Kducitiiou Boards of llio colony, the inspectors, and the teachers will lei things drift, will imperil the education of on: children, unless we in the Southern Ward return the three strong educationists. _ Finally, Sir. no one for one moment <|ucslions the zn \ am | ability of tho I'ev. P. it. c'rascr. and no disparagement of thfse is meant in this letter, which is written in defence of the members seeking re-election. lieauso there is in the letter an implied belillling of llio past services of Messrs Mackenzie. Sim, and Snow, than whom there are few more straightforward or more sound educationists.- I am, etc., T.UEM.