ELECTION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1419, 1 February 1879, Page 18

ELECTION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

The usual annual meeting 1 of householJois within tho educational district of Duneclin washeldon Mcndav evening »t the Tcmpcranco Hall, and wn,< attoudi 4 ljy about 500 persons, the hall being picked. Mr Keith Ramsay presided. A large number cf minister?, as well as a fair sprinkliug of anies, woro present The Secretary of the School Commit' eo (Mr Sydney Jamea) havi»i, r re..d tho balauce-sht-tit and report of the past year, which have already been published, The Chairman mi ; (3onU«jneu, you hivve htard.

the report and balance-sheet read. If there is any in. formation regarding either which any one present at the meeting would like to have, I shall bo very happy to give it so fay as lies In my power ; but in order to bring the business into order, it might be aa well for some one to move the adoption of the report and balance sheet. The Yen. Archdeacon Ks wards withed ti know if the report stated that the oJd Supremo Court-house had been obtained for school purpates. The Chairman : So. What the report states is that efforts hud been nude to secure the Court-house, but up to the present time we have not got it. The Rev. J. U. Davis : Mr Chairman and gentleman, I rise to move the adoption of the report, and in doing so I will only make ono comment — a comment on the fact tint the Government have refused the use of the Supreme Court building. Ido hope that something will be done, even outside the Committee, in order to enforce this matter on the attention of the* Government. I don't see why it should not be within the province rf this meeting not only to pass th s report and critic'se it. but at thn same time to pass a petition to the Government ur^im? upon thim the mcessity of granting th's building for a school at once. Those who have the education of the young people of this city at heart will agree with me that it is not proper that we should be shut out of a good convenient building which is at present doing nothing, and might be utilised for the purpode. The Rev. Dr Stuart : Mr Chairman, I should like to know what steps the Committee took in order to influence the Government in this matter. As the Government are supposed to bo supremely favourable to education, and if steps have been takeu to influence them, I cin'c understand why thpy should persist in refusing the late Court-house, or to provide some other site. '1 he Chairman: The steps taken by the Committee were by deputat on and by letter. In fact, everything that could be done in the matter was done. Aa tbe ■» report states, the Government promised to grant us I this Oourt-house, or at least a portion of it; but on waiting on the Kailwiy Department they informed us that it was impossible to c*rry on railway work and teach a school in trie same building. We at once taw the reasonableness of this. At the same time, how- < ver, we were half promised that if other accommodation could be found for the Railway Department we should get the whole of this building. As you are aware, arrangements aro beiog made for the erection of new premises for the Rai way Department, and perhaps the School Committee might be allowed to take possession. We htve certainly spent much time aud received a good deal of annoyance both from the Government aud the Railway Depar.ment. Tiie Itev. Dr £tc/art : I am very pleased to hear that statement. But one thing which I think you ought to have done, you have failed to do. You ought to have invited the conbtituency to join you in thH altercation. The Chairman: Well, it is just this. We have not been actually rtfuted the Court-house, but up to the present time we have b en "strung on," so to speak. In answer to another gentleman, the Chairman ex« plained tho action of the Committee in reference to the proposition to secure the Old Knox Church for school purposes. He remarked that it wai quite pro-> bable that if the Committee h'd taken this church they woulJ not hive been granted the large school which was now beui£ erected. Mr Adajis seconded tha adoption of the report and. balance-sheet, and the motion was carried without dissent. The Rev. J. U. Davis : Now, Mr Chairman, I rise to msve that a petition, embodying the following clause, bo presented by thi3 meeting, through the incoming Committee, to tbe Government:—. " Whereas the school accommodation is inadequate for the number of school children in the city, so that children have to be turned away from the present schools, the Government be urged to graut tho Supreme Court immediately for the usa of the Coin* 'miitae."— (Loud applause ) I move that a petition embodying that clause be pissed by this meeting, aigned by our Cnairman, and presented to the Government by the new Committee. Theft<v. Dr stcaht asked if that was the proper time to bring 1 forward a proposition of that kind, if or himself, he was certainly in favour of the proposition in question, but he thought it ought to be moved later on in the evening. The Chairman agreed that it was better, now that they had disposed of the report and balance-sheet, to proceed forthwith with the election of candidates. He added that at the last meeting of householders, some difference of opinion arose as to the propir meaning of cumulative voting, and at last Friday's Committee meeting it was resolved that the opinion (f the Attorney-General be asked on this very important question. He read the Attorney-General.! opinion, as printed in yesterday's Times, The Rev. Lindsay Mackie nominated the following candidates:— Messin K. Ramsay, T. Dick, A B. Livingston, W. D. Stewart, W.M.Hodgkins.and G. P. Farquhar. —(Applause.) A member of the audience asked if it was competent for one person to nominate six candidates. The Chairman • I don't see any objection to a person nominating twenty candidates if he likes.-— (Applause.) The Hou. R. Stout nominated Messrs Jago and Nithan. The Chairman here announced that he had received a telegram from Mi Fistt, baying that he did not intend to become a candidate. Mr George Bell had also intimated his intention not to stand. His "Worbhip the Mayor (H. J. Walter, Esq ) nominated Mr Thomas Bracken.— (Applause.) Mr I. N. Watt nominated tao Mayor, who, however, refused to stand, being already ou the High School 8.-ard. Messrs John Logan, Alex. ReDnie, S. Elborn, Thomas Culling, M. W. Hawkins, James Ashcroft, and Robert G Hies, and the Rev. J. U. Davis were also nominated, but Messrs Logan, Ronnie, and Culling declined to stand, Tho nominees, therefore, were the Rev. J. U. Davis Messrs Keith Ramsay, Thomas Dick, A. R. Living aton, E. Nathan, J. W. Jago, J. Robin, T Bracken K. Gillies, M. W. Hawkins, James Aeheroft, Samuel Elborn, W. Downie Stewart, W. M. HodgkiDs, and Grant P. Farquhar. Mr I. N. Watt was appointed returning officer, and Messrs John Reid, J. 0. Morris. 0. M'IC. Gordon, D >•. Cuxrits, S. De Leon, and M'Kenzle were appointed scrutineers. The Chairman suggested that an anaiysjs of the volintr should be made and published, and it was resolve d "That the returning officer be requested to make such an analysis, and publish it at his earliest convenience." Voting-papers were then distributed amone-st those pr sent, with instuictioiis that only those who weie hou-eholders in tha meaning «.f the Act were to use them. Non-electors having retired, the question aioso whether it was competent for both a man and his wife to vote Tho Chairman : I don't think it is competent ; but as we have the Attorney-Qen- ral hero, perhaps I might ask his opinion on the subject.- (Lighter and applause.) The Hon. R. Stout, having examined the Act, said : My opinion is that both can vote. %■ The Rev. Dr Jmuart : If this opinion is correct, 1^ think that, as a matter of fairness to our fellow citizsns, we thould adjourn the mcetiDg. — (Hear, henr.) The Chairman pointed out that as tbe meeting hid appointed a reluming officsr, he (tho officer) was entirely responsible for what would be done. The scrutineers would now c. llect the voting-papers, and if it was desired to resolve that meeting into a public mpetintr. it was quite competent to do so. The Rev. J. U. Davis then moved the motion given above. The Rev. Dr Ftuart seconded it. Mr Na.than (nought it would be better to petition the Government to put a sum on the Estimates for the election of a fifth school. The Chairman was of opinion that » pioposition of this character would be opposed by nearly tbe whole of ihe Parliament. He coitainly thought' the best thing to do was to obtain the old Supremo Court-house if they could.— (Applause ) The Key Dr Stuart suggested that a deputation should wait on these members of the Government at present in Dunedin on the subject.— (Applause ) The Rev J. U. Davis was quite prepared to accept this suggestion Mr Thomson made allusion to the "uherfases" In the motion. As it seemed to him thut tfiis word irrated on the oars of a certain member of the present Government, ho would vroposo thit the motion bo worded differently.— (Laughter.) It was ultimately decided that tho now School Committee, together with thu Chairman of that meeting (Sir Robin), and the mover and seconder of the resolution be appointed to wait on the Government the following day. Tho Rev. Pr Stuart then proposed tho following motion :— "That this meeting request tho new School Committeo to grant the use of the school buildings, at such hours as will not intcrf.-re with the ordinary school work, to any responsible parties who desire to impiit biblical or religious knowledge to the chi'drcu of t!ie city ; provided that duo caro is takeu of tho school buildings and furniture." Tho motion w.ih duly sccoa.Jed. The Uoii. It, Slow said tfwt if Pr Stuart would,

convent o tin vlinui »>( in • .liwiig sTorila,_ he •would hive noti pl>>a~ure in vuoiortinf tho nation : " And prifvi'iel, fa^- de.'. th it no other suitable build- - ings are ea-ily ob;iin3d "— (t«o«d applause.) Mr N'ath n propped as an amendment that tbe words *' or fc oMi.r educational purposes" be insevted after >( to.'^i >us c iucasion.'' Tne ameiidiniiiiir tutving been seconded and put, was ■declitrtd Iob& A fj-ilur amendment— "That the words <a. fair ■ price ! eioe received f.-r the came,' " was also lost. Dr Stuait'» motion, with the A torney-General's ad- ■ <dendum, v as then carried amid acclamation. A vote of ihtnks having been accorded to tha ' <Jhairsam, the nveciog was adjourned for an hour, in order to enable the returning officer to nuke known ' the result of the vo'.iug. At 11.2 the meeting resumed, about 100 persons 1 enlv tieiDsr present Mr Hams \y, :io' nig us chairman, read the result of

'33e thsrefo'e deelwed Mewra Ramgiy, Wath<vn, DrJr, ]Robta. Siewut, Livingston, and Farqulnr duly ■elected membsrs of tho Dunpdin School Commifctoe •>tor the en«'uaz ya* l ', and announced tfwt Fridiy, Slst ijTanuarv, h.dbe^n fixed f.>r the first meeting of the OTj^fioinmittee, which wou'd be held in Me S. James The proeee nogs then closod.

te v<-tn>K J-b nil ows : — Ko,th Ramsay E. Nattnn . . Thomas DUk $. "Robin.. W. Djwn'e Stewart A. K. Livin flton .. J(J P. Farquhar '3f. Br.icVpn Berv. J. U Davis .. 'W. M. Hod^kias .. .J. W Jagro J. Ash Tof t R. Gillies M. W. Hawkins .. t» „ 465 .. 408 .. 309 .. 302 .. 233 .. 189 .. 37^ .. I6t .. 1?9 „ 145 .. 138 .. 81 .. 67 .. 51 .. 20