Education Board Matters. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2272, 16 September 1897, Page 30

Education Board Matters. TO THE EDITOR.

Sm,— ln view of your article in last issue, in which you refer to our remark* re official interference aa "mere popal*rity-hunting fudge," permit me to tell your readers a few facts. Not long ago the Green Islaud people wanted a glebe, and Messrs Borne and Pryde went out to report on a site. They picked a half-acre section, and the matter came before the board. The people of Green Islaud sent in a deputation' to ask the board to select an acre site, and Mr Bayley was one of this deputation. After the deputation had withdrawn a letter was produced from Mr Bayley recommending the half-acre sit**, and after hearing it read and listening to Mr Birrie'a remarks I voted for the half-acre. Next meeting a fre»h deputation wailed on us and condemned the balfaci'rf site, and Mr Bayley exolained that he had wiittsn the letter because Messrs Borrie and Pryde told him the board would not have the acre Bite. At this stage a member of the board suggested that the architect should go out to report, and we were then told that he had done so, and a report condemning the half-acre sito was read. Further inquiries elicited the information that this repot had been made prior to the previous meeting, but had Dever been laid before the board by the secretaiy. The secretary, in reply to questions of mine as to why the men had been bent to build a tank at Hyde during the frosty weather, told me it was the architect's department, and he knew nothing about ir, yet it transpired at the inquiry that he had- actually given instructions in the matter. It i« not a very pleasant task to be a member of a board which permits its secretary to keep back information at his own sweet will, but the lime is coming when the public will make such a change as will astonish tbe secretary and jhe press.— l am, etc., September It »'" - J. J. Ramsey.

The Supreme Corirt was otecnpied all on Tuesday with the -special jury case, Smith and another v. the Gtago Ofaurch Board of Pi operty. This matter (a claim for damages- and an injunction in codik ction with the flooding of the plaintiff's land at the Taieri) was heard last year, but a re-trial was ordered by the Court of Appeal, as several of the jurors had during the hearing of the case spoken to one of the parties. Though this was technically misconduct on the port of the jurors they were not conscious that the person spoken to was concerned in the case, nor was he aware that he was speaking to members of the jury. The Appeal Court, however, directed a new trial, aad it is now in progress. The evidence is substantially" the same as formerly, and the plaiut ffs' c*se had not concluded when the court adjourned last evening.

Word was re c-ived in town on Tuesday of the death of Mr Thomas Denuiston, at the house of hi« eldeif; son, Mr Justice Denaiston, in Christchurch. The decexsed geutlemtn, who was highly eel eensed, wait born in Scotland in 1823, and, arriving in Dunedin, with his wife and family in 1862, he has resided e ; ther iv Otago or Southland ever since. He was engaged in sheep-farmiug for some years, but latterly he filled the position of editor of the Southland Times, failing health compelling him finally toresign that poat. For practically the whole of the present year, indeed, he was confined to his bed. He leaves a family o£ four son* — Mr Ju-tiea Denniistou, Mr T. F. Denniston (of Ida Valley), Mr G: L. Danniston (of this city), aud Mr A. J. Denniston (of the Bink of New Zealand, -Auckland), while Mrs R. F. Cubhbert■on (of Invercargill) is the only daughter.