THE LATE EDUCATION MEETING IN CARLYLE.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 68, 8 December 1875, Page 3

THE LATE EDUCATION MEETING IN CARLYLE.

The following reply, received by Mr Taplin, chairman of the late meeting here, from Mr Middlernas, Chairman of the Education Board, has been handed to us with a request Unit we would publish it, and we have great pleasure in complying : Hawera, December d, 187.0. Samuel Taplin, Esq., Chairman of I‘nblic Meeting. Sill,—-I have the honour to aeknowledge receipt of your letter, unclosing copies of resolutions passed at a public meeting, held at Carlyle on the 2!Hh ultimo. The first resolution condemns the late decision of the Education Board to lease the reserves by tender instead of by auction. This is a matter about which people may reasonably differ, but it is clearly the duty of the Board to decide such questions to the best of its ability. The second resolution sets forth that the Chairman of the Board, in refusing to call a special meeting for ru consideration of question, was contrary to all mag •, Ac. This statement is no doubt made in good faith, yet it is nevertheless absolutely contrary to fact. If I had called a special meeting for the re-consideration of any question already disposed of, I won d have done what was contrary to all usage and all authority. The thing is absurd. What right have I to call a special meeting. and ask members to rc-consider or rescind a resolution deliberately passed at a previous meeting, and that without any fresh facts to lay before them ? The only excuse 1 could offer would be hit some people thought that we had made a mistake. What a childish story that would be. I will refer yon to the rules and regulations of the Wellington Board for the conduct of business. The 9th rule says :—“ No business of a nature opposed to what has already been sanctioned by the Board, shall be considered, unless notice of same shall have been given at a previous meeting and intimated to all the members.” From the parish vestry to the Houses of Parliament some such rule holds good. According to May’s Law of Parliament, it is a rule in both Houses not to allow any question to be offered, which is substantially the same as one on which their judgment has already been expressed in the current session ; otherwise no business could be considered as disposed of. I am therefore sorry that I cannot comply with the request to call a special meeting of the Board, And I hope that the majority (I cannot even hope for all) of the ratepayers will see that a chairman of a public body has no right whatever to call a special meeting, for the purpose of reconsidering any- question already disposed of. Such proceedings would bring a>ny public body into utter contempt. I am, &c., T. MIDDLE MAS, Chairman Patea Education Board. [ln fairplay we publish this letter without present comment, but shall have something to say on it in onr rioxt issue.— .fcw. P.M.J