South Canterbury Times. MONDAY, APRIL 23, 1883.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3137, 23 April 1883, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. MONDAY, APRIL 23, 1883.

Mr Wakefield’s tenure of office was a short if not a merry one ; and, although we do not quite endorse his action; in resigning, we are bound to say he' surrendered the chairmanship of the Education Board in a dignified manner. However, as we .speed the parting guest, we welcome the coming one, though to say the truth our welcome in this case; is, somewhat of a oonyeuiionarohe. 'The Mr Bar

. clay is a gentleman of some scbolar- | ship, and he has “ done the State I some service” in the matter of edu- ! cation. But there are two attributes ! of his which we cannot say we alto- | getter admire in connection with the 1 Education Board. He is a parson, and be is a Geraldinian of the Geraldinians. Clergymen are excellent persons, In their sphere, but we cannot profess to believe in them as members of public bodies. In the first place they are often visionary or tedious, and in the next place are often treated with an absurd deference. Mr Barclay is very frequently tedious, but be possesses considerable acumen, and that counterbalances the soporific effect of some of his discourses at Board meetings, and he has on more than one occasion set the Board right on some doubtful point. We therefore pardon him his clerical character. But that he hails from Geraldine, no one in South Canterbury need be informed. Now Geraldine is a sort of Arcadia abounding in lovely nymphs and simple maidens and bashful swains—a home of rural innocence and happiness. To these simple people, the Rev. Mr Barclay is “ guide, philosopher and friend.” He instructs them in everything from divinity to cookery—he sits on the Bench, and he christens the babies, and he poses before them as the champion who means to do sore battle on their behalf. It is not wonderful therefore that Mr Barclay’s powers of mind should concentrate themselves on Geraldine and its environs for it is the land of his adoption. We do not say “ Can any good come out of Geraldine?” What we do say is that Geraldine has always had rather more than its share of representation on the Board of Education, and there is a growing feeling that this preponderance has been prejudicial to the interests of Timaru, so that the appointment of Mr Barclay, although long coveted by the rev. gentleman himself possibly will not give unmixed satisfaction to outsiders. We shall watch the new Chairman very keenly, and we unhesitatingly pay him the compliment of admitting that he is wily enough to require very careful watching indeed. If this exceedingly astute and penetrating gentleman can only divest himself of the parochialism that doth so easily beset him and “run straight,” we angnr the best results from his appoitment to the Chairmanship. Things are a good deal muddled-up in the educational world of South Canterbury, to use an expressive phrase, and a very capable pilot is needed to steer the ship through. Many a worse pilot might have been selected than the parson of Geraldine.