CORRESPONDENCE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 4077, 21 February 1894, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE EDUCATION BOARD ELECTIONS.

(To THE ElttTOß.) Sny— As one who has long taken an interest in matters educational, I hope you will allq\v me a few words, in your able journal §n the Education Board ejections which are now taking place. J an^gjad to see that a change h,ag taken place in the opinions of the school committees, and that we are, therefore, likely to have a better class of men at the head of our educational affairs. It is time jgjj^ tbat

this took place, and that we had men on the Board who will not lend themselves to the officials, but will make the advancement of our schools and our education system of more consideration than the interests of officials. Now, Sir, the kind of men who have ruled the Board for some years will not do this ; they have not done it, and even though they were ever so much inclined to do it, I'm afraid they have not the knowledge to enable them to do so. To speak plain, they are not educated men. If we want to have our educational affairs properly managed, we must have men on the Board who are themselves educated. That, Sir, is the view I take of it. Another thing I should like to say is that the officials of the Board have been allowed too much authority altogether,and have done things within the last few years, as the public well know, that they would not attempt only that they knew they could rely on being shielded by certain members of the Board. Besides this, all progressive work and reforms have been prevented by these same members, simply because inconvenience might be caused to the officials. Their whole time is taken up looking after the interests of the officials, to the hurt and injury of the interests of the public and the interests of education. I have no personal knowledge of those gentlemen I am referring to : my knowledge of them and their actions is gained through the Press, and I am writing solely because I believe their presence on the Board is a bad thing for education. lam glad to see the same opinion is shared by a large majority bf the school committees, and that we may, therefore, look for a speedy change. In flu's district the committees are showing that they have made up their minds for a change. Our school committee on Wednesday evening showed very plainly what the feeling is in this matter. The result of their ballot was— Mr Macgregor 6 votes, Mr Cohen 6, Mr Fraser 4, Mr Borrie 1, Mr Fraer 1. This speaks for itself, and I hope other country school committees will follow the example. — I am, etc.,

New Blood.

Clyde, 15th February.