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Western Star, Issue 335, 7 February 1880, Page 5

The election of three members of Ihe South; land Education Board will take place on stli prox. The election is rendered necessary by the vacancies caused by the retirement- of Messrs Macdonald, Dennistdn and Sproull. In addition to the two former gentlemen, Messrs At* wood, Hodgkinson, Howells, Jack, Kinross, Mackintosh, Pratt, McGi’obon, and Toshach have been nominated to fill the vacancies. It will be the duty qf ■ each' school committee, before the date named, to vote for three of the gentlemen nominated. OurSobjeet in referring to the matter is with a view to direct - the attention of the various committees in the district west of the Ore! i to thefact that that district, has been during the past year unrepresented on the Board, end that unlessthe committees combine and unanimously Support the same candidate, there is a very great danger of the same state of affairs being continued for another year. ; Messrs M‘Doh•ald and Denniston .have rendered kuch signal service to the Board, that we should view with regret their absence from its members. If the number of nominations, however, are any indication of the result of the polling, the return of these gentlemen is certain, as their nominations far exceed in number those of any other candidate. There are two candidates nominated by - the County of Wallace Messrs Mackintosh and Hodgkinson. Both are welliwown gentlemen, and competent to fulfil the duties of. the office to which they aspire. It is quite certain, nevertheless, that they will not both be elected j consequently, unless one retires, or, as suggested before, committees in the Western District, combine to support one only of these two gentlemen, the result will be that the district will still remain unrepresented on the Board. Taking the nominations as a basis of the support likely to be given to the candidates, we find that while Mr Mackintosh has been nominated by sixteen committees!, Mr Hodgkinson is named by only two. The inference is plain, and if it be desired to have a local man on the Board Mr Mackintosh should command the support of the district. He was placed at a great disadvantage during his previous connection with the Board in having to travel a distance of 80 miles to attend its ; meetings, thereby entailing a great loss of time and expense, which he states he “ felt to be too heavy a drain upon his resources.” This is a satisfactory explanation of his absence at many meetings when formerly a member of the Board, but with the completion of the railway to Otautau be can now attend to his duties with the utmost facility. His thorough acquaintance with the requirements of the district, combined with his energetic character, cannot fail to be productive of good results to all concerned’, if elected.