School Committee Elections.

Waikato Times, Issue 12775, 22 January 1914, Page 8

School Committee Elections.

MORE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM WANTED.

A UCKI -A ND , Wednesday

"In view of the fact that the Minister of Education is preparing an Education Bill for next session, we ought to acquaint him with the fact that a great many complaints ronic jn from time to time about the election of school coin* mittees," said Mr i>. J. Garland, chairman of the Auckland Education Hoard, at this morning's meeting. He went on to suggest that if, instead of the-pre-seni system, a given roll was prepared for each district, showing the names of all householders having children attending school within the area, matters would lie more satisfactory. He also considered that it school committee election should be run on lines similar lo thai of, say, a council election, a whole day being set aside on which people could vote. At the present time people went in and voted at the meetings of householders who very often had no children and no legitimate inicreM in the election, 'J'try jv,d" to sa\ llieV resided in the area, and the leiurning officer was obliged to give I hem a ballot paper. "If it were not for school committees the Education Act would be ver'\ deficient, and a great deal of work- is don,' voluntarily by i! em which would otherwise have to be paid for," he said, in contending that the committees should be elected in a proper democratic Wanner to encourage iln standing of the best men available. Mr Kum- suggest! d thai if ladies w i iv given an opportunity to vote during (he da\ milt h greater interest would be \iken in the electju/f of school i ommiiiees, and there would be less possibility of pacUing meetings for the eleciinn of school committees, as he declared \\ ,i~ eii. n dint! at present. \|r Purdii expressed ihe opinion that tin areas o\er which committees had jurisdiction were altogether too small. Sunt" loiumiii ■(•< wi■■•(■ elected mereh to administiT a school of 20 pupils.

Another member suggested that some mom lan recompense to members of school committees would not he out of place.

Messrs Purdie, Rurns, and the chairman were appointed a committee to draw up a reporl for presentation at next meeting.