SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS AND THE EDUCATION ACT, 1914.

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 256, 18 October 1916, Page 2

SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS AND THE EDUCATION ACT, 1914.

At the last Convention of the W.C.T.U. 1 endeavoured to explain something of the regulations of the Education Act, 1914, as they affect the election of School Committees, and the changes made possible in the method of conducting su< h elections; and I was then asked to repeat what I h id said in the “White Ribbon” later on. These regulations do not affect elections in the smaller districts, having a population of less than 8000, which continue to be conducted as heretofore, at a meeting of householders called for the purpose, the vote being restricted to householders, including both husband and wife, and the parents of children attending the school. Any householder resident in the district is eligible as .1 candidate, and nomination may either be sent in a week before the election, the nomination papers being signed by the nominator and the candidate, or may be made at the householders’ meeting (sections 1, 2 and 4, sub-section 4, of the third schedule). Hut for the large centres provision is made by this Act for c hanges in the method of election and in the qualification of the voters, giving a muc h more extended franchise. The Act gives power to the Education Hoard to combine all the school districts within any c ity or borough into one, which then becomes an Crban School District (s«\tion 40, sub-sec-tion j), to be* governed by the School Committee, the separate committees automatically ceasing to exist. It is open to the var oils Sc hool Committees in the* large e - litres to request the Board to form suc h an Crban Sc hool District, and if two-thirds of the Committees concerned are agreed on the matter, the Board shall forthwith establish it. Such request must be sent to the Hoard before January 31st, IQI7, or any second year after, in order for it to take effect at the next election (section 40, sub-section 6). In such an Crban School District, where the governing committee has jurisdiction over a population of more than 8000, the* election will take place at the same time and place, and by the same methods as the Municipal and other elections held every second year (section 41, sub-section 3, and Part 11. of the Third Schedule, sections 1 and 4) ; all those whose names

are on the Municipal Roll being entitled to vote. In this case it is of course essential that nominations should be sent in seven days before the election, the papers being tilled in and signed according to the instructions thereon (Third Schedule, section 2). It may be noted that any householder resident in the district is eligible as a candidate, even if the name is not upon the Municipal Roll, though not as an elector. There are obvious advantages in the new regulations, both as regards the method of election and the wider franchise; the bringing of this election into line with the others, and placing it under the same control, tends to obviate some of the illegalities which are liable to creep in under the old system, and to minimise the effect of personal influence and petty jealousies, which are apt to make themselves felt, thus giving freer and fuller expression to the wishes of the community as a whole. The education and general well-being of the children should be a matter of interest and grave importance to every member of the community, and it is only right that all should have a voice in the appointment of those who are more or less responsible for the condit ons under which instruction is given.

I believe Nelson City is the only district in which the new’ regulations have yet come into force; the six schools in the city having, through the existence of side schools, always been under the jurisdiction of one committee, and the population being over 8000. all that was necessary eighteen months ago v as for the Secretary of the Hoard to place the district under the ne w regulations, and the last election was conducted accordingly. This course was fully justified by the results, both as regards the quiet and orderly way in which it was carried on, and the placing of suitable members on the Committee, more particularly in the success of our two women candidates. The introduction of this change is of course in the hands of the School Committees of any district, but there is work which should be taken in hand at once by our Unions wherever such a change is desired. There is first the arousing of general interest in the matter, spreading the idea first by individual work, and later on by means of home and public meetings.

when the subject w ill be discussed; at the same tune seeing that the names of all who are eligible as electors are placed upon the Municipal Roll; and then the bringing of influence to bear on members of School Committees, endeavouring to gain their support in favour of the change. Success may not come immediately, but we must remember that in this reform, as in so many others, the main factor is public opinion. It is in the education of public opinion that the hope of success lies, and it is this on which we have mainly to rely in all our efforts for social reform. MARION JCDSOX, N. 7.. Supt. (rood Citizenship Dept.