PALMERSTON.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 111, 26 January 1881, Page 3

PALMERSTON.

Tht annual meeting of householders for the purpose of electing a school committee for the ensning year, took place on Monday evening, m the school-house, and wo are pleased to say was most numerously at> tendtd, there being between fifty and sixty persons present; Mr. Sneleon, the Chairman, read the annual;, report, which was adopted, and then informed the meeting thai, m accordance with the '64th Clause of the Education Act, it. devolved upon those present to select from the ineeting the gentlemen whom they wished toeleet as committeemen for the' ensuing. A large number of names werej>roposed and. seconded, but the foUowing'gentletnan declined to stand : —Messrs. E.:Warb»rton, M'Neil, -Nathan, Allingham, Palinerson, Dundas, and Dungan, and finally the list of candidates narrowed down to thirteen, for which a ballot was taken, .With the folio wing effect :— Mr. Beale .;, . ..... „, 65 Mr. Linton ... 49 Ber. A. Wright ... ... 46 Mr. Ferguson... ... ... 26 Mr. Turner ... 23 Mr; Srielson 20 4p^V Mr. James ... 20 Mr. Hayns ... 20 Mr. Coleman ... ... .„ 18 Mr. Suttbn ... ... ... 17 Mr. Ho* ... - ... ... 17 Mr. F, Mowlam 15 Dr. Marriner ... 7 Tho Chairman intimated that but seven commilteemen were to be elected, and while the five gentlemen at the head of the list were mccessful, afiesh ballot would have to be taken between Messrs, Snelson, Hayns, and James,; for the other two vacancies, before,, however, proceeding to a second ballot, he would state -that some of the electors m the room were of the opinion that the Eev, Mr.: Wright was ineligible, inasmuch as he was. not a householder m the legal acceptation of the term. The. Ret. Mr. Wbi&bt said that he was a householder. Tht Act said a householder was an occupier, drone who used a house. He used a houte-and paid rent for it. The Chaibmait asked if he paid rent for the whole of the house ? Mr. Weight said he was not the actual tenant,. but his occupied two rooms and paid rent for them. The Chaiehak replied that that did hot constitute him a householder. He had a distinct recollection of a similar question cropping up m Marton last year, where Mr. Beckett and a friend conjointly rented a house, but the qualification was considered insufficient for him to vote as a householder. Mr. PjtßOUso» said thai Mr. Wright was a householder, as he had just taken a new house, , . The Chaisxait said that that settled the matter, and if that information had only been given at first, there would have beea no need of further argument. The meeting then proceeded with the second ballot for' the sixth and seventh members of the committed which resulted as follows;— i' ■ -'■' Mr. Snelson ... .„ ... 88 Mr. James ... ... .... 27 Mr. Hayns ... ... "\ \*j The Chaibhamt then declared Messrs. Beale, Lintop, Wright, P«rgußon; Turner, Snelson, and James duly elected, at tho ■am* time stating that there still appeared to be considerable dissatisfaction as to the eligibility of Mr. Wright.- From what h« could learn, that gentleman had neither taken possession of his new house, nor had he paid any rent for it, under those circumstances he could scarcely be deemed a housebolder. The question was one upon whwh he would decline to give a ruling opinion, but be weuld bring it under the notice of the Education Board on Wednesday. If the Board then upheld Mr. Wright's election, well and good] if not, then Mr; Hayns would take the vacancy. Mr. LnrTON said he thought it would be only right, for Mr. Wvight to C3me forward, and explain to the meeting exaotly how he •tood m, the matter. He did not suppose that the rev. gentleman wished to sit upon the Committee, if he had. not the legal title, but it would simplify matters if he were to p»c the meeting the information it so m#ded. „.„.; Mr. Wright did not act upon the suggestion, and Mr. Button then handed m a written protest, to be forwarded through the Chairman tq thf Board,