1 DECEMBER 1894, Page 18

The minority on the School Board are not improved in

their manners by their victory. The vote of thanks to Mr. Diggle for his ability and impartiality as chairman of the old Board should have been passed without a debate, and at least newt. con. As it was, Mr. Stanley expressed for the minority their inability to concur in the motion, though it was shown that Mr. Diggle had never ised his casting vote as chairman to give a majority to his or side, as a previous chairman had done, and though no (LIe could quote any instance in which Mr. Diggle had used the power a the chair to give any advantage to his own side. Even Mr. G. C. Whiteley, a strong and very able Progressive, ex- pressed his conviction that " as chairman," Mr. Diggle had been impartial, though lie had used his influence freely outside the chair, to promote the interests of the Voluntary Schools. Well, and why not ? The question under discussion was not Mr. Diggle's propagandism when not in the chair, but his conduct as chairman, and the report of the discussion leaves us under the impression that in that respect there was no complaint to make of him. The real grievance was that be had been too powerful an administrator. The truth is, that Mr. Diggle had, out of the chair, been the pre- mier of the Educational Cabinet, and had taken a different view of his office from that of some preceding chairmen. But that was precisely what had been held by many to he needful, and what certainly tended to the energy and successes of the School Board. The Progressives did not do themselves credit on Thursday. They show themselves sore as partisans.