THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1294, 1 July 1884, Page 2

THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

! To the Editor, Sir, —Aa a disinterested observer I, with others; have been highly amused with the correspondence which has appeared in your valuable paper fe Mr Alcorn’s celebrated letter. It seems to ms that Mr A. Orr’s ideas have got somewhat mixed up ' In his first letter he says he is “ pre-' pared to verify the statement any way.’’’ How, Sir, if ho intends to verify the statement, by his memory, and if thit faculty is as confused, inconsistent, and unreliable as the faculties he has brought to bear on his epistles, then the position he takes up is a most unfSrtunate one' for himself, as the following will|show. In the account of his conversation/with Mr J. Orr he tells that party that the (< Committee had passed a resolution giving Mias Harband a fortnight’s' notice to resign.” How, Sir, to whona does this refer—To Miss Harband, senioiy, or Mias Harband, junior 1 As the resolution referred to the head mistress, and/ as Mr A. Orr was present when it was put, sorely he will not plead that he thought it was intended to apply ,to her sister, who has no connection whatever with; the school. He immediately adds, by way of corroboration “ Oh, the Chairman said he would go for her.” I don’t think that Mr A. Orr, inconsistent as he is, will for a moment pretend that this has any reference to the younger sister. But what is my surprise to find that almost in the same breath he distinctly says, by way of extenuation, that“ the statement had reference to Miss junior. How this improves Mr A. Ore’s position I challenge any logical mind to perceive. The fact is, the parties have got ’into a confused jumble, both ojf words and ideas, and seem to be at a lossi to know how to extricate themselves. ( First, Andrew a statement to i Sam, Sam amends the'statement by mak- 1 ing additions which /Andrew says were 1 “ never spoken ”by him, but which Sam 1 says were spoken “ ini presence of a wit- t ness.” Then, when the matter is pressed 1 home to Andrew he suddenly remembers 1 that his statement, refens to something 1 altogether different/ from what he at fi.st i remembered. I

Now, Sir, what are we to infer from this mass of contradiction and inconsistency ? To the rational mind there can only be one inference, viz., that Mr Ore’s memory has played him false and he is unwilling to own it. 1 would not for a moment suppose that bo would willingly

1 1 ; *8 in a falsehood even with abenevolent. , ject, but from the jumble of ideas and '-,S! icertaimy of memory evinced in hi* -V----iters—if not apparent to himself it must i apparent to every one else that for him make a mistake comes quite within the ,-j nge of probability.—l am, etc., ■ JBnoxnbikb* ■ . Ashburton. July Ist, 1884 ” - ,j *| ====== _