THE CAPTAIN AND THE MAJOR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1166, 17 June 1911, Page 6

THE CAPTAIN AND THE MAJOR.

TEACHERS HOLD A MEETING. AND HIT BACK. SOME PLAIN SPEAKING. FURTHER ACTION TO BE TAKEN. A special meeting of tho Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute was held last evening to consider "what action, if any, shall bo taken in tho' matter of Major M'Donald's attempt; to penalise a school and teacher on-account of tho courso taken by tho latter; at a meeting of. tho institute held to-ctfnsidor tho major's proposed schema of physical drill for tho schools." Tho wain.points of tho matter in question were stated in Tub Dominion of Thursday last, and -sere briefly referred to by tho chairman of the meeting (Mr. ti. Flux, president of tho branch) in openin" the proceedings, which throughout, we're marked by very candid and out-, spoken remarks. At tho outset, the chairman raised the question of sitting in camera. Full Publicity Desired, Mr. D. M. Yeats, headmaster of tho Hntt District High School, moved that tho meeting bo open to tho press, llioy had nothing to say' Which they were not prepared to say, in. public-no ends w. serve,vno feeling ito .ventilate. They-had to deal with a principle-tho right ot freedom of thought, and speech. _ . Miss Brijht seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr/'A. Erskine hoped that the press would he "judicious." The chairman (Mr.. Flux) said that the meeting had been convened to discuss certain questions concerning tho relationship between Major M'Donald, Commandant of tho Junior Cadets, and Captain Ballachey. Tho matter had como before tho Headmasters' Association, which had decided to ■refer it to the Teachers' Institute, Captain Ballachey, in his civil capacity as Mr. Ballachev, secretary of tho Teachers' Institute, then read, at. tho. chairman's request, the minutes of the litstituto meeting at which 'Major M'Donald s proposed scheme of "freo gymnastics. was discussed, and at which the resolution -coved by Mr. Ballachey, and subsequently complained of by Major M'Donald, was adopted. The. resolution was— . ,

"That the institute is wholly in accord with tho proposal to form classes for the instruction of teachers in physical drill, provided that tho board is submitted satisfactory evidence that ■the proposed.instructors aro specially qualified to teach' tho subject efficiently."

Eesuming, tho chairman said that Mr. Ballachey had certainly framed the resolution—two or three of them, in facthut solely with tho idea of expediting the business of tho meeting. That was the only reason why he had been more intimately, concerned with tho matter than the others. In consequence of that, Captain Ballachey had received a wigging from Major M'Donald.

; Captain Ballachey States His Case, f ; Mr. Ballachey then read a letter from c L»' tho Education Board, received subse- '■ quent to tho institute meeting in ques- ° tion, expressing appreciatio'n.of the action l of the institute in devoting its attention c >■"-' to Major M'Donald's proposals. Address- c ing the meeting', Mr. Ballachey remarked a • that ho was not making a personal state- j. inent, on behalf of. himself, but a state- „ ment to. tho institute on a matter which j lay between the institute and Major a ! . M'Donald. Whatever ho had said at tho r institute meeting before-mentioned had \ been said as a teacheJCil.il member of the, , n institute, not as Captain Ballachey, «• r junior cadet officer. (Hear, hear J On i T theSahvrday following the meeting ho had r called ill at the Commandant's office on J another matter, and seen Lieutenant Stev- \, «ns. As he was leaving tho office, Major o M'Donald called him back, and expressed s t very strong disapproval of tho action ho (Mr. Ballachey) had taken at the meet--1 ing, adding some personal remarks which, . however, had no bearing on tho matter. Major M'Donald further told Captain ° Ballachey that his staff was very indig- = riant .that such a slur or reflection ha;l been cast upon them as tho motion indi- : ' " cated,. and ;had given' the instructors or- !j decs on that account that they should not j -visit tho Hufct School till Captain Bal- ! lacney asked for them. .During, tho in- ' tarview. Lieutenant 1 Stevens came, in, and Major M'Donald remarked to him that ho ■ (■Major M'Donald) had just told Captain ( Ballachey straight what ho thought of his • action. This matter, concluded Captain j Ballachey, had been brought up on quite ( general grounds, to. ventilate tho question as to whether members of tho institute j should" bo liablo to censure outside ] . for. what they might say at a meeting. / j Between Man and Man. ! Mr. W. T. Grundy, headmaster of the 'Clyde Quay School, said that tho meeting was entitled to hear more of the case. . He admired the extreme fairness of Mr. - Ballachey in concluding his statement ' ; when he "did. Ho thought that Mr. ' • Yeats, headmaster of tho Hutt District . High School, tehould continuo tho nar- • I rative. • ' The chairman-at this point explained. I ' ■ that he had, on his own responsibility," '. written to Major M'Donald and asked if 'he would make a statement of his side . iof tho case. This ho did in his official ■capacity as president ' of tho institute. Major, M'Donald did not reply by letter, » but called personally, and stated that ho ! ! was not prepared.to mako a statement to tho president of tho Teachers' Institute, lie had no objection, however, to stating tho casb as "man to man"—confidentially. - He (Mr.' Flux) felt at first disinclined to / hear any statement upon such a condi- ( i Hon, but finally decided to hear it. Howover, he was not in a position to use it. ! yio called upon. Mr. Yeats' to continue. [■ Interesting Correspondence, ' r'' Mr. D.'.M. Yeats said.that he regretted / to-havo had to take action-in.this matter, but when he found that his school was r' being penalised, and ono of his staff - punished, he thought.it was time to ap- ' peal to his fellow-teachers, and so report\ed tho case to tho Headmasters' Association. Tho institute was. very seriously involved in this matter, for if its members were to bo deprived of the freedom of speech, if they had to submit to that, then—well—he roally did not know quito how to put it. ' Mr. Yeats 'then proceeded to read certain correspondence which had passed between tho Commandant's office ' and the Bchool. -Following upon interview '.which took place between Major M'Donald and Captain Ballachey on tho Satur- ' . .day following tho institute meoting, Cap-' r'"~ tain Ballachey, qn April 2G, wroto to tho s- .Commandant, asking if ho could be in-" (> formed as- soon.a-s possible what wc'ro'"tho ' exact terms of tho 1 order issued to your staff-sergeants, prohibiting them from ati tending to give instructions at the Lower ; . Hutt School, owing to tho,newspaper rej port of tho action I took at a meoting I of the Teachers.' Institute, convened to ; consider your.scheme of physical drill for the schools."' v Major M'Donald replied, on April 27, L thiTt ho was "not.in tho habit of informi in" those under my command of the t: 'exact terms' of any orders which I give t to my staff-instructors," adding that if • - Cnntoin Ballachey desired to know tho "effect of .what I said to you when you were in ray'.office last Saturday morning, regarding "your remarks relating to tho instructors, I will be pleased to reiterate what I said if you will come and seo me a"ain. You assured mo that you did not mean to reflect on my staff-instriicton, ami T accepted, that assurance." This did not satisfy' Captain Ballachey. for, on April 28, lie 'wrote in reply: "I beg to say-that-I have surely a right to knew the'exact terms of an order issued with regard to my company, and my headmaster, considers that ho also has a ri"lit to ask for this, if such order is slill iri:force. Theiast sentence t in your \ memo, makes' m 6 suppose that tno order | has beeu cancelled, as tho cause of offence (■ has apparently been removed, but I have |i had no intimation that this is tho case." vj About this time, continued Mr. Yeats, P Major 'M'Donald suddenly came to the ? coticlusionthat this corresponrtcuco should

go through tho proper official channels, and, accordingly, addressed Ins next letter to Major.Bethuue, OHicer Commanding. No. -1 Battalion, and Captain Ballachey s commanding ollicer. "[ have to acknowledge," ho wroto (o Major Belhmie, "receipt of a letter from Captain Ballachey, O.C. Lower Hutt Junior Cadets (copy of which 1 attach), which was sent direct to me. l'leaso inform Captain BaUnchcy that as all orders to his company arc issued through him, he should know the exact terms of thorn. If, however, ho will quote the nature of the order ho refers to I will, if such order exists, send him a copy. He should he again informed (I !mvo already informed him once), that orders issued by mo to my staff aro my business and not his. If his letter under reply refers to such lastnamed orders, and his previous• letter (copy herewith marked B), on this subject would appear to imply that it does, I can only refer him to my memo, of 2Sth ult. Captain Ballachey should bo informed that all correspondence intended for tho officer should be forwarded through You." The "Head" Takes a, Hand. Continuing, Mr. Yeats said that at this stago he decided to interfere, and accordingly wrote to Major M'Donald as follows : "Never having had occasion before to communicate officially with you, I may be wrong in writing direct to you, but if the proper channel of communication is through the Board of Education and tho Minister for Education, please let me know, and I will forward ray letter m that way.' Captain Ballachey has informed me that you told him that owing to tho part ho took at a meeting pi tho Wellington District Institute in discussing your report on physical instruction as requested by the board, you have issued an order that no drill-instructor is to visit the Hutt District High School until he, Captain Ballachey, has sent some special request for one. .Before taking up the matter, I have waited for two Fridays to see .if any instructor went to Petone .District' High; School without coming to the Hntt in the afternoon, and 1 find that that was the case the Friday before last (May 5). Will you, therefore, be kind enough to inform me, as headmaster of tho Hutt District High School, why no instructor is now coming to my school, so that I. can- decide -what action to take in the matter." _ __, . Lieutenant Stevens,. Staff-Officer to Maior M'Donald, replying in tho absence of Major M'Donald . (who.was -then indTcorres^dence:''Headmasters may correspond direct with.tlie Commamlant "2. Instructors. Owing o a misunderstanding, the' instructor 'did' not attend j he received orders to attend to-morrow, 19-o-H, somo add anything further to what the Commandant has already said with regard to reasons whj• »nf'«f°s hivo not been attending Hutt D.H.&. ot htc and I would refer you to his letters of 27th April and 3rd May to .Captain owing to . <fH°ftf amount of extra work entailed by tho distribution of uniforms and «l«'P ment . l ° junior cadet units all over the Dominion m some weeks past, all. tho avaitab c staff have been employed m the store to copo with this emergency. , , Mr. Yeats then sat down, observing that tho correspondence spoko for itsoir.

Another Chapter Wanted. i "I am not satisfied yet," remarked Mr. 1 Grundl once more. "Wo want Chafer Three—wo havo now had Chapter two. Wonnt tlio whole case put fairly and scmarely before the institute. . . have only had Chapter One so , far-Chapters Two and Three are still to come " said Mr. Yeats, amid laughter M? A Erskino said that the institute should certainly have tho ' full details , placed before it. , ~ , I ■'•What do you say, then; shall wo have , Chapters Two and Three? asked the , chairman. Tho meeting signified assent, ( and Mr. Yeats then touched on tho , trouble which had arisen' m connection • with the supply of jerseya • for Captain , Ballachey's company.. Oft Marcli 7an , application was sent in for new jerseys. , On March 11 a memo, came to the Hutt ■District High School approving of tho application. On May 23 wo get a letter , refusing to supply tho • new jerseys pro■mised us on March 11. On Juno 1 the new jerseys arrived-that is Chapter Two, Mr. Chairman." (laughter.) Mr. Ballachey supplemented Mr. outline of the jersey incident with a detailed statement. . Chapter Three. "Chapter Three refers to Captain Ballachey being superseded in tho command of the Fourth Battalion, which, as senior captain, ho was entitled to in the absence of Major Betlnine, who was ill. Mr. Ballachey explained that on the occasion of a certain battalion parade, Major Bethune, being ill, sent n letter, from which it was assumed that the adjutant (Captain Lynskey), was to take charge. The day being wet, the parade was postponed for a week.. Nothing was don© in the meantime, but when ho (Captain Ballachey) went on tho parade ground the adjutant informed him that he (Captain Lynskey) was in charge of the battalion, and on being asked why, explained that a special order had been brought out by Lieut. Stevens from Major M'Donald that day. , Accordingly, he (Captain Ballachey) took his place with his company. "Gagged!" "Is it not a fact," inquired Mr. D. M. Poison, at this stage, that with regard to that order Major McDonald merely acted on Major Bethune's recommendation?" Mr. Erskine sharply interrogated Mr. Poison as to his authority for the question, and tho latter replied that he had gone to the cadet office for some information regarding tho case. • He thought that both sides of. tho question should be put. "Did you see Major Bethune's letter to Major M'Donald?" persisted Mr. Erskine. Mr. Poison admitted that he had not, but he had seen Major M'Donald's file. Major Bethune's recommendation • that Captain Lynskey should take command was notified by Major'M'Donald. "Did Major M'Donald give you permission to use the information- ho gave you?" asked the chairman. Mr. Poison signified assent. ; Tho chairman: "Ho did not allow me." Mr. Poison was about to proceed when Mr. Grundy interrupted him. "Point of order, Mr. Chairman," ho said. "If the president of tho institute cannot vise the information given him by Major M'Donald. I do not see why Mr. Poison should." Tho chairman upheld tho point, and Mr. Poison was ruled out. "Gagged—gagged!" observed Mr. Polson, as ho sat down. ■ . - - "I saw everything in the filo as a man in the street—as president of .the institute the information was refused," commented Mr. Flux. li! Referred to the Executive. "After further discussion; Mr; Grundy movcd'tltnt :the wholo'matter be referred to the Executive Committee of the New Zealand Educational' Institute', for full inquiry. This stop ho proposed as a measure of fair play all round, to both sides of tho case. They wanted to keep . clear of all military issues, and iiivcstigafo tho matter as ono affecting the in- '■'■ stituto only,. .The. facts of ithe ;caso were ' very "pUln.it'hfi .'said,; ",rfs: l{o', 'reviewed 1 tho case. For participating in a freo and open discussion, their secretary, ' Mr. Ballachey had suffered a wigging, an ' indignity, and disability. "Can we, dare ■ we," he asked with emphasis;:' "allow ' this matter to rest where it stands at 1 present? If so, then tho institute has : fallen very much." (Hear,' hear.) Ho could not call to mind a singlo similar > instance. They had, at their institute • debates, frequently criticised 1 their own * board. Had any of them! suffered any ' disability in consequence?■■_• No. They ' had no animus again s t Major M'Donald, 3 but they dared not allow their executivo i officer to be treated in snoh a manner.

Mr. J. H. 'Worboys seconded the motion, which was supported by several speakers, and carried with ono dissentient—Mr. Poison.

A proposal by Mr. H. A. Parkinson Hint tho matter should also bo referred to the Education Board was withdrawn, after it had been pointed out Hint in the moantime the issue was between Major M'Donald and the Teachers' Institute.

A number of scatter advertisements appear in this issue referring to Mrs. Matthewson's winter sale of high-class fashionable goods.

An advertisement appears in this issue regarding the annual representative lacrosse match, Auckland y. Wellington, to be played at the Basiu lleservo on Coronation Day. A shield will probably be awarded to the winners of the match.