OYER THE STAGPOOLE CASE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1424, 26 April 1912, Page 4

OYER THE STAGPOOLE CASE.

INDIGNANT BOAED.

■ (By Telegraph-Special Correspondent.) Wanganui, April 25. 'The Stagpoole caso re-echoed at last night's meeting of the Wanganui Education Board, which stood very strongly on its dignity concerning recent resolutions passed by the New Zealand Educational Institute on tho subject, and which were telegraphed all over (ho Dominion. Mr. I'. O'Dea moved, and Mr. E. Dixon seconded :— "That in reply to the resolution of the Executive of the New, Zealand Institute, telegraphed to newspapers throughout the Dominion by the United Press Association for publication on April 19, the board point? out:— (1) That, while the resolution purports to bo a reply to the board's resolution of March 25, it ignores that portion of it which states that Mr. Parkinson informed Inspectors Braik, Strong, Milne, and Stewart that information given by them would be confidential, and that that pledgo was not kept. '■ (2) That tho executive's resolution is contrary to fact when it states: (a) That correspondence sent to Mr. Parkinson was not, under the seal of con-

fidence as the executive's representative produced in the Teachers Appeal Court a covering letter from Mr. Pirani expressly stating tho contrary; (b) that the Institute was told in the

said court that the inspectors' official reports wcro valueless, and of no account (no such statement having been made); (c) that no breach of tho regulations by the chairman, or any member of the hoard, regarding correspondence, was either proved or admitted. The only regulation on tho subject specifically refers to correspondence with the board, and not with individual members of the. board. Mr. Parkinson was given every opportunity to explain his breach of confidence in the witness box but had fenced with tho questions, and evidently recognised that his actions did not como within the ordinary codo governing a man occupying a responsible position. Mr. Of. Bennett: "Mr. Chairman, I don't like this resolution. I am sorry to think that wo should entertain an idea of bandying words with such a body of men who" have such a conception of tho eodo of honour." Mr. Bennett went on to say that he was convinced that the solo object was not to defend Mr. Stagpoole, but to ruin tho chairman of the Education Board. Steps should be taken to warn every Education Board in New Zealand of tho tactics employed by the Institute, with which body he thought it beneath the dignity of the l>onru to have further transactions. He was pleased to say, i however, that he considered that the local branch of the Teachers' Institute had perfectly clean hands in tho matter.Mr. Pirani said that, in this instance, the Press Association had been improperly -employed. Ho did not bkme tho local branch of tho Teachers' Institute, who had made their recommendation to tho jiarent body in ex parte evidence, Ho was considering tho advisability of compiling a circular containing tho full history of tho case, and sending it to every teacher, and every Education Board iu tho Dominion. Mr. Pirani also spoke in somewhat severe terms regarding Mr. Parkinson's connection with the case, and expressed the opinion that tho Wellington Education Board should hold an enquiry into it.

Mr. D. H. Guthrie, M.P., spoke on shni lar lines.

The motion mas then put and carried unanimously.