NOT ADVERTISED.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1798, 10 July 1913, Page 3

NOT ADVERTISED.

MR. GARLICK'S APPOINTMENT,

DISCUSSED IN HOUSE. THE MINISTER EXPLAINS. A long discussion took place in the House of Representatives yesterday concerning the appointment of Mr. Royd Garlick to the position of Director of Physical Education. Asked by Mr. T. 11. Wilford, M.P., whether applications were called tor the position conferred on Mr. Hoyd Garlick, and, if not,' why not, the Hon. Jas. Allen, replied: Applications were not invited, but evory caro was taken to ascertain the most suitable expert on physical education available. Mr. Wilford commented adversely on tho reply, assuring the House that he had. tne best possible authority for saying that there were in New Zealand much hotter experts in Swedish, drill than Mr. Royd Garlick. Mr. Garlick could not, he had been assured, put a squad through the three preliminary tables of the seventy in the 6ystem of Swedish drill, although he had been listening to one who could for the last three months. And this gentleman, who knew nothing of the drill, was to receive a salary of something like .£6OO a year, about the same salary as the present Inspector-General of Schools received when ho took up his position. There was another on the staff who had about a fortnight's teaching, and there was also a lady on the staff who might bccome useful when she learned to speak English. She certainly knew tho drill, but she could not teach it because she had not learnod. English yet. He challenged the Minister to have Mr; Royd Garlick s abilities tested or inquired into by a committee of the House, and that an immunity be given to those on his staff from dismissal if they gavq evidence concerning Mr. Garlick's lack of knowledge. Mr. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill) said Mr. Garlick had been pitchforked into the position, Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) said Mr. Wilford had made out a strong case to show that some factor o.ther than knowledge of tho work he was to undertake had influenced tho Government in making tho appointment. Personally he did not know Mr. Garlick, and did not know anything about his qualifications, but in the face of the allegations made, it was the plain duty of the Minister to restore the confidence of the public in the now system established by having the fullest inquiry made as to iiis fitness, and bo reply to th§ charges made. A TV. G. Witty (Riccarton) also protested against .the appointment. Evidently the Minister had taken the man on the spot without considering the possibility of any other applicants being moro suitable. Mr. L. M. Isitt '(Christchurch North) said the • Government had no right to Tesent the anxiety on the part of the Opposition in most strenuously canvassing the reasons for tho selection of Mr. Garlick Mr. G. W. Russell .(Avon) thought the Government had made a # mistake in the appointment of Mr. Garlick. It was, he said, due to the House and to tho country that he should mako a clear statement to the House upon the qualifications of Mr. Royd Garlick. Some years ago Mr. Garlick was engaged in a bank m Chnistchurch, but he took lessons in physical culture and specialised in it. Surely he had not in that short time become so much of a specialist as to make him so much better than all other;?, even the person wlio instructed him originally. The Government ojig it to clcar themselves of suspicion that the appointment was not made on considerations of the merit alone of the Appointee. Mr. G. Laurenson (Lyttelton) also said that the Minister shouJd take the House into.his confidence as .to .tho reasons why ho appointed Mr. Royd ;Garlick. He believed that if the position had been opened for competition bv advertisement Mr. Garlick would not have had a ghost of a chance :of being appointed.

The Minister's Reply.. The Hon. J. Allen (Minister for Education) said that honourable gentlemen had made two accusations—on© was that xi 6 had appointed an incompetent man. and the .other was that ho had, appointed this man for political reasons. He would reply to the second charge first. Ho did not know Mr. Royd Garlick's politics, did not know what they were when he made the appointment, and had not an idea what they were now. That accusation, then, fell to the ground. In regard to" tho accusations of incompetence against Mr. Garlick, might he say to the member for Hutt that his criticism would have had more weight if it had been less vituperative? Mr. Wilford had obviously been listening to tittle-tattle from disappointed people. He would take full responsibility for not advertising tho position, and ho would justify his action to the House. He knew nothing about Mr. Royd Garlick being trained in Christchurch, but ho did' know that Mr. Garlick had gons through a thorough course of training in Australia. Mr. Wilford: How long? It takes three years to learn the Swedish system. Mr. Allen said ho could not say from memory, but Mr. Garlick had come to Wellington and established himself in business and practised with great success. Mr. Wilford: As a masseur. .Mr. Allen: He was not a masseur. Mr. Wilford: Ho was. Mr. Allen: The honourable gentleman does not'know anj tiling about it. Mr. Garlick, ho continued, had been in business as a trainer in physical culture, and 1 among his pupils were many doctors. When he came to consider the making of tho appointment he (Mr. Allen) had thought it wise to get the advice of a committee, and among those he invited to assist him were General Godley, the In-spector-General of Schools, a lady doctor, and a lady physical trainer, and Mr. Royd Garlick, who was suggested as asuitable member of tho committee. The committee had been assembled in Wellington. Mr! Wilford: What did they know about Swedish drill? Mr. Allen: They know far moro than the honourable gentleman. The committee had, he continued, advised him as to the best course to pursue to find a suitable efficient man to inaugurate the system here.' Mr. Wilford: Did you advertise? Mr. Allen: No. Mr. Wilford: Why? Mr. Allen: Because I did not need to advertise. He added that he had gone to suitable people outside for advice, and lie had been recommended by several medical men in Wellington to try to tret Mr. Royd Garliok. They had advised that there was no better man, and that there could bo no better man to appoint than Mr. Royd Garlick. He had therefore approached Mr. Garlick, and had found that Mr. Garlick was not at all keen, to take the position. Ho was making moro money in private practice. But he (Mr. Allen) had pressed him, and eventually prevailed upon him to toko it. Mr. Laurenson Oh; this is really too thin! Mr. Allen: Tho honourable gentleman may say it is thin or not as he likes. The Minister went on to say that he had invited honourable members to attend a display arranged to show tho results of Mr. Garlick's work. But how many members were there? Did the member for Hutt go? Did the member for Lyttelton go? An., honourable member: Not enough limelight for them there. Mr. Allen said that those gentlemen who had stayed away now made statements behind Mr. Garlick's back, and without any knowledgo of his work. He had no doubt Mr. Garlick would reply to them fully wilen he got tho opportunity. Mr. R. M'Callum (Wairau) also attacked the appointment of Mr. Garlick. Ho contended that tho Minister's ajiswer was contradictory in terms. The fact that applications had not been oalled showed, lie said, that every care had not been exorcised in making tie appointment. The Ministor should lay Mr. Royd Garliok's testimonials upon the table if ho oxpected the House to believe that political influence had not operated in the making of the appointment.