PROF. VON ZEDLITZ

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2570, 18 September 1915, Page 6

PROF. VON ZEDLITZ

■ PETITION TO THMUSI? BY THE COLLEGE; COUNCIL * '* CASE FOR DEFENCE ' A'-.'petition.-. 1 relating', to" the case .of Professor von Zedlitz was presented to. tho House of Representatives yesterday by, Mr. "K., M'Callum., : Tfte' petition, bore the: common seal-of the Victoria iDniyersity'..Oollegoji attested by Cle-'-ment. Watson, Chairman of the College Council,■ and. G. :,O.';S. Robison, secretary. The prayer of the petitioners .was that no legiSation be passed which .will have-,the effect.of interfering with the free exercise by the council of , its functions "under the, : Victoria College Act, >1905,' and its amendments. The document was read by the clerk.The ; petition - Set forth that George -William von Zedlitz : had been' appointed Professor of''Modern languages at VicCollege;'in- December,. 1901, and that .since; that/time: his';conduct- had ,been entirely satisfactory, aind his teaching, .example,-, and vinflutoce, had great-ly-strengthened the position .of Tictorid CoUegeas'ah.educatioiialinstitution. The .petition.'further... stated 'that'..- the said George William yvon ; Zedlitz, though of: ' German parentage oil his father's side, is English* on: his mother?s side, and , ,when he was quite young his! mother re'turned with him , from .Germany to (England, resumed her English domicile, •'Jand he acquired an English domicile, •which he maintained' until he became '"domiciled in New Zealand. Excepting in-bare nationality he: was to all intents . and purposes an Englishman. He was"; educated at - College, Berkshire,, and at Trinity Collego, Oxlord, and when he came of ago lie, from deliberate choice, elected, to remain identified with England rather, than return to; Germany .and-pursue his career there. Ho was married in New Zealand, and Ibis wife, whO-was-born in New Zealand, was of one ofythe English'pioneer families of the Dominion. The council had during the" year 'made.'careful "inquiries as to', the' teaching of Professor von Zedlitz; and were satisfied that it is iri accordance with the highest British ideals and traditions, and is entirety opposed to the teachings of the Prussian School. ' The members of the council had tlio utmost' confidence . in the integrity of Professor von Zed-litz,-aiid-this confidence was' shared by the other--'college professors, -by ,-past ; and present, students and their parents. Not only. was his teaching not inimical to ;the interests of; the' British Empire •at 'present: crisis, .But' the . council ■believed that the "expression in his lec'tures of his views;on the duties of citizenship had resulted in more than one student of Victoria Collego enlisting for service with . the , Dominion'. Forces. .There were 'some .two' hundred: students and former students of the college on active. service, and : among them were' many'. , who"had-^udied'uiider ; Professor .von Zedlitz. ■ " ; '•• •

Danger of interference. . ' ■ Petitioners; -urged: that;.alasting in-jury-would-b<y done' to.the' valne of educational- appointments in Ne>v Zealand; and of all other appointments for which • application^were^invited beyond the Dommon,v.if..legisliition ivais passed to invalidate retrospectively an-appointment which -was perfectly lawful ''and proper in its origin; v- Petitioners conceded any question whether orlnot an alien is to bo trusted-at large is one for tie Government, of the country only, , but when the personal-character- of the alien is assured,- and his' liberty is held to' be "not incompatible with" the ' public ■ welfare, petitioners submitted that- there should be noninterference by the Legislature' or tlie Executive with the rights of other lawful authorities each within its own sphere to' contract and deal with such alien as freely.as with'a British subject. The petition concludes: "If the said George 'William'.'von' ;Zedlitz were removed from his office, ■ your •: petitioner believes tliat a lasting-injury would be done to the 'educative' influence of Victoria. College for'the following reasons: "(1) The students' of tho college ; who have attended Professor von •Zedlitz's lectures know him to he a man above suspicion, -and -will. view: his removal as an act of : injustice and oppression : and ;a : :of : those ideals of honour, tolerance, and fair play which Victoria College, and (indeed eveiy educational insti- > tution should'cherish. ."(2) It is of vital importance to tho. British - face .• that education should recognise" the necessity for action founded .on principle and honour,'and-not on expediency. 1 ' ■ "(3) That -anything, which ap-. .preaches tho abandonment- of prin- . ciple at. the dictation of, prejudice, hatredj l fear, or the liko is antagonistic to all the best influences ofi education, and your petitioner be-' lieves that it is impossible to gauge tho reaction for evil that snch • a . course may have oitthe youth of tho' Dominion." . ...

An Unfriendly Reception. | -Mr. M'Callum moved that the petition be referred. direct to the' Education. Committee.-v. ' . Mr. Speaker put the motion, ajid aa usual members gave their' voices very faintly in response. There were several "noes,"' hut Mr. Speaker* declared for. the "ayos." His decision was challenged, and when Sir. Speaker again stated the question it' was:vdebated. . Mr. G. V. Pearco (Patea): asked,why it was proposed- to send the petition tother Education'- Committee.' Ho would liavo supposed'that the proper, committee, to deal wifcli.it was the Secret Defence Committee. Was tho proposal made becauee_ there vere on tho Education Committee certain gentlemen connected with Victoria College? His owii opinion was' that for this very reason tlie petition • sliouM' not on any account go to this committee. Mr. G. J. Anderson - (Mataura) said that the petition "might ;.as .well go . direct to the Government as to the j Secret Defence Committee. Dr. Thacker (Ohristchurch East) said he /objected to any preferential treatment being given to yon Zedlitz. "He ought to bo on Somes Island; wo know that," said Dr. Thacker. . Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) said that the proper course for the House to . take was to., send tho petition to. the Petitions Classification Committee. Mr. W/'- F; Eield (Otaki) thought that tlie Defence Committee should deal with tho'petition. *' i The Right Hon. W. IVMassey (Prime Minister) said' he did not think tho. Defence Committee was the ; proper committee; to deal with the matter. In case there be any doubt in regard to tho. ilegislatio.il ■ promised .by . 'the Government to dealwitli the sub-ject-matter of the petition,' lie wished to inform the-House -'that the Bill was printed and ready for circulation. ■ 'And whatever happened to the petition the Bill would be introduced and tho House woiild have an opportunity.of voting on. it. , ■ ■

jlr. R. M'Oallum' .Said: that in. view of the opposition to his motion lie,would ask leave to "withdraw 'tho motion. Mr. J. M'Combs (Lyttelton) said he was sorry , the member ibr. Wairau had withdrawn his motion, because tho question was not one affecting defence, but one. affecting education. »He. suggested, 'that the' point at. issusY.was . really' whether the. ..Governnient'-.'.jshould . or.' should riot interfere in • the local control' of education.; , ■ •. ' The motion was withdrawn, which means t'nat the -petition goes ;to .the; Petitions Classification Committee, which will determine to .what cominitteo tho nntition. oue;ht to he referred^.- !■" "v v .v- y "2 ;