ALIEN ENEMY TEACHERS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2573, 22 September 1915, Page 7

ALIEN ENEMY TEACHERS

PROPOSED RESTRICTING MEASURE. , The Alien Enemy Teachers Bill, which was circulated .in Parliament yesterday is of special importance in view of the agitation regarding Professor von Zedlitz's position on the teaching staff of tlio Victoria College. ' The principal clause in .the Bill reads as follows "(1) So long as this Act remains in force it shall not be lawful for the governing body of any university colI lege, or of any secondary school, technical, school, public school,- endowed school, or Native school, under the Education Act, 1914, or of any other educational institution supported wholly or in part, whether directly or indirectly! by grants from the public revenues, to employ or to continue to employ any alien enemy as a professor, lecturer, teacher, or otiier'instructor in or in connection with such institution, and every contract in at the commencement of tliis Act, between any such governing body and an alien enemy is hereby declared to be terminated as from the commencement of this Act, so far as such contract relates, to , the service of such enemy as a professor, lecturer, teacher, or other•instructor as aforesaid.

"(2). The governing body of any college, school, or' other institution may pay to any person whose employment is terminated by this Act such compensation for loss of office as it thinks fit, not exceeding tho equivalent of one year's salary at the rate at' which tho said person was employed immediately before the commencement of this Act. ■ "(3) No person whose contract of service is terminated as aforesaid. shall have any right of action against the governing body; or ' against any other person or persons, in respect of such termination.". ■ Clause 4is also important* It reads: — ® u d so long as tho governing body of any college, school, or institution employs or continues to employ a '»y person in breach of the provisions of this Act, no moneys shall bo paid out of tho public revenues to or for-the bonent of such college, school; or institution, anything in any othor Act to the contrary notwithstanding." It is proposed that the Bill shall operate during tho currency of the present war with Germany. The interpretation states:—"For the purposes of this Act every person (not being a British subject by birth, naturalisation, or otherwise) shall be deemed to bo an alien enemy who is or at any time has been a subject of any State with which His Majesty is now at war."