THE WEITZEL CASE

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 17, 14 October 1921, Page 5

THE WEITZEL CASE

MENTIONED IN PARLIAMENT MINISTER NOT SATISFIED THE LOYALTY OF TEACHERS The case of the Victoria College graduate who was fined in Wellington for distributing revolutionary literature was mentioned in the House of Renresentatives. The Minister of Education made a statement concerning the inquiry conducted by the Victoria College Council, and he indicate that he intended to bring down legislation requiring ail teachers to take the oath of allegiance. Sir George Hunter (Waipawa), who raised the question, nsked if the attention of the Minister had been called to some .remarks made at a meeting of the Victoria College Council with reference to the Weitzel case. He referred particularly to remarks that had been made by Professor T. Hunter, who had made statements reflecting upon the action of .the Minister fn ordering the inquiry. "Tn uny opinion tho Minister of Education is to be commended for his attitude in regard to this inquiry,” eaid Sir George Hunter. The Minister of Education (Mr. Parr) said he had read the newspaper account of the proceedings. He had not received the official report from thaf chairman of the College Council, and he would prefer to reserve most of his comment until he had read that report. He gathered that Professor Hunter had objected to the publicity given to the affair and to the fnct that an inquiry had been ordered and reasons given. He could not agree with Professor Hunter on tho point. The affair had required publicity. There had been ample warrant for tlm inquiry. Mr. Parr proceeded to review the facts of tho case. Miss Weitzel, he said, had been convicted in n, public court of distributing revolutionary literature, and some of the Victoria College students had gone out of their way to show sympathy for her. She had been acting as a representative of the Communist Party, which was preaching red' revolution and anarchy. He quoted from some of the publications of tho party to show that it invited its adherents 1.0 overthrow existing Governments and social systems by violent revolutionary methods. Tho report of the chairman of the College Council showed that these publications had been circulated among some of the students. These facts had been made known nil over New Zealand, mid the case most clearly had called for full inquiry. Ho had felt, that his duty as Minister of Education was to got to the bottom of the affair. Mr. V. H. Reed: Is Professor Hunter a symnathlser? Mr. Parr: I don’t wish to discuss that. Mr. Reed: Ho ought to be turned out if he is. Mr. Parr said that Professor Hunter was h servant of the college. The need for tho inquiry would bo admitted by tho great majority of members of the House. He wanted every teacher to know that as long ms the present Administration was in charge persons who were drawing public money would not be permitted to engage in revolutionary propaganda. (Hear, hear.) No teacher, whether a primary school teacher or s professor, would be permitted to draw a salary from iho State and at thu same time spread revolutionary trines'Mr. H. Poland: Why not ronj<o Professor Hunter take the oath of allegiance ? Mr. Parr: Tn the Education Amendment Bill that will he brought before tho House I propose to ask tho House to require from every teacher an oath nf loyalty to the country mid its laive. I shall not exempt any teachers. The Minister added that he would refer to the matter again when he received the report of the College Council. He was not quite satisfied with tho conclusions reached by the chairman of the council in that report. Ha. regretted very much that the chairman had felt it his duty to rule out of order a motion which asked tho council to disapprove of such methods of speaking on the part of professors or students ns would encourage revolutionary ideas. It was regrettable that tho council had not discussed that matter and expressed an opinion upon it.