Feilding School Committee

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 135, 8 May 1890, Page 2

Feilding School Committee

A. special meeting of the above committee watf: held afc'ibhe Bchool house on Tuesday eretiing' 'j&st; Present-— Messrs P. Y. Lethbridge (chairman), "Watts, Morey, Curtis, Hicks, Worsfold and Gould. ,;;. The rneetirig was called to consider the requisition'; and the Board's dismissal of two teachers. The chairman read a letter from Mr Wilks notifying that he had received three months' notice, and a copy of his letter to the Board In reply, A petition which had been forwarded to the Board in favour of Mr Wilks. being retained in his present position, but which had been returned as it was not sent through the committee, was diacuaaedat some length. * • Mr Gould said the petition wa* misleading. He further said it had been signed largely through ignorance, and not altogether by parents of children attend, ing the school. He knew of numbers who had signed the petition, but would not do so again. ' Mr Lethbridge considered it was a mistake to suppose that persons who did not send children to school should have no voice in the matter. . '■*' Mr Morey agreed with Mr Leinbridge's view. „ • . It was then resolved, on the motion of Mr Morey, seconded bjyil^fi. Worsfold, That the petition be setitta the Board. j ■'■■'■l : !Ehe Chairman, a; 'lengthy speech, iirj^ad that the Boaitit' had not consulted the hew committee before proposmg to dismiss the teachers, as they should have done, and it was held 7 that the board had no power, under the Education Act, to dismiss any until they had consulted the*' committee. He considered that both teachers were efficient, arid they should do their best to keep them both ; or, if this was impossible, Mr Wilke should be retained; and the board asked to give Mrs Lissaman another school. / He considered the board had acted very unjustly. Mr Watts held that the Board were not. acting, in the dark, as an enquiry had been held. He also held that the old committee having been consulted was quite sufficient/and that the matter properly rested with the old committee and the Board. Mr Morey , said the best thing to do was to try and keep both teachers. Mr Curtis thought that the committee could do nothing further in the matter, the Board's resolution being final. Mr Gould spoke strongly against Mr Wilks being retained, as they had no guarantee that the same trouble would not occur again. ...,.,,,. . Mr Morey, Mr Hicks, and Mr Worsfold stated that they had never at any time worked against Mrs Lissaman, but had always endeavored to try and retain both teachers in the school. Mr Gould expressed surprise at these statements, as the gentlemen making: them had always voted 'against the resolutions proposing the removal of Mr Wilks and retaining Mrs Lissaman. Mr Curtis stated, on behalf of Mrs Lissaman, that she was quite willing to abide by the board's last decision. After a long conversational discussion it was - Proposed by Mr H. Worsfold, ai^d seconded by Mr Hicks, '". That this committee, elected on the 28th April, is much surprised at the action of the Education Board in dismissing the head master and assistant mistress. without first consulting this committee as required by the Act ; that this 'committee would also point out that the board's action in the matter was taken on the day after the election of this committee, consequently the Board had no chance of consulting this committee, nor had this committee a chance of making a recommendation ; that this committee is further of opinion that the resolution passed by the Board on the report of the deputation was a complete solution of the difference between the head master and assistant mistress, and considers any further action on the part of the Bpard was unnecessary and uncalled for ; that this committee 'respectfully ask .the Board to allow a deputation to wait upon them on the matter." Mr Curtis moved as an amendment, That the action of the board be not interfered with. Seconded by Mr Gould. . .■_,., The amendment wa« lost. Mr Curtis asked that a copy of the amendment be sent in to the Board with the resolution, together with -the names of those who voted in favor of it Mr Morey suggested that the names of those who voted in favor of the resolution should also be sent to the Board. The voting was as follows :— For the resolution : Messrs Morey, Hicks, Worsfold and the. chairman. For the amendment : Messrs Watts, Gould and Curtis. The resolution was therefore carried by 1 vote. The meeting then adjourned.