School Committee.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 4, 5 January 1901, Page 3

School Committee.

DISCUSSION AS TO AN APPOINTMENT.

The monthly meeting of the Gisborne School meeting was held yesterday afternoon, at Mr J. W. Bright's office. There were present : The Chairman (Rev. H. Williams), and Messrs Ranger, Bright, Ambridge, Humphreys, and Morgan. The business was to deal with the applications for the position of pupri teacher. There were three applicants for the position :—Messrs William Brabazon (Hawke’s Bay), John Peach and R. T. Johnston (Gisborne). Mr Ambridge said that the testimony of Mr Mann, which should have a certain amount of weight, and to whom he had spoken that morning, was that if there was anything to choose between Messrs Peach and Johnston, who were both under him, Johnston would perhaps be the most worthy of the position. He moved that the latter be appointed. . Mr Bright thought that the matter should be left until Mr Bull, the headmaster, had returned, and been consulted. He moved that the Chairman and Mr Morgan be a sub-committee to confer with the headmaster in regard to the most suitable applicant. Mr Morgan said it appeared there was only one appointment they could make, Mr Johnston being the only one qualified under the conditions they had been adhering to, that a successful candidate must have passed his matriculation examination. Mr Peach might yet do better in that respect than Mr Johnston, but so far had not passed. He (Mr Morgan) would accept Mr Bright’s motion were it not that his own name was mentioned as one of the committee.

Mr Ranger: Mr Johnston is qualified and is prepared to go on at the school. Mr Humphreys : I think we should give local candidates the preference. We have too often been following the line of going outside to select candidates, and I do not think we have done any better than if we had confined ourselves to the making of appointments locally. Mr Ranger said that he had seen Mr Johnson (sen.,) on the previous day, and he had said that he would not attend the meeting as his own son was applying for the vacancy. The Chairman : Mr Bright’s motion has not yet been seconded. M Biightjr It is immaterial. Mr Ranger : I propose that Mr Johnston be appointed to the vacancy. The Secretary : Mr Ambridge has proposed that. Mr Bright said that it seemed as if the thing had been cut and dried, and that canvassing had been going on. It was quite new to hint even that Mr Johnston was applying. If the matter had been previously decided it was a most improper thing. He did not know if the applicant’s friends had been canvassing on his behalf, or if what had been done was accidental, but some of the members seemed to have been going out of their way to know what the applicant was going to do. Heagreed with the principle that applicants canvassing for appointments to vacancies on public bodies should be disqualified. Mr Ambridge said he took strong exception to the remarks of Mr Bright. He had neither seen the applicant nor his father, nor did he know that the young man was applying. On hearing that morning that Mr Johnston was applying, and on hearing his certificates read, he made up his mind that the applicant was qualified for the position. He agreed with Mr Bright that canvassing should' be discountenanced, but the remark could certainly not apply to anything that he had said. The proposition he had made was moved with the best intentions, in the belief that the applicant was the most suitable.

Mr Morgan : My conversation with Mr Johnston, jun., is simply told. He called on me and asked if any of my family were applying for the position. I replied No. He said, “ If you have no one going for it will you give my application consideration?” I said: “Are you canvassing the School Committee?” He said No. I said, “ The new regulations of the Board are distinctly against teachers canvassing for situations. lam not going to make any promise, all will get due consideration. Have you sent in your application ?” He said Yes. I then asked him if he had seen the regulations, requiring a doctor’s certificate. He said No, he had not known it was necessary. I said, “ Your father told me you were going for the Civil Service—in the event of your being appointed, and pass the doctor, will you throw up the pupil teachership ?” He said No. That was all that took place between us. The Chairman, speaking jocularly, said he thought they could fairly say that it had not been proved there was canvassing. Mr Morgan said that the regulations were strong on that subject in regard to applicants. Mr Ranger said all the.information he had as to the applications he had obtained from the Chairman, and he had seen Mr Johnston, who had said he would not attend the meeting.

Mr Ambridge said that with the consent of his seconder he was quite willing to accept Mr Bright’s proposition. Mr Bright: Probably the result would be the. same.

Mr Ambridge said it was evident that something had been said about the appointment, and therefore with the consent of his seconder, he would rather withdraw his own motion and second that of Mr Bright. Mr Morgan: It is only right that the Headmaster’s opinion should be obtained. The Chairman : I agree with that. Mr Bright: The Headmaster is responsible for the making of the teachers, and if we make appointments without his knowledge or recommendation he can say, “ You do not give me a chance with the material you provide me with.” He is responsible for the moulding of the younger teachers, and should be consulted in the making ofsuch appointments, The Chairman said that they might also inform the applicants that a medical certificate was necessary.

.. Mr Morgan said that there would have been plenty of time for applicants to have got a recommendation from Mr Bull before he went away. Mr Bright’s motion was then seconded by Mr Ambridge, and carried.