JOSEPH PETRIE AND SCHOOL. REQUISITES.

Kumara Times, Issue 1483, 29 June 1881, Page 2

JOSEPH PETRIE AND SCHOOL. REQUISITES.

Yea, Mr Editor— ln your issue of the 23rd appeared a production 'signed Joseph Petrie, the like of which has never to my kuosvledge in the past and may I hope for the future never again so disgrace your columns. 'Twas impertinent, dictatorial, shewed gross ignorance, and even descended to bullying.—[After a long tirade of personal abuse and invective, which is quite irrelevant to the controversy, “ Lance” comes to the question which concerns the public.]—Then again the public were.to have another sop : no charges for requisites were to be demanded. The resolution authorising the Committees was rescinded three months ago ; yet, as vendors of books and school requisites, the Westland Board of Education are charging all committees up to the present time. They did not at the time of revocation of resolution or taking the printed report of their proceedings, nor have they yet, agreed to provide school requisites free • neither have they increased the grant for firewood and cleaning to the Kurnara Local School Committee. Only two weeks ago Messrs Petrie and Co. demanded and were paid for the school requisites supplied. Their whole proceeding is, therefore, a mere sham. Presuming the Kurnara School Committee had waited for the spirit to move Messrs Petrie and Co., who would compensate the children for the sufferings endured for want of fire at the school for the last three months 1 Besides I venture to say that the attendance would have been reduced one-half. As regards the illegality of charging for requisites supplied, on that point Mr Joseph Petrie shews such gross ignorance that I would ask him did he ever apply that term to the action of the Board, acting as they do as the vendors of the books, stationery, and school requisites? Both the Board and committees can be vendors of materials which are required to carry on the

Imsin'ss of tlie school. The schoolhouse, the school teachers-, are under the “Education Act, 1877,” free; but to say that books, stationery, and school requisites are 1 1 ho found free, is an assertion worth only such an obtuse individual as Joseph Petrie. Now the head teachers in the various schools} contrary to the terms of their engagements, are made agents of the Board for the sale of school books, &c. The committees, who are also parties to all engagements have not been consenting parties; neither have the teachers. Were I a head-teacher to-morrow, I would make the Board of Education} or Messrs Petrie and Co., pay a very handsome per centage for every shilling’s worth sold. Taking advantage of the Board’s action re hooks, tike., the Kumara Committee have made the head-teacher agent for sale of school requisites which the said committee may either procure from the Board or any other stationer’s. Should Mr Petrie be prepared to back his opinion, the writer of this is prepared to lodge with the Editor of the Kumaba Times the sum of five pounds. Let Mr J. Petrie do the same,—-If proceedings be taken by the Kumara School Committee for recovery of amounts due for requisites supplied. That in the event of the case going in favour of the Committee, five pounds shall go to the said committee ; if otherwise, then the Greymouth School Committee shall have five pounds. As regards the treat to the head-teacher, any member of the Board of Education having the slightest pretext to be called a gentleman or an administrator, must feel that Joseph Petrie acted wrongfully. To attempt to foster insurbordination or tell a teacher you must not obey your committee was stupid, and the height of impertinence. A single member of the Board, even though it be Mr Joseph Petrie, is no more than the greatest stranger to any teacher. What comes officially is all they recognise; and rightly so. Should the Board order the headteacher to desist from collecting the charges, any School Committee, being the managing body, could also order the teacher to desist from selling the Board’s books and stationery. A pretty nice slate of affairs this Would be. I imagine the class of a teacher who would survive it. It would not be creditable either to the Board of Education, the School Committee, nor even Mr Joseph Petrie. The Board of Education are to blame. The grant in aid, £4O for the Kumara School, is too small even with school requisites supplied free. The Board have the remedy in their own hands ; remove the disability, and I feel sure the local School Committee will not wish to continue charging when not absolutely required. If Mr Joseph Petrie in the Board would carry a resolution giving this committee £IOO per annum and free requisites, he would be far nearer the true and proper solution of the difficulty, than showing such ignorance of educational matters as trying to frighten the committee by asking the ratepayers to remember what the oracle, Joseph Petrie, had said, particularly when the ratepayers have no say in electing school committees at all. Therefore I am afraid the Kumara Committee will not care much on that score. As regards threatening the head-teacher especially, when that gentleman is simply performing an unpleasant duty by order of the committee, ’tis un-English and emblematical only of Joseph Petrie whose motto appears to be “ Might is right.”

Lance,