THE SELECTION OF STATE SCHOOL MASTER.

Kumara Times, Issue 1536, 30 August 1881, Page 2

THE SELECTION OF STATE SCHOOL MASTER.

[to the EDITOR. J Sir—l beg most respectfully to ask you a question,; and, although I have good authority for saying that I could answer.it in the affirmative myself, I want you to answer it publicly,, if you can, in order that those who it r most concerns may know it and have a .say in it. It is as follows :—At the last meeting of the Kumara State School Local Committee, in considering applicants from persons for "head teacher, is it true, that when Mr . McCarthy,,of Greytnouth, was proposed by amen who is a good judge, and knows him to be one of the best teachers in Westland, could not find a* seconder", because he M'Carthy is a Catholic ? If so, all I can say is, thatit is- much to be regretted that such bigotry; should exist in a new country like this] more especially as I notice that Catholics dont hold to the same doctrine ; r for it ia generally Protestant mechanics that build and famish their churches, bury their dead, &c.; and why -not,' and vice versa?—l am, &c, ';'■'' : ■ Xenodocht. Kumara, Aug. 29, 1881. r : [The former part of yonr. question is correct—Mr M'Carthy war proposed, but there was no seconder ; but the end of the query, which seems more of an insinuation or -imputation—we might almost say accnsation—is without the least ground for truth. In making their selection from applications received, the Local School Committee were guided purely by the certificates of mei'it each applicant sent in, and which, in the cases of Messrs Just and Woodward, were immeasurably superior to those of Mr M'Carthy; and of the two Mr Woodward ranks before Mr Justin the list of "Teachers holding Certificates or Licenses under ' The Education Act, 1877.'" But thereaaon Mr Just had the preference of Mr Woodward was that when Mt T. M. Wilson received his appointment here, Mr Just stood second' in : choice .of appplicants. It may be mentioned that Mr M'Carthy holds no certificate whatever under the Act alluded .to.— Ed. K. T.]