School Committee.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 66, 17 August 1885, Page 2

School Committee.

The special meeting of the above Cora* inittoo held on Friday evening last at the Omitral School house Palmerston, was attended by Messrs ,T. I*. .'Leary (chair),' and Messrs Walton, Wright, WPqdroote, Hcskinjr, and Hawkius. The Chairman opened the procesdings by reading the requisition convening the meeting (published by us, m our issue on Saturday). "As they had heard, this requisition set.forth tliat their l^st meeting ha'fe boon convened m an illegal manner. Tlie omission had been made, advisedly dSad m regard to the whole matter he wight sayiplainly and straightforwardly that ho hud weighed the question over m his own iuind and considered it on its merits'iand without bias. Then? position was' this ;as by the requisition before them the. Committee was charged m .the convention of the last meeting wiih an omission and an-,, informality. The charge wai to some extent true, but granted that every member was thoroughly conversant with the . Education Act the omission would not then have been j made,., the result ..however would lhave been .the same, the decision essentialy the ;same:£onsequeiuly there hud been lio injusticeT It so happened i that each memf ber was not conversant with the .Act. .The decision, arriyeji^t, ,, at their.; last meeting was fairly fought out between the members of the Committee. The weapons available on one side were also available on the vptheV, .consequently to disturb the <3ecisien- arrived ait would, be an act of injustice. He had come to the determination fas Chairman of that Com; mittee and would 'Stataiit- positively tfiiat.j he could not receive / any motion that would tend to oontrayene the decision arrived at at that meeting,' the members who signed .the requißUipn might think he was acting .arbitrarily but he considered it wbmd be an act of injustice to alter the decision already arrived at. He wished to avoid the unenviable position he would be placed m of writing to the" Board /to' haVe : %eiir recommendation altered but 'he wai "qmlie willing to lay a '■ straightforward ;and plain statement before the Board. As a Committee they wer§-aivided and he would here point, out to them ihat' all they Jiad obtained previously -had been so obtained through unanimity.. . If, however, , they quarreled , and divided m matters of this kind they would not obtain much at the hands of the Board.' Committees as a rule are for ever making mistakes of the kind. It was not long since when they could not find a copy of the Act,' hie; himself could not get one at tkeir lost meeting and it was ; impossible for him to -carry every Clause-of the-Actin his head. ' If , hoW^ ev^r,. those inambjers^of^the Corairiifct'66 ; who favored Mr Flood .thought he had not been fairly^dealt with, he would be willins^tb' uieef r Mr -Flood at the next meeting of the Board and give him every assistance m the matter. He considered that togo back on what they had already dune would be childish and foolish: and would not receive the approbation of the' householders who had placed' them m their position as a Committee. He would . tirinly decline to receive :<ahy motion that would alter the discussion previously arrived.at and v would it such weretproposed rule itVout ■of order; I He ■ respectedeacb member' of ;the Committee • aud did not'take up thatsfcand out of any party feelings As they were constituted at ;thel»3t mjeetingthey were then m a position to carry what they had. ' If the case; had be^n reversed they would have accepted their defeat with a good -gracey Jmd he ; thought tliat 'the members of "ths,Committee who had opposed the,recommendation, wllich their opponents had carried should, do the ; same. The present meeting -he had sconvehe'd for the special purpose of letting them know what tiV was prepared to' dp and .also to hear what tha other member* might wish to say on .thefmatter.^. „-; .. . > ; : v^>, v / : ■■■''.'", ' Mr said as he.had .beeiiitHe' 6ialii ihbtrument m bringing about; the meetiflg- he would state his views on ; the subject. > Th»j:objectr rif ilfov * ineetihg together, :he understood, was to niake an illegal Act legal. ' If the thing were; allowebl^ to statid for ever 'it ' wbiild Remain illegal. : H^thoUglit that ite position the chirman had takenthat evening wa^a very arbitrary one. It seemea 1 to him. to h& a pre-arranged and determined stand. As a member, and a late member of ; the .pommittee, he. had taken it: for granted that the chairman was awarp of that secf tion of , 'the 'Act or clause relating' to School^Cominittees, ;,Tlia^ jjuestibn to be .discussed at ltheir last . meeting was an itnportaht one and all the members, should have been present;. Their number, was such as to cause as it did' the other night the'iCarryingqf a resolution which, if all the members had been pVesent,. would not have takenplace. He had- received the notice convening the meeting on :the after,nooh ;q£ the same ilay/dnwhitin ;the mVeting waff^ held,, he " 'might have been from home and other members were .placed m the same position. ' This notice was too short. Oa thinking over Ithe matter. lie, had Drocured a copy of ithe Act and-'read the^f ollowing clause m section 72 of th«"Baid Act :— " No' recominendafcibh to the Board concerning the appointment suspension or dismissal of a teacher shall, be. considered unless; notice m writing to -the effect that such, lousiness is proposed to *be transacted has been addressed to every member ; of the committee three days at least before tlie ineeting at his usual or last known place of .abode/ During his term neither of the requirements stated here had been complied with. He did not know what busineßS: was coming on at'the'last meeting: The particulars should have been p]ainh r - Stated on the'ipost card.' He could i nee at the last meeting when; the candidates testimonials were read that' the re cotnmen'dation of the committee wan not; made s ; mply on the qualifications >f the teachers bnt "whs done onnacientionsly. If Mr Gnthrie wa« elected^ttw thing, 'Wbiild be illegal. As far as Mr, JFlopd, was concerned, he did not believe that sfentleman Would accept the position at all. ; : .The Chairman here remarked thafc-the .committee only recommended the teachers to the Board, and. n° m att er what the committee did the. Board would : only elect whoever they considered most fitted for the position, and what they did .would be.lecal. > ... „ ; , Mr Walton further said that although the, requisition was handed vin^, several days, .back he had received a riotios by ppsjt card for the .preaeht meeting, coiriplyinc *ih a niudh lesser degree with the Act .than (the first one, arid they; as: a conjmitte|B. were'entitleito consideration ,of . aome sort; and, were not to be overridden. J;,; r .", „'; ' The Chairman; replied to ; Mr ; Walton by stating that had the meeting^ been called m compliance with the. requisition everything would have been placed on the card, but he dfd hot cohsider it would be ndvisable to' call ameetinsr t*> alter what they. had already done. He thought such : a pro6e«Jihsr would be, child's play. Mr Walton 2 : The' real desire fe to haye^ the preg&nttiappoiotment made by the Board on a legal recommeridatioh .from, the committee. , If. the .chairman protests to continue m his resolution he would petition the Board; !,. ' „:... The Ghairmau- : ■By all rneana,, that .is; the only wav out of the difficulty, as a" committee they 'Bh,oiild abide *by * deliberate flecision already c»meto.' nbtAvithstandinjr any slight informality or illegality. Nnne'.of them, wero harshly, dealt with, all being treated alike. ;., , Mr Walton : I do not know Mr (?.ia\r- : man what part of the Act. entitles y : >v to take the fltan'dy ou! (^o tn-niglit. Whpever.'.w appointed I think' it is; yeiy \yrohg. to-placo the committee m siich a :position ns it is now placed or; the teachers ftitljor. ..;. \ ," ../;,'■ The ChaiVmah t Jn f n hire a copy of the Act will be laid on the table bq- 'tliat

all tho3a- questions should be^ decided without difficulty. Bte Was willing to take the blame m this instance for what informality had occulted, but would not reverse the decision already arrived at. He considered equity >$ justice above law. r --'. Jl - Mr Walton : I cannot see where the justice comes m, we are called here as a committee, not as individiial^and yon at chairman put your foot on the whole thine: and we are to go home just as we came. ' . The Chairman: No f you have been called together to hear .the statement ' made by me. : Mr Stewart : : -I will oppose the upset* tin&of the previous decision, as if we do such a'ih i ing I> nre;will have to upset everything resolved, upon • j|ince .iJahuary. There is no hardship on ? anyone if we leave the matter as it is; '" . Mr Walton: .Decidedly. Upset everything that is illegal, x ; x . *' Mr Wright: If it can be shown that anyone of the cbnwtfee has' wilfully arid deliberately caused to be held a meeting with the intention of keeping ia the dark anything done at such meeting', then a wrong had been -committed, tut not otherwise. I believe that as a fact' perhaps on one occasion 1 since .my term, of office the proper notice has been given I do not. think that the business has ever been placed on the post cards. The meetings .were always held on the first Mondky m the month; only once has. the meeting beeo put off. I think that as the.membersi knew the meeting was to her held this is a poor matter of complaint. I know m a"^gen(bra,l way that it was the talkof the lo^that the meeting for recoinm^ding;|^|c^er ;;for Tejraejß End was to -be qh.nia^ -evening. ,'ißyery one of you kuo^liif it is;,the>dniuiittee'B choice to recoinßaie^(| Mr GuthHe, and it is childish W^jr ? ta, ; a|fc»f this. We can m any,63ijie; p;fij^^pbb^>end to reverse the deciiioh be to stultify ourselre&m^#.W!% ■'• : ■ . mW^^is#i&Sfy sorry that therej^u%^sfoy^^ and I bel%eS is ttie first iinie^jtiaj; anything of theyfcind has^dk^ga&i^heh I was hand^;^hei^ttM^^tfidaght that it was only : righ^th^|^o.^atter should be seen of legalising |{tor;V^|me)t action. The cbmiro&jte yrikM^^omaber when the appointment-^ :sssopa£. teacher had taken p!a^^Wl^|ofield and Miss Patterson w^'^Mclhts, I knew that . some underl^iikyror^ wa»* going on .then. '>C&^&*«p?; ■■■•■ ■■■■■■■■.■ The Clxairi^tf,;i;v?6vil(i call your attention, Mr '^oqdrpofe, to certain remarks you have made lose of and which arid not .called 1 for. ? ">'!r '' * — Mt^c^(%&? rtim^ottoi^ iaenced, a^meaibei' /of the'Gommittee an am independa'ht^n.' dx'pressing my views. I am determined to have things- legally dope m this Committee and by referring back I. can. show that illegal acts had been done and m an underhand way.. It is'mther stran^^t 7; W; qe^«r'get 'the noticed for: the meetings except m a very short 'time before they w«'^eld> The !Bpard can lot elect withont, a recommen. dation from the Comunttee an^ they generally go upon such recommendation. It is a very, impprtant matteriri this ditfeict when we have the lowest average almost. When the/School will be lopenelJ:at Terraci^'End a certain amount of rivaJry will rip djbubit be created ; ) and .Sve should en« deavor to-secure thp best teacKer'we, can get'for the other, and [X (|p ! not now recollect, Jjitit I had certain objections to the qualifications of Mr,(T|rthrie. I came to tHe meeting not thinkahsrthe applicatiorg would be consjde^e4v:;T^e [Secretary had mope time mb^ binds ;an(l should endeavor to give us :^r«per I cannot atall^seewhy the iCKairmah should '; .! : The:Ch^i^art;t Th^vni^ht. pf our laft meeting whs the;pr6pei' pladp to make any objections., : .|f ;prqjwj^ftnd carriaa then the, meeting could have; been .postponed. After- the amendment .was ; loft il, staiod distinctly that I gave my ca'stinsr vote m favor of Mr jGrttihirle' .and against Mr Flobdi Everyone Jtjrejsieift^distinefly understood nie i-tp dp this, '' : Mr Woodrbdf? i> I hope that if our Secretary, is, to Remain* as : such lie will . make himself conversant with the Abfc Mr Wright :. Mi? VWeod^obfe eitlier msinuafes or says that I wrote to the Secretary ofjthe. B6ardo,c^lliri«»; attention to Miss Patersqn's, qualifications and also referring to jifiss ; Scofieidi^ jiji^jase of a male teacher* I» did', write to" the Board and recommended him as a fit person'to be appointed. Miss Pattersoa was sent,dow^n for theisch^f^oaiwro'te after she arrited sayihg'l was satisfied with her. ■•• "• • i; J Mr HoskinGfr: I do -< not see .'what fthis biisihess of the old. Committee has to do with the present olne. I signed the requisition rn'erely on acc|>nnt^if wishing, to h'av^^ oi?r^^actirins legalised;^ 7 1 ihiaye'nd doubt the Chairman .does not wfsh to act arbitrarily and tb'it proper course of .action would be an appeal to the Board, ; MJr Hawkins, m reply to the. Chairman : lam m the Barnef posiiipii as befqre. I hive'M f 46Mfc Witti eitner p^rt-yv 'derstand that other nahieg b§stdes those of Messrt Guthrle arid Ilood ;before the Comniittee, and pfrhaps I, shbiild have favoured qiie i of their applications. lam vtery ' glad thtt lam out of^his little squabble andl^don'twißhto enter into it/ 1 and I do that anything can be done. Bfr '^alton then proposed thatowihg to the illegali^r and informality pf their proceedings^at^ the •■last "meeting the recommendiflon be n.> called from the Board aiid the matter be considered afresh. ;' ' . sfr Woqdroiqfe seconded the proposi'tiOn... .. '; ;.J.-\ v -v; ;■.,'•;; : , ..1.-''}.:-:- ■: , The Chairman ruled the motion oat of -ordpr.-, ... V. ; . v „'.•.;■;,'■ \ ,\--x, : ■;.;■ -. Mr Walton, informed him it was his duty to put the proposition to ; the meet* "ill*?.. , , ':.■•". ,;.; ;.. ' ■:; „; ■; ..,•.;'■.. ' , '' " v ; The proceedings then terminated. 4 .