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North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8167, 23 April 1895, Page 1

thing I " perfectly well know " to be contrary to fact, and I am conscious tho board ought not to have in its employment anyone who does so. My telegram was in reply to the following one, received on Thursday night from tho secretary : "Inquiry into your complaints against inspectors will begin here on Tuesday first at 2 o'clock." This, I presume, was in reply to a letter of mine to tho chairman respectfully requesting the board to proceed with tho inquiry as I was shortly to resign. It is now three months since I received notice from the secretary that a committeo of Messrs Clark, Mackenzie, and yourself were appointed " to visit Waiareka and hold »n inquiry into tho various matters arising oue of tho committee's request for a change of t tocher. Almost three months ago I asked for timely notice of tho inquiry that T wight havo my witnesses fonvard. Though I waited here at your call duiing tho whole six weeks of my holidays, not a word did I receive till in reply to my neccsary request I received the secretary's telegram on Thursday night. And now suddenly, in apparent resentment at my respectful request, I am summoned, when confined to Bchool, on the scantiest notice to appear at tho Education Office without witnesses and in the absence of the press. Not one word did his telegram Bay about evidonce. I called that a " secret inquiry," as opposed to the inquiry fiist ordered by tho bou'd to be held where tho evidence is available, in tho presence, if not of the press, yob of tho school committee and public interested. Tho wholo language of my telegram was, I submit, warrantable, and my uao of tho word " secret " made with discrimination and accuracy. Secondly, you say, "Tho inquiry is the result of your own accusations, and you cannot complain if wo hold same here." You will pardon my saying I am concorned only with the board's decision as to the place of the inquiry and not with any reasons for altering that decision, especially as these reasons were equally cogent three months ago when tho board knowing them, ordered tho inquiry hero. I am really not informed that the board has authorised tho inquiry in Dunedin, and tho languago of your telegram seems to imply that your are responsible for tho change, else it would be quite needless to express your opinion to mo on the justice of the board's action. You say, ''The inquiry 19 the rosult of my own Rccusa* tions." Allow me to bo accurate. Tho. inquiry is the result of circumstances ovor which I had no control — tho actions of the inspector, of tho late committoo, and the board, which specially invited mo uto favor it with any remarks concorning the inspector's report, which I might think it necessary or desircable to ofler." I, therefore, made a number of statements — Mr Goyen subsequently made them ' charges ' — which, knowing them to be true, I should have been a poltroon not to make. The board then had Mr Goyon's statement of nearly seven pages foolscap. Having heard him, tho board deemed an inquiry necessary, as there was evidently, 1 am entitled to say a prima facie case, that tho inspector's statement had not rebutted mine. Th^b being so, 1 believe I became immediately entitled as much to the protection of the board as the inspector, as we aro both itn servants. Your telegram Uan index of tho amount of protection afforded mo. Tf tha board deemed an inquiry necessary that inquiry must bo hold where tho evidence is available, as tho board ovi* dently believed when it appointed your commi'teo to visit Waiareka to enquire Thirdly, as to evidence, you now say» only in answer to my telegram referred to, that yon " will accept declaration of witnesses as evidence." In tho time at my disposal it were impossible for mo to collect declarations, and I do not know what you would c ill a valid declaration. I undcrtiko to produce the witnesses on tho spot. You can examine them. And I respectfully declino to projutlico my case by what might be termed a hole-and-corner collecting of evidence by myself. After I received your telegram I received a memorandum from tho secretary announcing that "it will bo necessary for mo hiid my witnesses to bo present " in Dunedm. In viow of tho satirical announcement of the secretary and your contradiction of it, it will bo allowable for mo to \tuit till I know what c.iurso the boird has really resolved on. Lastly, you threaten me that ** if I decline to attend you will give judgment on evidence avail tblu." Why a judge in this edse should threaten me I don't know. I lud not stud I declined to attend, 1 only respectfully protested against tho now course proposed ; and your throat through the telegraph is hardly becoming the dignity of tho board if addressed by it to a solitary teaoher over 80 miles from Dunediu. YBiir throat to givo judgement without hearing evidence does not disturb me — in fact, does not concern mo, — for I am interested only ;it\ tho juti&xient of justice pronounced after hearing evidence where v can ba produced. If, therefore, after throe months doUy to inquire on tho spof as ordered at first by the board,

yau give judgment on TueHcl iy in my necessary absonci\ I respectfully inform you that to mo thorc is tho consolation afforded by a knowledgo of iho fnct i h it there is a final court ot nppoil which will hear evidence before judgment, and by the judgment of tint Court I will abiilc — I havo the honor to bo, Bir, yours respectfully, P. B. Fkaw:k.

On the 26th Match Mr 3. F. M. Frisor wrote giving it as his opinion that the u>o of the word "secret" was intentioutlly discourteous, to which Mr P. B. FiMsor ropliod, denying that it was bo used.

(Copy.) Weston, 2nd April, 18D.">. The Secretary Education Ofltco, Dunodin. Sir, — I beg to acknowledge receipt of your memorandum of the 2(5- h ult , written by direction r>f the Commit too of Inquiry, in which you say that the committed havo ovory dosiro to givo mo an opportunity of. collecting and submitting evidence, and havo accordingly aJjourned till to-morrow, the 3rd inst. I beg respectfully to inform tho committee that I havo ruado no attempt, and shall make no attempt, to produce what might readily bo turmod uvidenco collected in a holo-and-cornov fashion, written at my direction or for my benefit. I am ready to produce witnesses. Thi-y will be open for exninination. and I cannot compel their attendaoco in Duuodin, even if their expenses should bo paid, which havo never been offered. If tho committee wishes to learn tho whole truth it can be learned on the spot, whero witnesses on both sides are open for examination. I thorofnro trust that tho committee will see that, while I am most anxious to moot thoir convenience in every way, I could in no ciicumstancos go to Dunedin with evidence of tho kind referred to, or outer any inquiry in which I could not examine tho witnesses of tho other aide. Further, regaiding tho place of inquiry, I abido by the order of tho Board, which appointed tho inquiry hero. — I havo, etc., P, U, Fkasbk.