Page 6 Advertisements Column 2

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 132, 27 January 1932, Page 6

Monday evening he explained what he had done in the matter. Facts Not Fully Known He said that the Education Department were not fully advised as fco the facts of the case and that the Minister knew very little about the appointment. The Minister explained that when the Finance Act was put through, provision was made that headmasters of schools who lost their posts should be appointed to other schools whenever there were vacancies. Mr. Clinkard, however, merely asked that the ordinary procedure of appointing a master to a school be maintained. The Minister then asked Mr Clinkard to see Mr. T. B. Strong, the Director of Education. The member explained to Mr. Strong that he was anxious that no further move be made in the transfer of the proposed appointee until the matter was finalised, and he also ascertained from Mr. Strong that he had gone only partially into the question. Mr. Clinkard explained that the board desired to make its own selection of a headmaster, which was the usual procedure, and that they required a man with special qualifications to fill the position. He pointed out that the other teachers at the school could not take Mr. Ryder's place in teaching science and agricultural subjects.

Not Qualified The gentleman appointed by the Department, he said, was not qualified for this post. The board had nothing against this gentleman personally, but objected to his appointment purely on the grounds of his. qualifications, which according to the Department's own statement classed him as unsuitable to deal with certain subjects which were most important to the school's progress. Mr. Strong said that he had not realised the position and would consider it again and let Mr. Clinkard know the result the f ollowing day. The result of the revision was entirely satisfactory and a letter was reeeived later by the board to the effect that the Department now reeognised that the new principal of the school must be capable of teaching science subjects and developing a course in agriculture. The Department also agreed that the appointee chosen was not suitable and stated that the board would now be able to consider the applications in the usual manner.

At the conclusion of Mr. Clinkard's explanation the chairman of the board, Mr. R. B. Nesbit, thanlced him for what he had done and for the promptness with which he had taken up their case. A vote of thanks was then moved by the chairman and seconded by Mr H. M. Martin, for the able manner in which Mr. Clinkard had represented the High School Board in its negotiations with the Education Department in the appointment of a headmaster for the Rotorua High School. The motion was carried unanimously and was ordered to be recorded in the minutes. Mr. Clinkard replied that he was pleased that his service had been successful. He said that what he had done was not only for the board, but also for the school and for Rotorua as a whole.