WAIMATE ON THE EDUCATION BOARD.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2372, 23 October 1880, Page 2

WAIMATE ON THE EDUCATION BOARD.

SECOND EDITION

A largely attended meeting of householders was held in the Waimate School on Thursday evening, the Mayor of Waimate presiding. The object of the meeting, which was to consider the dispute between the Education Board and the Waimate School Committee re the appointment of a mistress, was explained at considerable length by Mr Sinclair on behalf of the Committee. Several of the speakers who followed expressed the opinion that the Board by their action had ignored the clause of the Education Act, which provides for the Committee being consulted as to appointments.

The Bev Mr Lindsay, Messrs P. W. Stewart, Hawkins, Clement, Hillery and Sellers, strongly supported the action of the Committee and the following resolutions were carried —“ That this meeting after hearing the facts in reference, to the action of the Committee and the Board, in the appointment of a head mistress to the Waimate school, fully endorses the action of the Committee in the matter, and considers the conduct of the Board unjust and repugnant to the Act; and, feeling aggrieved thinks that a complaint should be made to the Minister for Education. That the Chairman of the meeting be requested to forward a copy of the foregoing to the Chairman of the School Committee with a request that he forward the resolution to the Board and the Minister.”

“That this meeting is of opinion that the action of the Board is an infringement of the privileges of the committee and unjust towards one of the applicants for the reasons following, viz : “ (1) Because the whole of the applications were not sent to the Committee.

“ (2) Because the teacher recommended by the Committee held a higher sholastic status than that of any other applicant submitted to the Committee, and was gazetted as' possessing equal teaching powers to the teacher appointed. “ (3) Because the Board arbitrarily appointed a teacher contrary to the wishes of the Committee.

“ (1) Because the present appointment would be detrimental to the best interests of the school, by creating a spirit of jealousy among the female teachers in the school, and otherwise. ’ “ That this resolution be forwarded with the foregoing to the Minister for Education, and that a copy thereof be forwarded to the Hoard of Education with a respectful request on behalf of this meeting to reconsider the matter and call for fresh applications.” “ That copies of the resolutions already passed be forwarded to Miss Cramond, in order that that lady may be informed of the views of the householders, and in the hope that she will see it to be inexpedient to accept the appointment of head misstres under the circumstances.”

“ That in the opinion of this meeting, the functions of School Committees are not sudiciently defined by the Education Act, particularly’ with reference to the appointment of teachers. And this meeting pledges itself to support a petition to the Minister for Education, asking the Government to amend the Act in oaler to prevent the recurrence of circumstances such as are disclosed in the matter of the late appointment of head mistress.