MB J. P. VAUSE'S LETTER.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 280, 11 July 1888, Page 2

MB J. P. VA USE'S LETTER.

TriE following is a copy oE the letter from our local postmaster Mr J. P. Vause, dealt with at the meeting oF the Board of Education on Friday lnsf, nud referred to in our telegrams in last issue :—: — "Te Aroha, 4th July. Gentlemen, — I respectfully beg to ask whether Chinese children are admitted into our public schools ; and, if not, whether you are aware that a Chinese- boy is now attending the Te Aroha public school (apparently with the sanction oF the school committee, as no notice has been taken by them of the matter), having commenced to attend en Monday last ? • I make this enquiry on behalf of myself and other parents of children attending the school, who strongly protest against being compelled to have our children associate with such loathsome and objectionable characters as the Chinese, more especially as in the case of the boy I refer to ; ho is the adopted protege of a Chinese gardener, who lives in squalid filth in a small shanty about five feet square, known to be a den of opiumsmoking and other vices, and to come within a few yards of c ther him or the boy is absolutely unpleasant. lam not aware whether your JBoaid has the power to prohibit Chinese children from attending the school. If it has, I earnestly trust that in this case thut power may be at once exercised, both for the <*ake of the prosperity of the school and For the welfare of those European children nttendirg it." Mr Lennox moved, " That the letter be referred to the committee." The Chairman said the Act was explicit enough, and gave the teacher power to deal with the matter. Section 87 of the Education Act of 1877 reads ns follows: — "It shall be lawful for the teacher of any school to expel or forbid the a I tendance of any child for want of cleanliness, and who may be likely to communicate any contagious disease, or who from gross misconduct or incorrigible disobedience may be considered an injurious or danGferous example to the other scholars. The parent or guardian of any child so expelled, or whose attendance has been forbidden, shall have a ritfht to appeal, first to the committee, and finally to the Board of the district." The letter was referred accordingly to the committee, the secretary of the Board being asked to draw the committee's attention to the above clause.