OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 November 1939, Page 4

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

DENTAL CLINIC FEES (To the Editor.) Sir,—We have been asked by the Masterton Head Teachers’ Association to reply to Mr A. Owen Jones’s letter in your issue of today’s date. We regret exceedingly that Mr Owen Jones should have made the statement he did with reference to the alleged non-co-operation of the head teachers with the Dental Clinic Committee. We feel that, before a public man makes a statement, he should verify his facts and if by any chance he finds he has been misled he should withdraw the statement. We state most emphatically that no head teacher at present in charge of a Masterton school has ever refused a fee or has ever objected to receiving fees. Mr Owen Jones has adopted an old device to try to justify himself. He has chosen to give to the term “co-opera-tion” a meaning that suits himself. This is just a little too thin. Actually, the head teachers were asked to receive fees and this they have loyally done. In addition they have assisted to raise funds to help the Dental ClinicCommittee, though they had no need to do so. Thus they have co-operated loyally. The Head Teachers’ Association would like it made clear that they have no say in the matter when it is decided whether a clinic be set up dr not. They also feel that it is not a failproposition to place the burden of guaranteeing the fees upon their shoulders. They feel sure that this is not the desire of the Dental Clinic Committee.

We should like to call upon Mr Owen Jones to be the good fellow we believe him to be and to withdraw his statement accusing the head teachers of non-co-operation. —Yours, etc., E. G. CODDINGTON (President). J.W.T. JONES (Secretary). Masterton, November 13.