HAMILTON WEST SCHOOL.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1194, 21 February 1880, Page 2

HAMILTON WEST SCHOOL.

A meeting of the Hamilton Wef-t School Committee was held yesterday to further consider the question of alleged interference with the discipline of the school by a person unauthorised by the committee. Present : The Chairman and Messrs Knox, O'Neill, Yon Stunner, Price, and George Edgecumbe. The clerk reported that he had written to the teacher of the school enclosing copy of resolution pat-aed at la-t meeting. The letter of the tsacher in reply to the re olution passed at the meeting of Tuesday, and publibhed in our laßt issue was then read as follows: — Hamilton, 18th February, 1880. To R. Gwynne, Esq., Chairman, Hamilton West School Committee. Dear sir, — I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of copy of resolution passed at recent meeting of committee re the funeral on the 16th inst. As lam unaware of a request being made to the children to attend the funeral, I beg the committee to favour me with a copy of the allegation referred to with the name of the person making such assertion, so that I can enquire into the matter.— l am, &c, |J. M. Murray, Hamilton West School, The letter was considered by the meeting as fencing the question at issue, as the letter sent to the teacher never referred to any request made to the children. The clerk explained that the teacher had confessed to him that Mrs Calder had asked him to allow the children to attend the funeral at 2 o'clock. The teacher then put the question to tke children whether they would go or not, and asked for a fchow of hands. The teacher's letter was stigmatised as disingeaoas and an insult to the committee, and an offence worse than the original charge Mr George Edgecumbe suggested that the clerk be instructed to write to the schoolmaster and request him for the future to refer any matter of interference with school discipline to the committee at once. Tho chairman said the teacher's let f er was no reply, and would rather propose that he be asked to read the letter of the committee over again and give a straightforward answer, bearing in mind the conversation which took place between hirfiself and Mr Knox. He did not think the letter should be received, as the committee had a right to expect a proper answer. The members present expressed their determination to b mp the matter to a point, as it was essential that the school discipline should not be interfered with. Mr i.-' Neill then moved, "That the teachers reply to the request contained in ! the resolution of che committee and forwarded to him on the 17fch instant, not being satisfactoiy, he be requested to read this resolution carefully, and having regard to his conversation with the clerk to the committee in the schoolroom on tho 16th instant, furnish the required particulars of the alleged request for the attendance of the children at a funeral on the 16th instant." Seconded by Mr. Knox. The motion was put by the chairman aud carried unanimously. The cler < was instructed to obtain a J copy of the regulations haviH«r respect to the discipline of the school and relations of the master with the committee. This was all the bu&iuess.