CORRESPONDENCE. KIHIKIHI SCHOOL IMBROGILO.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1460, 10 November 1881, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE. KIHIKIHI SCHOOL IMBROGILO.

TO THE EDITOR Sir — As your readers residing at u di*tandfe from Kihikihi may not fully understand the conduct of our district school committee in suspending the head teacher and shutting 1 up the school for thrpo weeks, in face of definite and rtjeated instructions from the Board of Education, and the expresn demand of a large majority of householders permit me to saj a few words. The six gentlemen who compose the Kibikihi school committee, have devoted their energies for the lant eijjht monthß, to get me out of tbe committee, and Mr Mathieaon, the head master dismissed from the Board of Education as a teacher. Now, as Mr Mathieeon is a highly efficient teacher ; a man of really excellent moral character, and U giving and has given,- parents of pupils attending our school every satisfaction as a teacher, I have as a chairman of thin committee, opposed his removal from this Bchool district.on the grounds, that the charges brought against him by the committee were frivolous, and without foundation in fact. The struggle has been a long and severe one, and I have had to put up with much abuse and insolence, from a person who signs himself secretary to the nohool committee, because I would not comply with an often repeated request .to ask the Board for his (the teachers) removal. Laterly they closed the ficbon], per ding the charges preferred against the teacher beiug considered by, tt>9 Sowd Qt fitatiofl, The iMcO. lam

glad to say, have dismissed the charges, and have resolved to re-open the school, aa the following letter addressed to me as chairman of committee, dated the 4th mat. will show. Sir :—: — Iho Board requests that you will be good enough to take the nocesaary steps to re-open the school on Monday next. Please irstruot the teaohers accordingly, I am &c. Vincent. Rice, Sec. And now, with reference to the letter published in your issuo of Saturday last, «igned "Tiiith," It is compo-ed of fabrications and misstatements from beginning to end. The actual number of schoolgoinn children, waiting in t.he playgroud for the school to be opened on Monday last, was 28 boys and 27 girls, making 55 in all, " Truth" pays he could only oount 19. That is verylikely, for " Truth" came direot fiom Andersons public hou^e, and leaned against the playjjronnd fenco, while I was counting the pupils. Ihe number of pupils upon the school roll is 70. Tho average attendance for the month of September last, waH5l.6. Surely, therefore, there was nothing strange in 55 children out of a possible 70, attending Hohool upon the day alluded to, to demand admission to their school. They were a solemn protest agriin^tthe letter sont to tho Boaid of Education by tht committee stating that, the settlers did uot want tho wslvol opened with Mr Math icon aa teacher. Well might some nf the committee, look a little *eedy upon that occasion. The iest of " Truths" mi->statements, and fabrications, I shall consign to oblivion.- I am, &c, Forbes Goedon, Chairman, Kihikihi Suhool Committee.

In compliance with a request made to us by a Kihikihi correspondent wo publish tho following address' 1 !! Andrew Kay, Esq., Kihikihi, and signed by the St-ciPt-iry to fho Board of Education, Auckland: — Sir: I am diietted to ackn iwlod/G th» receipt of your letter of the 30th September, addieseed to the chairman of the Bwrnl, and havinsr refeienee tn the action of the district who'd committee in closing tho school. In reply lam dneotcd to ntate tha 1 " the Boaid lias already twice expressed to the committee its disapproval of the action taken by them, and has twice requested the com<nitte» to 10-open the *ohool. In CDiiscquencc of their non-compliance with tho Boaid" request, instructions have iiuw been si nt to the chiirman of the committee to direct the teicher to re-o, en the^chool on Mmi ay next (6th Nov )