SCHOOL VACANCIES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XL, Issue 9200, 10 January 1920, Page 6

SCHOOL VACANCIES.

I

BOARD AND INSTITUTE.

(Per Press Association.)

CHRISTCHOKCH, January 9. •Mr E. H. Andrews (chairman of the Canterbury Education Board), at today's meeting of the board strongly condemned statements by Mr H. A. Parkinson, .secretary of the New.Zealand Educational Institute, at the conlerenee in Wellington, that "the largest four boards had made their districts 'watertight compartments, to which outside teachers could not gain admission," and that "the Wellington, Canterbury and Otago Boards made i:se of committees in order to shirk their responsibilities in the matter of appointments; they had made a practice or' sending to the committee three names of applicants, the committee not infrequently made a wrong choice and sometimes the committee had not the data upon which to make a proper appoitment."

Mr Andrews said that Mr Parkinson was entitled to his opinion, but should not make statements which, as far as the Canterbury 'Hoard was concerned, were, contrary .to fact. The statement that the Canterbury Board was a watertight compartment obviously was wrong. To refute it, it was necessary co go back only three months, and to refer to the Timaru school to which a. ■ lUa'rlborough teacher :V( ras appointed, to the Blackball School to. which a Nelson teacher was appointed, to the Normal School for which the bqard recommended a lecturer from Hawke's Bay, and to the Lincoln District High •School, to which an Otago man was appointed. There were innumerable smaller positions to which outsiders had been appointed.

Mr Andrews said that Mr Parkinson's attitude to the boards was very unfortunate. The institute was like a child crying for the moon. It said that tho boards should be abolished, but did not have anything to put in their places. He moved:—"That the New Zealand Educational Institute be called upon publicly t;6 dissociate itself from the statement made by its secretary, j-i' Parkinson, as appearing in the public Press, in regard to the appointments by the Canterbury Education Board."

Mr ■ Pev'erill seconded the motion

Mr T. Hughes said that words should be added to it, "as being prejudicial to the interests of education." Mr C. 8. Howard said that a statement had been made that was untrue and it should lie set right. The motion was carried unanimously.