BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 106, 7 May 1896, Page 4

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

THE DISPUTED CHAIRMANSHIP.'

After wo went to press yesterday the unseemly wrangling in connection with the Chairmanship was continued. Mr Muir said the reason why Mr Udy wse sticking to the chair like a barnacle was sufficiently obvious. Mr Udy demanded that he should explain what he meant.

Mr Muir proceeded to pay that he had been making an examination of the books of the Board. When Mr Wilding was a member he had moved that the Chairman be requested to submit a statement of the incidental expenses incurred by him during the previous twelve months. That was oft. the 10th April, 1894, and he had never seep that statement submitted; but he found on looking at' the voucher book a statement shewing the Chairman's expenses between April 10th, 1893, and April 10th, 189., amounted to £27 5s 6d. Whether Mr.Uiiy was right in receiving that sum or nofr^ he ought to have submitted that statement to the Board. Then, in October, 1893. Mir Udy had received a cheque' fpv^l^ijQi; Why was thai nob included in the; £27 5s 6d, which was supposed -to hava covered the whole; of his expenses■>? Mr Muir further said that sOme 6iE_te^ago the case of a teacher was brought befOro the Board, and a very bad report was submitted, and it was decided that the teacher should be cautioned. When the next roporta came up, however, it was found thab this teacher's salary had been increased by 10s. It was known tliab he had been very active in the preceding election. Mr Muir spoke at further length, and said he considered that there ought to be an inquiry into these matters.

Mr Udy'said, in justice to himself, he might say that during the five years ho had been Chairman ot bhe Board he could tell every day he had spent in the service of the Board, and every .sixpence he had epenjb^ and he would cay most emphatically that every penny had been properly spent. Beyond what the Chairman was reasonably entitled to, he had not received one penny. He j3ou.d produce a statement showing the times and places where he had been doing the work of the Board, and every sixpence he had spent. He defied anyone to find a single instance in which any money had been spent improperly while be Was Chairman of that Board. With regard to the £1 Os lOd, ib had been kept separate because it represented a joist expenditure incurred io a journey made by himself and Mr Theo. Cooper on the business of the Board. Mr Udy further said that he had no intention to keep the chair. He was remaining in it because of Sir Rober. Stout's opinion. If that had been to the effect that he was no longer chairman he would not have remained there one single minute. He was quite content that the matter should be referred to the proper tribunal bo be decided, but he refused to vacate the chair at the pi event stage. Mr Luke to Mr Muir : You have made a charge of dishonesty. That is what i* amounts to.

Mr Lambe : It is not.

Mr Muir : I do nob charge him with dishonesty.

Mr Luke : You dare not do it, but you do so by inference. It is scandalous.

Mr Udy said the Chairman's expenses had been submitted to the Accounts Committee month by month, and had been passed by them. He pointed out also that when be came there he had simply charged 6d for the 'bus, and that when he had lunch he had always charged only Is 3d, whereas other members had always taken 2s 6d. He was quite prepared to submit the whole of the accounts from the first day he had sab aa chairman.

Mr Muir said that accounts ought to have been submitted to the Board.

Mr Luke: Let Mr Muir give a notice of motion and then he can hare an inquiry.

Mr Muir: 1 will do nothing of the sort.

Mr Udy : As far as my actions are concerned they will bear the strict light of day. I have nothing to fear in having the matter inquired into and 1 wish the membeis to clearly understand this. 1 em nob a candidate for this chair, and the only reason I took ib last week was to prevent a deadlock.

Vouchers were produced by the Secretary showing amounts paid to Mr Udy at the time complained of by Mr Muir, and that the amounts had been duly certified and passed by the Board. After some further discussion the Board unanimously agreed to adjourn until Wednesday nexb ab 10.30 a.m.