EDUCATIONAL INQUIRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 104, 3 May 1900, Page 3

EDUCATIONAL INQUIRY.

■: « — THE NEWMARKET SCHOOL. After we went to press yesterday rfteraoon Ihe Board of Education inciuiry into the circumstances atSE the selection of headmaster for the Newmarket public school was conned in the Board-room, Mr L. J. it Mr Stewart who came round with Mr Ferguson to see you that evening you spoke of? yMr Caston: No, it was not. No one mnnected with the schools at all. £ Lambe: Did you expect Mr FerNo, I did not. Mr Walter Oliffe, member of the lat e Committee of Newmarket said £ was one of those who protested hain't Mr Bishop voting, and also n the "rounds of Mr O'Donoghue classing. Mr O'Donoghue came to Souse and said that if he came to Newmarket he would lose_ £50in year, Lt thought he would raise the state X? school. Witness told him that he would not promise any candidate hut that he wanted to see the best: Sn get in. Mr O'Donoghue d)d not t^swe/rMr^ier, Mr Oliffe said he thought canvassing- meant sneaking to a man on the subject of the applications, not actually asking- a man for his vote. Mr Napier: You do not accuse Air O'Donoghue of soliciting- your support? r Mr Oliffe: No. In answer to questions Mr Oliffe said "Mr Ferguson did not bring the dratt protest with him to Mr Caston's house. Mr Napier: Did Mr Ferguson say Mr Stewart had sent him? 5 Mr Oliffe: No. He did not say: "If you make a charge against Mr O'Donoghue a new teacher will be appointed? No. Mr Oliffe, the second witness, was asked by Mr Farrell: Did it not strike you as peculiar that a complete stranger like Mr Ferguson should come into Mr Caston's house when the rest of you were there, and assist you in framing that protest against Mr O'Donoghue? Mr Oliffe said Mr Ferguson came in •with a friend, and that he assisted simply because lie could write a better hand than the others. Mr "W. J. Napier, commenting on the written protest of the minority, asked if there was "any regulation requiring members of School Committees to pass the second standard?" TheChainnan said that even members of the Board were not required to pass. . Mr J. McColl, ex-chairman of the Committee, was called. He said in answer to a question as to whether he had been canvassed by Mr O'Donoghue, that he could not eall^ it canvassing. Mr O'Donoghue visited him at his shop, but the conversation, was only an ordinary one. Mr O'Donoghue did not ask for any support •whatever; there was no solicitation. Six applicants visited him (Mr McColl), "but none of them actually asked for his-support or vote. As to the question of Mr Bishop's status, even if Mr Bishop had been ruled ineligible to vote, he (Mr McColl) would have given his casting vote for Mr O'Donoghue, because he thought the gentleman was the best man for the position. A resolution was carried at a committee meeting stating that no undue influence had been brought to bear on the Committee by Mr O'Donoghue. •Mr Foster another committee-man, said he had been spoken to by Mr O'Donoghue, but his actual vote had not been solicited. At the meeting at Mr Caston's house at night Mr Ferguson was present. Mr Ferguson said he was secretary. of the Educational Institute, and reports had reached the teachers' body that some unfair work was being done, and it would be inquired into in the interests of the teachers. During the day Mr Ferguson Went to see witness, and said that if there was any truth about the reports going round the Teachers' Institute would take the matter up. At the night meeting Mr Fergruson simply wrote tie letter of protest for the gentlemen present; he took no part in the discussion. Mr A. Menzies, a late member of the Committee, said that prior to the election Mr O'Donoghue called on him, and said he was an applicant for the 6chool. He asked witness about his tioya, and said he O'Donojjhne) was a personal friend of the Hon. Mr Ward, and had great influence with that gentleman. Mr O'Dona-ghue did not ask Mm for his vote. When "witness said that two of his boys had gone to Mr O'Donoghue's sahool, his caller said that of course then witness could speak in his favour. Mr O'Donoghue endeavoured to lead witness to believe that he could get the boys into the railway through his influence with the Hon.. Mr Ward. He said be had great influence, but he (Mr Menzies)_ did not believe that. Some other applicants called and saw witness, but they did not go as far as Mr O'Donoghue. Considerable discussion took plaoe at this stage as to the correctness or otherwise of the Committee's minutes regarding the "no undue influence" resolution. Mr William Webber, a member of the late Committee, gave evidence in regard to the minutes while he was acting as secretary to the Committee. The resolution that there was no undue infl Dence use^ \,j j,i r O'Donoghue was carried at the Committee meeting. Mr O'Donoghue called on witness, but did not use any undue influence. Mr O'Donoghue said he would leave the Committee to judge from his testimonials. Several other candidates called, but did not canvass, and neither did Mr O'Donoghue. A young man who represented himself as the secretary of the Educational Institute called on witness on Wednesday, April 4th, between 10 and 11 a.m., and asked now many times Mr Bishop had been absent from committee meetings. He did not get the information. Mr Harris, another member of the committee said Mr O'Donoghue saw him, but did not ask him to vote. Mr G. Squirrell, Chairman of City Schools Committee, said that he granted leave of absence to Mr Ferguson ior half a day on April 4 to go to Newmarket as representative of the Educational Institute to see some of the members of the School Committee about the appointment of Mr O'DonogMr Stewart, head master of Welles- ■ ley-street school, said he inserted "im-! portant private business" as a1 M aS°S for absence when filling in ; ™x Ferguson's request for leave oi aosence. He considered that a man might make private enquiries into what was really public business. | Mr Ferguson, assistant at the Wei-: ""fey-street school, said he had heard i ■peat many rumours about the ap- : ■ £™? nt Mr. O'Donoghue, and he ! sWJV* ri *ht that Institute ' «feS *nform<^. and that he, as 1 X y> Should find out whether ] w*ae rumours were true or not. j 1

! In answer to Dr. McArthur, Mr Ferguson refused to give the name of his informant. He would not say whether he was a teacher or not. His mission to Newmarket failed, and he took no further steps. The business of tliQ Institute was not his own "private business," but he was acting in the interests of the Institute, of the Board and for the sake of purity of administration. In answer to Mr W. J. Napier, Mr Ferguson said he could not get any charges substantiated against Mr O'Donoghue. Xo action would have been taken if Mr O'Donoghue did not get the appointment. ■ Mr Napier: It would only be in the case of misconduct succeeding that you would make a fuss? I Mr Ferguson: No, if you put it in [that way. ! In answer to further questions, Mr ! Ferguson said his presence in Mr Casj ton's house when the protest to the i Board was drawn up was a pure accident. He did not draft any" letter to the "Star" or "Herald" to be signed by other persons. Mr O'Donoo-hue was not a member of the Educational Institute. The Board, after discussing the matter in committee, decided that the charges of canvassing were not sustained. Tt was resolved to obtain the opinion of the Board's legal adviser as to whether the Board had to consult the new committee as to the appointment, or simply confirm the appointment of Mr O'Donoghue. The meeting was accordingly adjourned.