WAIHI HIGH SCHOOL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 101, 29 April 1913, Page 7

WAIHI HIGH SCHOOL.

A LIVELY ALTERCATION. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WAIHI, this day. A lively scfene Gccufred at the annual meeting of householders of the Waihi school district last evening. The chairman of the meeting (Rev. Mr. White) read an annual report of the Schools Committee, which was handed in by Messrs. Johnston and Comes, the retiring chairman and treasurer respectively of the committee. This report was a diil'erent one altogether to that issued by Mr. V. H. Potter (secretary of the committee) and handed by him to the Press for publication a few days previously. The new report contained the following clause, which was in direct opposition to the tenor of the first report, in regard to a reference made therein to the teacher of the High SchXSol (Mi3s Robertson): " Yonr committee is of opinion that a male teacher in charge of the HigTi School would be of advantage; it has approached the Board in. that direction, and the matter is now in the hands of the Education Board." Mr. Johnston said that the report appearing in the Press did not bear iiie stamp of the committee upon it. Mr. Potter (speaking heatedly), said he took Mr. Johnston's astion as a. direct insult, and proceeded to make certain personal references. The chairman interposed that they should have settled their differences in the committee room. Mr. Potter continued to make personal allegatloiia, but was called to order by the chair, and asked to withdraw them, which he did. Mi. Potter warmly urged that the allegations made to the Board in regard to the High School teacher were without foundation, and he was prepared to rebut them. He moved that the clause as above quoted be deleted from the report. A war-m discussion followed. In answer to a question, Mr. P6ttSr admitted that a report had been written by him and handed to the Press without the Committee's authority as a matter of form. Mr. Johnston said that the Committee (seven being present out of nine) agreed that a male teacher was desirable, and that he. should go to Auckland and interview the Board. He further alleged that discipline was not good, that the teacher (Miss Robertson) had overstepped her power, and ha 4 ignored the ieadinafeter; also that there had been ten failures in the matriculation examinations out of ■ten. Mr. Potter asserted that the teacher had the highest percentage of passes of ■high schools under the Board in the North Island, and .that the Inspector's report was very favourable. f> ( Mr. Potter's motion, on .being put to the meeting, was defeated by 49 to 29. Mr. Henry then moved the adoption of the report, which, after another heated debate, was carried on the voices. , During the debate it was stated that certain officials of the Board of Education bad admitted that they were not satisfied with the result of the High School, and suggested making South School into a High School under a 86&r3 of Oovprn«rs. as. owing to the decreased attendance three schools were not warranted.