A "CHRISTIAN" DUTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 98, 27 April 1922, Page 4

A "CHRISTIAN" DUTY.

We do not remember anything of the kind quite so humorous as the comment of Mr. H. S. W. King, at the meeting of the Education Board yesterday, on the refusal of the Diocesan Trust Board to hand over as a gift to the Education Board land adjoining the St. Stephen's Xative School. Mr. Sine thought the Trust Board should make the Education Board a present of the property, and "expressed surprise that a body of Christian gentlemen should take up the attitude they did." The "Christian gentlemen.' , we are sure, will feel still more surprised that a member of an Education Board should so advocate a breach of trust. The attitude of the Education Board in this matter has been astounding. We can understand its desire to get the land for a school site. There may be nothing improper in asking the Trust Board if it U willing to s-ell, though proba-bly the Board, oven if it wae willing, could not do co without Parliament's permission. But the manner ia which certain members of the Board have suggested that the site should be handed over by the Trust Board in defiance of the terms of the trust almost takee one's breath away. These terms are plain, and the duty of the trustees is clear. The land wae oet aside for certain purposes, and the only possible justification for parting with it -would be that the trustees could make terms that would not be detrimental to the Trust now and in the future. To suggest that because a new school site is needed in Parnell these trustees should alienate property they are enjoined to protect is astonishing. To imply that the commission of such a breach of duty is especially incumbent on "Christian gentlemen" is amusing.