LOYALTY IN SCHOOLS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17609, 11 November 1922, Page 12

LOYALTY IN SCHOOLS.

HON. C J. PARR SPEAKS OUT. THE WEPTZEL AND PABK CASES. (special to "the press.") AUCKLAND, November 10. A lively scene was ereated at the Avondale Town Hall last evening by an allusion to loyalty in schools, and his policy- in connexion therewith on the part of the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of Education. His remarks drew a good deal I of loud-voiced opposition from a small j section of the audience, including a woman. Mr Parr said he believed in inculcating into children a love of their , country and the Empire, and lovalty [to it. (Applause.) We had a great i and wonderful Empire, which might have made a few mistakes, but which always stood for truth,, right, liberty, and justice. We should do well to stick up for our Empire, and no.t sneer at it, as some people did to-" I day. "We are trying to teach the j children to love and be loyal to their | country," said Mr Parr, "and I have I asked the teachers to have them sing the National Anthem and salute the Union Jack once a week. Yet vou are told all thi3 rubbish about "machinemade loyalty. Is is going to .hurt vour children to sing the National Anthem!" (Voices: No.) Mr Parr: Is it going to hurt them to salute the Union Jack once a week? (Voices: No.) Mr Parr: No. Of course not. While I am Minister for Education I am going to see that the children of New Zealand are brought up to love and respect the Empire. The weekly ceremony I have referred to is carried out daily in Victoria and other countries. Continuing, Mr Parr said he was equally anxious to see that the teachers in the schools were men and women who would teach the children along the right lines. He had been criticised because he was said to have been "rough" on two teachers in Wellington. He would tell them about Miss Weitzel. A training college teacher ■was brought tip in the Police Court on a charge of sedition and disloyalty. The evidence was to the effect that she had been acting as the literature agent for the Communists Club. The Com-, munists were "out and outers." They believed in mass revolution. These Communists in Wellington then had this lady selling the Communist newspaper. In it was the "hottest stuff" he had ever read. A woman: She asked the permission of the Minister for Internal Affairs and got no reply. Mr Parr: This paper advocated revolution and bloodshed, and the murder of everyone who opposed the proletariat. The woman: Absolute lies. Mr Parr: Miss Weitzel was fined £lO by the magistrate for sedition, and the Board of Education dismissed her. i A voice: Mr Mason did not tell us that. The woman: Because he told us the truth and you ar£ telling' lies. Mr Parr: Would anyone here care to have their children taught by a teacher who was disloyal, a member of a Communist Club, who sold a paper advocating murder? (Cries of "No," and applause, mingled with excited' ejaculations by the woman interjector.) Of course some people in the, hall were up against the. only about a dozen of them—but hie" left it to the rest of the audience whether he was right or not in the case of Miss Weitzel.. (Applause and cries of "What about Miss.Park V') 1 ,., Mr Parr said that' Miss Park'was'a' teacher who wrote to a paper and' sympathised :with Miss Weitzel. The woman: She was entitled to. Are you the Kajser with your Prussianismt (Uproar.) Mr Parr went on to say that Miss Park was teaching in a school at the time, and the school committee complained. They said they did not want their children taught by anyone of un-British tendencies. The Education Board made an enquiry, and refused to remove her. The judge held that a regulation 50 years old was invalid. The Education Board had eventually removed Miss Park to another school, she having given in writing a jjromise to obey her headmaster. Mr Parr said he was not vindictive, and did not desire to go further in the matter, Miss Park having given assurance of her loyalty and good faith. (Applause.) Mr Parr then passed on to other topics. ' ■ ■