MR. T. R. FLEMING'S TRANSFER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3063, 26 April 1917, Page 3

MR. T. R. FLEMING'S TRANSFER

g ■ ■ ■ BOARD'S APPRECIATION OF SERVICES. .V The Education Board"had before it yesterday the official advieo from the Department of the impending transfer to Qtago of the senior inspector, Mr. 1 , . R. Fleming. ' " , The chairman (the Hon. J. G. W. Aitkon) 'said that ho regretted very much the loss of Mr. Fleming, for ho knew that' Mr. Fleming had always given his very best in the service of the board.. Hβ (Mr. Aitken) could not see how it could bo of advantage to tho. Department to transfer from his own •district an officer who had such a complete knowledge of tho sohools, tho teachers, and ■'(.he committees in tha't[ district, and it did not seem possible' that a .newcomer from another district could possibly discharge the duties of senior inspector in the Wellington district as well as Mr. Fleming.had done them. Hβ was sure that the Department, in taking this step, was proceeding on wrong principles. It was, a very much wiser and safer policy to leave officers undisturbed in their posts 60 long as' they were doing their work satisfactorily. He was suro he was expressing .tho opinion of tho board when he said that members would regret Mr. Fleming's departure exceedingly, and ho would also convey to Mr. Fleming their wish that ho might be as comfortable with the Otago board as ho had boon here. Mr. Aitken proposed' that tho framing of a suitable resolution setting forth appreciation of Mr. Fleming's services should be left to the chairman and tho secretary. Mr. E. P. Eishworth said that he endorsed fully all that the chairman had said jibout Mr. Fleming. It was a thousand pities that a man with the knowledge possessed by Mr. Fleming of the teaching staffs of this district— a knowledge that had come to him in his long be transferred to another district whero his fund of knowledge could not possibly be of so much value. In Wellington, by reason of _ his full knowledge, ho was able to give the board very valuable advice; and as a member of the board he had the greatest admiration for the strict impartiality and exact) care with which Mr. Fleming advised: the board, especially in the making of appointments. Other speakers were Messrs. A. \y. Hogg and W. Allan, each of whom paid most generous tributes to Mr. Fleming. Tho motion was carried. I The .chairmau said that after tho I meeting he would mako a proposal to | members to meet Mr. Fleming in a j social way before his departure. | Mr. Fleming replied very briefly, ] thanking the speakers and the board j for all that they had said about him. He was personally very sorry, to leave Wellington, but he felt it his duty to go to Duncdin as directed.