THE SHORTHAND EXAMINATIONS

Evening Post, Volume LV, Issue 101, 30 April 1898, Page 2

THE SHORTHAND EXAMINATIONS

4 TO THE EDITOR. Sir — We shall be glad if you will allow us space in your columns to reply to C. J. Carr's letter of the 18th inst., as its general tenor is misleading. Firstly— No. 4of Pitman's rules distinctly states that a shorthand teacher may act as reader. Secondly — The Christchurch teaohers do read at the examinations of the Shorthand Writers' Association there. Thirdly (as to teachers having the "choice of nominating examiners") — No teacher has anything whatever to do with it The Examining.Committee is selected by th« Association, and their names, according tc Pitman's regulations, have to be sent tc England for approval by the firm. Fourthly — No teacher had anything to do with tht I management of the last examination. Mr. Fleming had instructions from the Committee to find suitable rooms, and to ask Mr. Whyte to act as reader. Mr. Whyte was, for the time being, simply a servant of the Association, and acted only as reader and no further, and has acted in this capacitj r on all previous occasions except two. Miss Carr's pupils were present at the examination to the number of about 10, and it would be useful to ask these " pupils of Miss Carr's school who did attend ah examination in another school " whether they were treated differently from anyone else, or if, under the circumstances, such a thing could be, considering it was impossible to distinguish them from the pupils of other schools, who were also present. Some of the candidates who were not pupils of Mr. Whyte expressed themselves as very well pleased with the conduct of the examination." Fifthly — The Association's own rooms are not suitable for a shorthand examination, nor were they available. Sixthly — We beg to state that the Association is not connected with any particular teacher. We have had as many as four teachers, members of the Association, at one and the same time, aud they were very good friends. We altogether deprecate thefspirit in which the letter under reply is written. We would draw attention to the fact that all persons — teachers or otherwise —are eligible for membership of the Association who can write Pitman's shorthand at the rate of 50 words a minute, or have a thorough knowledge of the " Manual." We are &c, The Committee op the Wellington Shorthand Writers' Association. Wellington, 24th April, 1898.