ALIEN ENEMY TEACHERS BILL

Evening Post, Volume xc, Issue 79, 1 October 1915, Page 2

ALIEN ENEMY TEACHERS BILL

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — This is a small but important measure tha-t contains some most objectionable features (1) It discriminates against persons who happen to be employed in this country by bodies supported directly or indirectly by public revenues But if an enemy alien is not to be ' allowed to starve, he must either support himself or be supported by others j it is immaterial for national and economic purposes whether he ' is paid, indirectly, by a State Department or, directly, by a private employer. (2)- It discriminates against a class of persons — teachers. Enemy_ aliens in other walks of life are to be given the privileges contained in the proclamation issued at the beginning of the war, but the privileges are to be summarily withdrawn from, teachers. It will be still possible for a. teacher, dismissed under this Bill, to obtain work from a farmer who obtains money from the public revenues by the free carriage of stock, lime, etc., on the Government railways. (3) It discriminates against any subjects of our Allies and of neutrals who at any time have been subjects of a, State with which we are now at war Imagine a German of the past generation, taking his boy to America with him, settling there and becoming an American citizen If the boy subsequently came to New Zealand and entered the teaching profession, he, though an American citizen, would be dismissed under the provisions of this Bill. (4) It aims the most fatal blow at the freedom of our educational institutions. If the governors of these institutions are to have their work interfered with by political catch-cries and political expediency, is it reasonable to expect that men of independence and experience will devote their time gratuitously to the work of the administration of our educational institutions? (5) It aims a smashing blow at the principle of justice It enunciates the principle that agreements are "scraps of paper," and may be torn up as poli- j tical expediency demands And it <Toes j so -with as brutal disregard of the interests of the victims as any Prussian could desire Clause 2of this obnoxious measure provides that the governing body shall break its agreement with its teachers and may give compensation not" exceeding the equivalent of one year's salary Has the Government considered the agreements of persons who will be affected V Does it know that this arrangement equitably -meets the cases? It is safe to say the Government knows nothing of these things tlt is simply running amok, firing at random. If a governing body, being legally entitled to break its agreement, does so without giving any compensation, what does the Bill provide' That all persons so j shamelessly and unjustly treated shall be robbed of the legal rights that at- the i present time they enjoy along with j their business compatriote (6) It provides (clause 4) that any in stitution that is not so unfortunate as to have a body of governors prepared to carry out measures so odious in themselves and so contrary to British tradition, shall not receive any revenues out of the public revenues. I trust there are some institutions in New Zealand prepared to close their doors rather than disgrace themselves in the manner prescribed by political expediency The iniquitous nature of these proposals surely shows that they have originated either in r political panic or in a local edition of the "Hymn of Hate." I sincerely trust it is the former; that Parliament will come to itself and that a part of the British Empire will not be disgraced by being associated with the Prussian method of making war on the innocent and inoffensive. — I am, etc., T A. HUNTER. 28th September