CAN A TEACHER BE AN EDITOR.

Evening Star, Issue 10882, 16 March 1899, Page 3

CAN A TEACHER BE AN EDITOR.

The following correspondence was read at to-day’s meeting of the Education Board in connection with Mr A. Warburton’s (headmaster of the Cromwell School) interest in the ‘ Cromwell Argus ’: — Cromwell, 6th March, 1899. Sir,—ln reply to youn of the 15th ult, enclosing copy of a letter from the Cromwell School Committee accusing of acting as editor for the ‘ Cromwell Argos,’ a beg to state that during the seven weeks’ holiday which I had this year I gave a little assistance in the office, and, seeing that my time was my own, I fail to conceive how my so doing can be regarded as detrimental to the interests of the school. I would like the Committee to prove that, since the pt—ing of the Board’s resolution, I have don#any canvassing for the paper, for I have, even refused to take orders offered me in the street, and referred the people to my partner. I admit having retried a meeting of the Borough Council, but as the circumstances were exceptional I am sure the Board will exonerate me from blame in the matter, as it was an emergency caused by the sudden illness of my partner’s father. I now turn to another phase of the question. I have, in good faith, and after taking legal advice, purchased a share in a business, and have a lot at stake in it; and it is only natural for a man to take a lively interest in a business in which he holds a half share. Suppose, for instance, I had a share in a dredge, would the Board or the Committee say that I had no right to go aboard that dredge, to take an interest in its management, or in my spare time to work a shift? Yet because the line of investment I have chosen does not suit the ideas of a few local people I am, if their demands are granted in the way they want them granted, to be deprived of the right to make a particular investment, or to spend my spare time, if I so wish it, in a manner profitable to myself and not injurious to the school; foe the Board can easily see by the pertinacity of the C\ umittee that if they could bring any charge against me they would do so. lam not the only teacher in the Board’s service that does, 9P-> of his school houds, something for his own advantage. Well-known teachers in the Board’s service act as directors of dredging companies, railway companies, and building societies, and I do not suppose that they forego their fees. Nor am I the only teacher connected, more or less intimately, with the Press. There is hardly a teacher in New Zealand that does not write for the papers. If I am to be debarred from taking a supervisory interest in a business in which I hold a full half share I should think that, as a natural and logical consequence, others are doing what they have no right to do in acting as directors of companies. It has been urged that I am a public servant competing with private enterprise; but it is the other way about—private enterprise is competing against me, and began to do some time after I had purchased my share of the ' Argus ’; and my own opinion is that if it were not for this competition such a fuss would not be made over this matter. I have sent a letter to the Committee, of which I enclose coov, and shall post as soon as I get their reply.— A. Warburton. Cromwell, March Bth, 1899. Sir, —At the last meeting of the Cromwell School Committee the enclosed letter from Mr Warburton Wqs recpiyed, and I am instructed to forward same to you, with resolution passed at meeting in reference to same—yiz.: “ That a copy of Mr Warburton’s letter be sent to the Otago Education Board, and the Committee strongly protest against the uncalled for and ungentletnenly remarks contained in the letter. The pommitfee also wish further to state that their action in this matter throughout was conducive to the best educational interests of the Cromwell Public School.” The following resolution was also passed at same meeting: —“ That memo, of 15/2/99 be received, and that the Committee respectfully request the Board to for : ward Mr Warburton’s reply to the facts stated fyvthe Committee in their letter of February 0, 1899, as the Committee have conclusive proofs of such facts winch can be tendered to the Board.— Alex. Williamson, Clerk. ‘ ’Cromwell, 6th March, 1899. Sir, —The Cromwell School Committee haying of late evinced a great interest in my private affairs, and having kept a paternal eye on all ray actions, I would be exceedingly obliged were the said Committee to quote the section or sections of the Education Act, or the regulation or regulations made thereunder, that enable, authorise, or empower school committees to interfere with or maintain a surveillance over the private affairs and the private life of tie teachers' in the school under their charge. Furthermore, as the evident object of the Committee is. if they can possibly manage it, to secure my dismissal from my appointment, I hereby -reouest the Committee, m justice to me, to bring against me some charge, or charges, of incompetence, negligence, or both'; and, failing the preference of such charge or chirees, I can only come to the conclusioft lifit°the action of the Committee is grounded upon personal animus against myself, or upon other • reasons totally disconnected with the progress hnd welfare of the Cromwell Public school, the furthering of which is the business for which the Committee holds office. An earlyanswer will oblige, as I wish to send the answer to tins letter, and also a copy of it, to the Board as an appendix to my reply to the Committee’s last complaint.—A. Warburton. ! A petition signed by forty-four parents and householders in Cromwell was received suggesting that the Board should take no further steps in the matter until after the election of the new School Committee in Afcril.' A letter was read from Mr William M’Laughlin, a member of the Cromwell Committee, in which it was stated that in a rtcenfc issue Mr Warburton had stated that he was responsible for the control of the * Argus.’ The letter further stated that Mr i|. d- Ramsay instigated the petition that had' been sent in. ’ 1 Mr J. J. Ramsay said he had nothing to do tkith getting up the petition, and did hot instigate it. „• Mr Snow moved, and Mr Sim seconded — “That the Board take no action in the matter ini the* meantime, and that consideration be deferred untH after the election of tKfc new School Cominittee,

The Hon. j. MacGregor said that in December last the Board passed a resolution that Mr Warburton be informed that, in the opinion of the Board, it was incompatible with his position in the Board’s service that he should take any part in the carrying oh of the ‘Cromwell Argus.’ Certain facts had been brought before the Board wjiich had led them to pass that resolution, and it was surely for them as the Board, and not for the Committee, to say ‘whether or not Mr Warburton was dfjing anything inconsistent with the view pf the'position taken up by the Board in that resolution. He opposed the motion. Mr Mitchell also opposed the'motion. He objected entirely to the steps taken by the Board in the matter, and the whole evidence went to show that the Board had acted hastily. Mr Callaway said that they should judge all the evidence submitted on both sides, and if they could not make up their minds on that point without waiting to see the result of a fresh election at Cromwell, then the sooner they gave up their positions the better. ' On the motion being put, it was lost, only Messrs' Sim, Snow, and Harraway supportfir MacGregor then moved, and Mr Ramsay seconded —“That Mr Warburton h® J e * quested to state whether he takes an active part as teacher in the work of carrying on the ‘ Cromwell Argus/ and state to the next meeting.!! . 'fbia was carried on the casting vote of the chairman, the voting being: Ayes— Harraway’, Ramsay, MacGregor, and Sim; noes—Messrs Fraser, Mitchell, Snow, and QaUaWay. ■ - ' " '