AN ENQUIRY

Grey River Argus, 17 September 1918, Page 4

AN ENQUIRY

The report of the Canterbury Education Board's committee (Messrs Opie and Andrews), which enquired recently into the allegations of disloyalty made against two of the female teachers at the Cobden • school has been forwarded to the Cobden School] Committee. The report states that<>] the committee failed to find any cvi- \ dence in support of the allegations, of intentional disloyalty. As to the charge of failing to salute the flag ' it was the practice in many schools ' for lady teachers to salute by simrtly turning in the direction of the flos and looking towards it. This form, of salute was readily observed by the* teachers whose loyalty had bean railed in the question. As to a second charge of not standing: while the National, Anthem was being sung it whs pleaded by the teachers concerned t^at th'« j reailv referred to occasions whfin th* Anthem was being practised by thp children. There was no cvir^noe to show that the usual practice o f standing wa<? rot observed when the Nntirmai Anthem was sunsc as a patriotic soTtor. During the inoniry letters vcptp ro*r{ from the tear>h°rq ' expressing their loyalty and patriotism. Onp ■••oa^'ier meritionpr! +.h*>+. +/v"» o^ lior brothers had volunteered for serv^e One was medically unfit and the oilier though too old for service abroad, hnd for the last, four years been engaged in the military camps of Featherston and Trentham. Three of the other teacher's brothers had enlisted, taken part in the landing at Gallipoli. and subseauently had been seriously wounded, on« being still a prisoner iai Germany. Messrs Opie and Ardrews consider that the action of the School Committee in the matter ia to bo commended.