C.O. TEACHERS

Grey River Argus, 21 July 1941, Page 8

C.O. TEACHERS

ONE DISMISSED. NAPIER, July 18. Discontent in Kaiti 'Gisborne) and Ti Tree Point (Weber) districts at. the fact that the teacher from each of these schools had appealed against military service on conscientious grounds was supported b'- the Education Board this morning, when it dismissed Mr Bernard Tunnicliffe, first assistant at Kaiti, from its employment and accepted the resignation of the Ti Tree Point teacher, Mr N. J. F. Senk. It was reported that at Kaiti the School Committee and also the Gisborne Returned Soldiers’ Association took strong exception to statements made by the teacher when he appeared befo’re the Armed Forces Appeal Board. The committee desired the teacher’s suspension. The resolution carried by the Board dismissing the teacher contained me statement that it was done, on the grounds that statements made by him in his appeal before the Armed Forces Appeal Board for exemption from military service were such that in the Board’s opinion he was not a fit and proper person to be a teacher. It was decided that the Kaiti School Committee be informed of the decision an! that if the School Committee was in agreement with it the secretary should then give notice to Mr Tunnicliffe ol termination of his engagement from three months after the date of the notice.

“I wholeheartedly agree with these resolutions,” said Mr A. Maddison, chairman of the Board, ‘‘and I have no hesitation in saying that I have no time for these people who take all they can from the'British Empire and are not prepared to defend it when the time comes. The Empire is founded on principles of Christianity and freedom, and is to-day fighting for the right of every man to worship God in his own way.” The Ti Tree Point School Committee informed the Board that parents would not allow their children to be taught if the teacher remained, and children would not attend school. The teacher told the Board that he had been informed that no one would provide him with board. He therefore asked to be relieved of his posit;on and given a position elsewhere. The teacher had been in communication with the Board and had told the secretary that when he returned from having his appeal heard, the chairman of the committee had informed him that the committee had closed the school. Parents had had a meeting, and the children would not attend the school.