MR. M'CUTCHAN'S STATEMENT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 39, 25 August 1880, Page 3

MR. M'CUTCHAN'S STATEMENT.

The chairman and teacher having shaken hands in an apparently friendly manner, the following conversation took place : — Chairman — " You have taken us rather short, Mr. Hill, but the committee has released you, as you requested. We have appointed Mr. McCutchan to take your place, and I have been deputed to see that all school property and requisites are handed over to him."

Teacher — " lam very glad, but you have acted illegally ; you have no power." Chairman — " We have acted legally : here is the clause in the Act under which we have acted. (The teacher declined to look.) You have asked us to release you, and we have done so."

■" But I might have asked you

Teacher — ' to fly."

Chairman — " More fool you, were you to make such a foolish request." Teacher — " You have called me a fool. If you use such language here, I must tell you your place is outside-the school."

Chairman — " I have not called you a fool, although I may, perhaps, think you one."

Chairman (to children) — " Children, you can all go home ; the teacher has been relieved."

•" I tell not one

Teacher (to children) — ' of you to stir."

•" You refuse to hand over

Chairman — ( the school?"

Teacher — '

■" I do."

Chairman — "I must now direct your attention to the paragraph in the Act, dealing with the teacher's residence."

Teacher — " I don't care what you show me. You have exceeded your powers. So much for your competency." Chairman — " There is a good deal of incompetency besides what you attribute to me."

Teacher — " I have nothing more to do with you. I shall continue here until I get instructions from the Board."

Chairman — " If you had said so distinctly at first, I should have left at once."

W. A. McCutchan.

The documents having been read,

Mr. Sisley said he did not see what the committee could do, further than to have the statements published. A lot of slander had been written about what had taken place, and the public could now judge for themselves. The Chairman suggested that a resolu-

tion should be passed, requesting the Editor of the Star to publish the three

statements. He had nothing to hide ; he was not ashamed of anything he had ever done.

Mr. Eowe proposed — " That the committee pass no comments on the statements as read; but that they should be published in the Star."

2/r. Sisley seconded Gfro motion, "Which was earned unanimoxisly.

Mr. McDowall said a great deal had been said about their chairman, and, as they all wished to act in a friendly way, it was now necessary to say whether the committee had confidence in the chairman or not. He begged leave, therefore, to propose the following resolution : — "That, as animadversions by certain membo! s of the committee have lately appeared in the newspaper press, and also been used by m mbers of the committee at their recent sitting, which might" be construed as reflecting upon the general management of the chairman, this committee desire to record their continued confidence in him, as chairman, and in his administration of the business generally; and that this resolution be inserted in the rnkmtes, and that copies of this resolution be trausmitted to the Education Board and to the Editor of the Star for publication." He (Mr. McDowall) had merely brought forward the resolution to define the chairman's position ; and, although they might agree to differ, as had been sensibly suggested in a late issue of the Star, he thought it necessary, in consequence of the animadversions which had been published, to say whether the chairman was to continue in his position or not. The Chairman said the committee had empowered him to do an impossibility, but still he had endeavored to do his duty as well as he could.

Mr. Rowe, in consequence of only attending one or two meetings, was not in a position to pass judgment as to whether the chairman was either a good one or a bad one. But from what lie had seen at the last meeting of the committee, he did certainly think that the chairman's conduct was wide of the mark. Under the circumstances, he would not vote either way. Mr. Sisley seconded the motion, which was carried.

The Chairman thanked the committee for the resolution passed. Nothing gave so much satisfaction to a man as to find that his conduct was approved of by those with whom he worked. The whole affair was now at an end, and he could assure Mr. Hill that he had no ill-will whatever towards him. But he could not help saying that he had brought all the trouble on himself.

Mr. McDowall hoped the committee would work amicably together for the remainder of their term of office.

PAINTING THE SCHOOL.

The Chairman stated that he had received i>ls from the Education Board for painting the school. The Committee then adjourned.