POSITION OF SCHOOL TEACHERS DISCUSSED.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXII, Issue LXXII, 9 July 1917, Page 6

POSITION OF SCHOOL TEACHERS DISCUSSED.

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION^

eHRISTCHURCH, July 6. In accordance with notice, Mr A. Peverill moved at to-day's meeting oi tie Canterbury Education Board: —(1) That the following resolution pasaed at the Board's meeting on December 6, be rescinded: That this Board desires tG* publicly state that it will, in every manner it can, assist everyone of its employees to serve the Dominion and Empire in the present struggle; (2) that this Board will appeal for exemption from military service in the case of all teachers applying for exemption, soas to place them on the same footing as teachers of private schools. It desires it to be understood that all cases will be reviewed by the Military Service Board prior to members of the Second Division being called upon." The first resolution, which was only moved in order that the second could be discussed, was defeated. Mr Peverill said thai' all that his second motion proposed was that the Board's teachers should be put on the same footing as other teachers. The resolution only asked that teachers seeking exemption should be assisted. The Board should only appeal for teachers absolutely necessary for the upkeep of the schools. Mr Hamilton said he could not support the motion in its present form. Personally, he was not sure that the other teachers they had in mind who had sought exemption were seeking to b evade service; to carry the motion m its present form would be encouraging shirkers. They should apply for exemption only for' those teachers who were most necessary here. They wanted to keep the best teachers, and the best were generally those willing to fight for their country. Mr Hamilton moved as an amendtnent that exemption be asked for teachers only in cases where in the opinion of the Board it was necessary in the interests of education. Mr Peverill withdrew his motion in favor of Mr Hamilton's amendment. Mr Howard said the education system was not suffering, and it would not suffer for a long time yet. They -could get a dozen women teachers to fill the best positions available. They were not going to help shirkers. The motion was rejected.