THE HAWERA HOUSEHOLDERS' MEETING.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 27 April 1922, Page 4

THE HAWERA HOUSEHOLDERS' MEETING.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —My name appearing last evening in your report or the Householders' meeting held in the Hawera Main School on Monday last, read in conjunction with the letters signed "Only a Woman" and "Arthur Liversedge," and the advertisement of the indigation meeting of Protestants on page 1 of same issue, may convey a false impression and 3o me and those with whom I am connected untold harm. I fear no one that knows me, and write this letteu-for those who do not know me. I prefaced my . remarks at the school by saying that I bore no animositj to anyone, but, on the contrary, when I laid my head on my pillow at night I wished well to every man, woman, and child alive. But 1 did abhor a writer from the bin of anonymity, and strongly upheld Mr. C. A. Strack's action in i replying as he did under the circum- ! stances to the chairman. Mine is the i adoption of the old Latin saying, "Principia non homines." I have known Mr. Strack for many years; his work as a schoolmaster speaks for itself; he is no spineless jellyfish, to be intimidated by anyone, whether they shoot poisoned arrows anonymously or come out like manly men for open attack. As your readers know, school committees are elected annually to direct to the best"of their ability. Hawera, in common with all other towns, elected theirs a year previously. Headmasters are directly responsible to their Educa. tion Boards —the one for this district being a few years back transferred to New Plymouth from Wanganui. Should a schoolmaster not comply with reasonable instructions he is reported to the board. Should" his explanation be considered unsatisfactory he is dealt with by them. In conversation with a com_ mitteeman I Mr. Strack had ignored requests as trivial so frequently that they waited for one big breach. This opportunity, in the opinion of Mr. L. A. Taylor (acommitteeman), arose on the occasion when the Papal delegate, his Excellency Archbishop Cattaneo, honoured Hawera by a visit last November. Unfortunately, Mr. Taylor was absent and did not witness the magnificent reception accorded the distinguished visitor; but on his return, j he states, he was inundated by protects against the headmaster for clivert-

ing the delegate's route and aligning himself with, two inspectors;, i2(3 teachers and 700 children, ai*d had the children addressed by his Excellency. What an atrocious proceeding to lie spoken to by one who has addressed hearers all over the world in their thousands! Even had the delegate addressed them he would have told them what he told other children—to oe faithful to their morning and night prayers and keep the commandments. What would lie wrong with that? It appeared to me that Mr. Hofebs and the other comniitteemen had been made catsnaws of by Mr. Taylor in referring his" (Mr Taylor's) letter to the headmaster as coming from an anonymous correspondent and then sending Mr. Strack's reply direct to the Minister for Education. The reply savoured so strongly in the minds of the. committee of insubordination that they thought "at last we have the rod we wanted,'' but the Mm- , ister had the good sense to instruct the proper channel the letter should reach him from. This in my opinion was the reason the committee decided not to go further in the matter. Mr. Taylor's letter was practically the reason for filling the "schoolroom on Monday, April 24.—1 am, etc. r W. J. MAHONEY.

[We remind eorresnondents that letters on the question must be kept short and to the point, and must also be free of anything in the nature of personal attack or heated expression, otherwise they will be subjected to strfct censorship or may be refused — Ed.] .