RECTOR OBJECTS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1938, Page 4

RECTOR OBJECTS

SCHOOL A&> CAM RING-PLACE. DISAPPROVES OF; COMMITTEE’S ACTION. ■■■■;. Exception to the Cbfnmittee-granting the use of..(Schoolrooms » to : Organisations, parties land such a for camping purposes wasn,taken’ by’Air - J. ? G. Johnston, rector of the Hokitika District High -School^/at-' last' . night’a meeting of • - the - Committee. 1 -

The Committee were discussing an application by :fhe -District--Federation of Churches.- *'of Christ -’’throughout Westland for • the use of a classroom for camping » purposes s for a party of young ladiesi over the/ Labour Day week-end in cUntiectiori with the annual church cdnVeiition 1 being peld this year at Hokitika. f r The Secretary -of the School Committee, Mr E. li. Ferguson, stated that he happened -to’ he '’a. !mem ber'.of the committee preparing for the yisit, qnd he outlined’ in detail the purpose of the application; 5 Arrangements had been made, he stated, for a boys’ camp, and efforts were jiow being concentrated in an endeavour to arrange a girls’ camp. ’ ’ : ' Mr R. J. Pedder". stated he./kvas strongly f against “the proposal when other .places in . the . town (were available, he ‘giving’ for example! the'ra.cecoiirse, where there was every convenience, easy access and all facilities. It would be penalising the children to a. certain ‘degree. ’ ‘ v,. .'Earlier* ip the, discussion tho .Rector frankly admitted he was opposed to the request being, granted-) i The'caretaker, he claimedj .was. entitled to his Labour week-end holiday, and He. did not see why any extra work should fall on him to prepare /and. clean ;up for .the’.visitors. Also desks' and books would have ta.be removed by the pupils'?on the Friday, and replaced again on Tuesday morning, when ' the school resumed, thereby, causing-delay;-and inconvenience to both pupils and staff. Assurances were, given by "Mi?. Ferguson that there; , would. ’ nb’t be any need for extra work to fall on .'th© caretaker, and that : desks; could be;-re-placed by members of the local committee. • -V .

Mr Johnston:replied that he objected to any person removing books or degkß belonging to school children; < • k Further ;• discussion took- place^, and finally a f option approving ; jthp request' was. ■ put to the meeting, and carried with two dissentients! The Rector, however,-was 'still, dissatisfied and further - commented that he did not -see - -why the school, as an educational institution, should be used a»i a boarding-place for various organisations, parties and the such. -

At this remark,;Mr Ferguson replied that as he felt there likely, to be some ill-feelirig over' the matter, and, speaking as a member of the committee preparing for the visit, he would do his utmost to make other arrangements, arid endeavour to find another suitable place. The occasion was one that might' not come again, and those interested in the spiritual welfare of the youth''of the" district were hoping the convention would be a success. He hoped that eventually the heapmaster need' hot worry about the inconvenience of having to shift the nick-nacks and desks of/pupils. .. k Mr Johnston .rejoined that .Ferguson implied he was needlessly worrying about the children. As to- their welfare, he was as much concerned as what Mr Ferguson or anyone else was. He objected to rjVir Ferguson’s implication that he was making a “fuss about nothing.” ; .-- ■-

Here the Chairman, possibly sensing a display of “fireworks” prudently called the meeting to order with a request that the. ne,xt business die. -pro? ceeded with, and .the incident closed with no more ado. ' '