MILITARY SERVICE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 195, 19 July 1941, Page 6

MILITARY SERVICE

TEACHERS’ APPEALS.

BOARD’S ACTION. (Press Assn) NAPIER, July 19 Discontent manifest in the lvaiti (Gisborne) and. Ti Tree Point (Weber) districts at the fact that a teacher from each of these schools had appealed against military service on conscientious grounds was supported by the Education Board when it dismissed Mr Bernard Tunnicliife (first assistant at Kaiti) irom its employment and accepted the resignation of the 'it Tree Point teacher (Mr N. J. E. Benk). At Kaiti it was revealed the position was that the School. Committee and also, the Gisborne Returned Soldiers’ Association took strong exception to the statements made by the teacher when he appeared before the Armed Forces Appeal Board, 'the committee desired the teacher’s suspension and the resolution carried by the board dismissing tlio teacher contained the statement that it was done on the grounds that the statements made by him in liis appeal before the Armed Forces Appeal Board for exemption from military service were such that, in the board's opinion, be was not a lit and proper person to be a teacher; that the Kaiti School Committee be informed of the decision, and that, if the School Committee was in agreement therewith, the secretary shall on receipt of the notice to that effect give notice to Mr Tunnicliflo of the termination of his engagement on and from a date three months after tlio date of such notice.

“I wholeheartedly agree with these resolutions,” said Mr G. A. Maddison (cliairman of the board! “and I have no hesitation in saying that I have no time for those people who take all | they can from the British Empire and; are .not prepared to defend it when I tlio time comes.. The Empire is found-j ed on principles of Christianity and | freedom, and is to-day lighting for the right of every man to worship God in! his own way.” The Ti Tree Point School Commit-1 too informed the board that parents would not allow their children to be taught if Setik remained The children j would not attend school. The teacher! also pointed out to the board that he had been informed that no one would provide him with board. Ho therefore * asked to be relieved of his position and given a position elsewhere. The ] teacher had been in communication: with the board and had told the secretarv that when ho returned from having his appeal heard the chairman j of the committee had informed him that the committee had closed the school. The parents had had a meeting and the children would not attend . the school. BOARD’S POWERS DISCUSSION IN CHRISTCHURCH. (Press Assn.) CIIUISTI 11UHCH, July 18. The Canterbury Education Board has resolved that it has no power to deal with the question of conscientious objectors engaged in school teaching. The question was raised bv a letter from a school committee in which it was stated that if a conscientious objector was not withdrawn certain parents would remove their children from the school and that certain members of the committee would resign. The question w'as discussed in committee and on resuming in open meeting the board reported as follows: “A letter was received from a com-i mittec stating that at a special householders’ meeting it was resolved to ask the board either to remove or transfer the teacher in charge who objected ;to military service on conscientious i grounds. The letter stated that, in the event of the teacher being allowed to remain, it was the intention of some parents to withdraw their children and for certain members to resign from the committee. It was resolved to inform i the committee that the board bad no \ power to deal with this question.