Alien Teachers

Maoriland Worker, Volume 6, Issue 243, 13 October 1915, Page 5

Alien Teachers

Mrs. Atkinson's Protest . AGAINST "PRUSSIANISING METHODS. A glaring instance of tho unfairpess of the daily press was furnished in tbo reports that wero printed concerning the very representative deputation which waited upon iho Prime Minister to protest against tho Alien Teachers' Bill. Mrs. A. 11. Atkinson, (whoso speech was a superb effort) suffered even more than the other speakers in the manner in which she was reported and for this roaspn "The AVorkcr" hastens to present a correct report of her words: Mrs. Atkinson objected to the Bill because no one had any idea how many persons would bo affected by it. Also because, if these peoplo aro doing no harm, ifc is better that they should support themselves by" thei- own labour than that they should become a charge upon the State. They would still b« receiving public money, but instead of an honourably earned salary, it would he charitable aid. As a matter of fact, this Bill was retrospective legislation to affect a. single caso. Ifc bad been given a general air tq it. look decent, and so it wag bound to hit a number pf innocent people whom nobpdy'wished te injure. She protested against ifc also because it was, if the Premier would forgive tho word, truckling to an agitation inflamed by national hatred and jealousy mistaking itself for patriotism— an agitation 90 per cent, of which consisted of anonymous letters, full of baseness insinuations, sneers' and appeals to prejudice. The Premier had said ho would be no party to anything in the way of persecution, yet what had the Government done to resist or moderate" these sordid tactics? They had nob uttered a single word of even tho mildest reproof, and they had mado a complete practical surrender in bringing down this Bijl. Surely the AJiens Bqard provides a (sufficient defence. AVhen tli at I'oard investigated the yon Zcdljt- casp, tho boasted "hundreds of letters'' dwindled to ono anonymous note. The Promier: That was a chargo of having said something disloyal. Ifc was proved Professor yon Zedlitz had nofc said the thing, but another man had; it was true so far. Mrs. Atkinson: AVell, havo you got tho other man? Tho Premier: AYe couldn't; he was naturalised. Mrs. Atkinton continued that the V.C.O. declined to be intimidated, but thp Government surrendered and set about intimidating the College Council by declaring that they would legislate if thp CquuciJ did not give in. She protested against any " interference with the jurisdiction pf an independent! authority, acting in its own sphere apd with full knowledge. Ifc would reduce pur colleges to tho level of the German universities whoso professors aro absolutely subservient ip the Kaispr'p will. ,She protested aluq against the denial pf discrimination which is thp pssencp of justice. The two essential points are: (1) Is the Professor a danger to the' State? —The . Aliens' Board answers "No.'" (2) Is ho efficient in the discharge of his duties? Every one says "Yes.'" Tho Premier had said that it was tho duty of every professor, lecturer, and teacher, to inculcate patriotism. If that meant teaching tho students to sing "Rule Britannia" and wave flags, thp college council would havo been justified in sacking the professor for wasting his students' time. But if it meant the inculcation of patriotism by the influence of action and character, the man emerged triumphantly from the tesfc. In proof of this sho instanced the encouragement ho gavo to the A"*ictoria College Training Corps by joining as a private and serving with zeal and cheerfulness. Further, there was the fact that all tho men of his senior French class save two who aro under ago :are at tho front; and-lastly ho has this year omitted from the list of books one that would ordinarily have been included, because ifc contained unfavourable criticism of the English Army in the time of A\*eHington. Thero are not many citizens who could offer sounder proofs of the reality of their patriotism or of thp success pf their efforts to inculcate it. She earnestly appealed to the Premier not to put upon us and upon our children the shame of enacting a measure so unjust, so foreign to the traditions of «iii- race, and'concluded, "I wish most heartily that this Bill had to bo reserved for the Royal assent, for I am very sure it would never receive the signature of a sovereign whp holds his throne under a solemn covenant that ho 'will not deny nor delay to any man justice and right.'"

AA'ar headline from a Fusion paper— tho "Grey River Argus," of AVedncsday, October 6: "HOAV THE BUGGARS AVERE FOOLED." The employment of language like that is evidence of the shockingly low standard of tho paper which uses it. * * * AVhy is it that, tho police department is so eternally fclow in finding oufc anything about a crime liko tho attempt to burn down tho Huntly Hall? This paper reckons that it's quite time some ono was arrested. Surely the police know in which direction to look. If the Catholic Church refuses to dishonor its agreements with its "alien" teachers, tho Fußion Government will deprive it pf certain privileges now extended to such bodies. ** ' * 'AVhen Tom Barker's case was before the Sydney Court, his solicitor admitted that he printed nnd published tho poster, but said ho had dono so with tho object, of stimulating recruiting. Discharges handed in showed that Barker had been in tbo King's Royal Irish, and had been discharged as "medically unfit." His discharges wero marked "Very Good."