MOTUEKA RALLY

Northern Advocate, 23 May 1929, Page 6

MOTUEKA RALLY

PRIME MINISTER. PRESENT, ENTHUSIASTIC OCCASION. ’ . (Per. Press Association.—Copyright.) MOTTJEKA, This Day. , The, Prime Minister was accorded \ most enthusiastic civile reception at Motueka today. In reply- to the welcome extended by the Mayor, ; Mr C. D. Clay, Sir Joseph Ward thanked the gathering for the heartiness of its reception. He assured the district that although the demands on public : funds throughout the country were in excess of the means at the Government’s disposal, the Government would be willing and anxious to .meet the legitimate requirements of the district, for he could see that the Government was holding a position in Parliament which it was likely to retain. It was gratifying to himself and his colleagues to experience. such enthusiastic receptions wherever they had been.

The Hon. H. Atmore, after thanking the gathering for the heartiness of its reception, alluded to pending changes in the education policy, saying that it was necessary to revise the primary system from the fourth standard upwards so as to ensure that the teachers would ;be able to discover the aptitude of the child for his or her life work after leaving school. Messrs Makitanara, E, U. Healey and G. C. Black, M.P.’s, also spoke. The first-named, addressing the .Maoris present, urged them to assist the United Party in its land policy and thus help towards the prosperity of New Zealand as part of the British Empire.

Continuing, Donaldson said ho took over duties as headmaster at Opua. at the beginning of this month. He had been appointed there because the grading of Motukaraka had gone down. He deposed to the facts outlined by his counsel and gave a categorical denial to the charges of impropriety made against him.

, In reply to counsel for the defence, plaintiff said that after he discussed the position with the Secretary of the Education Board, the secretary advised him to put all his communications with the -committee in writing. Defendant had been hostile to him almost from the beginning.

j George Harding, a farmer, said that until last year he had been chairman of the Alotukaraka .School .Committee for IS or 19 years. His relations with Donaldson had been the normal relations between a chairman and teacher. In 1924, Barrell told witness that Donaldson was a “dud” teacher and one of the worst in the board’s service. Barrell declined to make any complaint to the committee, of which he was a member. Witness gave other evidence of the hostility of Barrell to Donaldson.

lE. C. Purdie, late Secretary of the Auckland Education Board, said Barrel] had visited the board’s office last June and had shown an attitude ’ bittoly hostile to Donaldson. On c v evv occasion on which witness met Barrell, Barrell did his beat in every way to disparage Donaldson. Evidence of a conversation in which Barrell made grave charges against Donaidson and predicted that Donaldson would “go sky high,” was given by David John Afaxwell, a farmer near Alotukaraka.

Counsel for the defendant said the grounds of defence were justification and privilege.