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North Otago Times, Volume CIII, Issue 13654, 23 August 1916, Page 2

"THE MAN WHO DID NOT MOW." Mr D. Borrie, who is one of llic feprcsentatives of' this .'district* on the Otagu. Board of Education, lias won for Mm-' self, the unenviable distinction of being branded by the teachers of Otago as the "man who did nut know." It is reported that at the first meeting of the newly-elected board, when the important question of the. grading of teachers was under discussion, Mr Borne said he was not in a position lo speak, as lie had not seen the scheme, it was not their duly to go and light for the teachers. The teachers wre quite able to light their own battles.' This remarkable utterance-provoked expressions, of dissent from the other members of the Board, and .the teachers of Otago arc asking: Why was Mr Borrie not in a position to speak"? As a lea/ding teacher points out in a letter to the newspapers, the grading scheme is what, teachers have been working for for years, and simply requires time and experience to perfect it, The present position has arisen mainly because the chief inspectors of the Dominion and the director and assistant director of education did not meet in conference after the draft' was made and find out -where different standards had been adopted in awarding merit mark's. Further, the feeding is slrong among teachers Iliat all should ■know what .marks they get, if only to liiiuiv their weaknesses in -order to try to overcome them. The time is past for autocratic methods with teachers, especially as oilier brandies of the public service give, in most cases, better remuneration. for less harassing work, Surely Mr Borrie—who, by the way, has been a member of the Board of, Education for maiiy years—knows thai the grading of teachers, so far as I lie, scheme applies to'Otago, works out disadvantageously,. ;Jnd the teachers .of Otagb feel that they are being unfairly treated, as against those of other provinces. H the teachers cannot count, upon the sympathy and assistance of the members of (he., Board of Education, where can they -look for aid ? Mr Borrie's contention that it is not the duly of the members of the Board of Education to light for the teachers seems to us to-•display a lamentable lack of appreciation of the duties of a. member of the Board. The teachers oi Otago arc a credit to the province and doubtless feel .competent to voice I heir protests without the assistance of Mr Borrie, but wc arc glad to note thai Mr Borrie - is quite alone in the miserable altitude lie has taken up towards our teachers, When Mr Borrie admitted that he was not in a position-to speak). as he had not seen the scheme for (he grading of teachers, he became an object of pity rather than blame. Having no sympathy with llic teachers, ho could 110), be expected to bother his head with the regulations dealing with the scheme for the grading of teachers. Being of opinion that the Board*of Education should nut (rouble about the welfare- of the teachers, and feeling convinced in his own mind the teachers were quite able to fight their own battles,. Mr Borrie was not likely to waste his valuable time studying |j| C grading scheme! Mr Borrie's attitude -brings ils own condemnation, The phase of the question which concerns us is that Mr Borrie represents this district and his opinions might be accepted as rcllecting the opinion of the school committees of North' Otago, who are responsible fur Mr Borrie's presence on the Board. Wc feel we are expressing the opinion of everyone interested in (he progress of education when we say (hat Mr Borrie ! s slalemciil is strongly resented in this district. If Mr Borrie doubts our conlenlion, we invite him to resign his seat and offer himself fur re-election. If lie has the courage to accept our invitation, we feel'convinced Ilie leacliors of Otago will not be Iron bled further by the "man who did not know.' 1.

A meeting of the Wa.iareka Salcyards Company was held yesterday afternoon-, Mr Wj (jardiner, jun., presiding. There were also present Messrs (i/Livingstone, ,1, Harvey. I). Mahoucy, Jos, Mitchell, T. Little, and \V. Robertson. It was unanimously decided 1 to purchase the IrcchoM of the thirteen acres occupied by the yards, ami hitherto leased from Miss Sewell.

An Orclcr-in-Council has been gazetted fixing the banks' note issue to. the amount, of coin and bullion, and-public securities held. A Press Association- message from Blenheim of'yesterday's date says that there was a fall of snow there m the mornong, the lirst that had been experienced for very many years. ■ ■The liivc'rcargill quota for the Twentieth 'licinfoi'cenionts (says a Press Association message) is short of thirtyone infantrymen. The full-.strength of the quota should lie ninety-one men, A .Press Association message from liivci'cai'gill states that- the timount suit.scribed towards the War Loan iii Southland through the Postal Department is: Bonds, ,£77,OiiU; Certificates', &0,;M0; total, ,Clo7,i'lo. The Chief Postmaster advises that code indicator "Vanquisher, London," ■lias, now been cancelled ami that code indicator "Zeadvocate, London," has been substituted for cable messages to .members of the- Nciv Zealand Expeditionary Force, in England and France. t A Wellington Press Association message states that in the Supreme Court; yesterday:- Thomas Douney, who was eon vic.ted-of-stealing■ money-and articles from the clothes of three soldiers clay-ing-at a private hotel in the city, was Seiitenciid to four• Mouths'-hard labour. ,Thc. Waitakl County Engineer (Mr .C'uthbo.rtson),. who returned,-last -week from- an extensive examination of the country at the head of Lake Ohau, reports. that Bomnorc is looking extremely welL Snow is heavy only on tho .high hills, and there is an abundant supply of green food. The following is the Defence Rifle Club's team to shoot in the ..match against the Enfield Club at Enfield tonight:—Dcwar, D. Duuean, Drcnnau, K, Familtou, Onglcy, Crcagh, Bennett, Bennett,, D. Sinclair, Cutlibcrtson, Smith, •Hopwood. Th'c team wili leave the Post OJlicc at li,so'p,in,, sharp, 1 . A brilliant electrical display occurred between'three aiid four o'clock jester* day morning among the hills to the eastward of the harbour, says a Wellington Press Association message.Snow fell for more than an hour early in the forenoon on the high levels, but was not heavy enough to lie on the grouii d. , The Dominion Molcorologist (M!r I), (!. Bates) last night, telegraphed, the following weather summary and forecast: "Atmospheric, pressure has increased everywhere, but is still low, especially in the south; south-westerly winds, strong to a. gale, have predomin-' atcd, with cold and stormy weather, Considerable snow and sleet,'have been reported in many parts of the.south. Island, also on the higher .levels in the north, -Present: indications -are for high south-westerly winds generally; weather unsettled, with cold, squally,' and showery conditions. The barometer is unsteady in the south, but has a strong rising tendency everywhere,!''. The innovation introduced at Kakanui last night, when the whole arrangements for and conduct of the farewell to Private AV, Junes were placed in the hands of the ladies of the district proved eminently successful. The chairwoman conducted proceedings in a busi-' iiess-lilce manner, and 1 the mover of the vote of thanks at the conclusion of tlie meeting made a fitting speech -which omitted none to whom thanks'were due, while the address.of the Jadv to whom delegated tlie important task of making the presentation was one of the features yf.. the- Mjgir : «.}.l«re-• .b/ii, : lead for other districts .who desire- to allow the ladies scope for their abilities, Contributors to the North Otago Motor Ambulance. Kuml will be gratified to learn the gift ambulance car is proving most serviceable, The motor is at present employe,.! transporting sick and ! wounded New Zealaiulers from Godford to tlie New Zealand General Hospital, and is said to be doing indispensable service, The New Zealand High Commissioner (Sir Thomas Mackenzie) and Brigadier-General Richardson, who is in"; command'- of the New Zealand Expeditionary Purees in England, in a letter lo the Minister of Defence (the Hon, Ja,s, Allen) have asked him to convey to the trustees of the Ambulance Fund their grateful thanks for the generous gift, and to inform them of the excellent work tin; anibulance car is doing, In the Supreme Court yesterday (says a Wellington Press Association messags) Gerald De Mey, a farmer of Tehoro, claimed the sum of £201)0 from Percy Gillies, also It farmer, forallegcd malicious prosecution, Plaintiff complained that, defendant had maliciously fecured the issuance of a warrant to the police lo^ search plaintiff's farin for a sheep which belonged-lo defendant, and which it had been alleged, or suggested, wis stolen by plaintiff,. On- tho sheep being mustered on plaintiff's propertv, one was found which defendant claimed, Subsequently Gillies instituted ' proceedings, charging Do Mey with steallug a sheep valued at 3.05. The Magi* (rate dismissed the charge. For the defence in the present action, malice was denied, After hearing evidence, the Judge non-suited plaintiff, Notice of appeal was given. •Mr K T. Broom, who is employed iu the industrial section of the Methodist New Britain Mission, gave a most interesting lectur in (lie Mctliodisl Church Hall last night, There was . a goud attendance. A vivid picture'oJ: the coming of the Australian Squadron, and accompanying transports containing the Expeditionary Force, was drawn; also an account of how the Hey, W. 11. Cox was seizd by the Germans and Hogged. Mr Broom has in his charge 500 acres of cocoanut plantation which is kept, iu order by 200 native workers. Incidentally he referred to the development of the islands and their great productiveness. The steamer he left iii contained 800 tons of copra which was worth £2O to £25 per ton! Numerous oils, from crude to cocoanut butter and glycerine, were manufac-' tared therefrom, hence Britain had prohibited the exportation of copra from any British possession to neutrals until only that day the cables had stated that the embargo as regards 1 America had been lifted. Through the industrial work numbers of the natives were Christianised. There was a general desire by leading chiefs that a Christian agent should live and work iii their district, Steady progress was being made in the work of the mission. More men Were in training in the college for taking up work amongst their own people than ever beJore. The people gave very freely ot their money lb support, the 'fork and to help to extend the'mission s operations, The speaker's story was impressive and vivid, and gave the impression that both from the industrial and Christian standpoints a great future lies before the islands, The Hew -1. A, Lochore stated that the Methodist Board of Missions controlled over 100IJ churches iu the South Sea Islands, 40.000 church members and 150,00(1 adherents, List year the income was over £47,000, (jl which New Zealand gave over JlliOOO, Oamaru contributing JM2. for the sum of 2/- the church undertook to preach tin' gospel for a whole year to a native, ami this sum included his education ami industrial training.