AUCKLAND COLLEGE AND GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5997, 5 February 1881, Page 5

AUCKLAND COLLEGE AND GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

A meeting of the Board of Governors was held yesterday in the Board room of the Institution, Symonds-street— present: Col. Haultain in tlie chair, Mr. J. M. Clark (the Mayor), Rev. C. M. Nelson, Messrs. J. A. Tole, E. Heaketh, and T. Peacock. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. CHARGES AGAINST THE MASTERS AND MANAGEMENT OP THE SCHOOL. The following letter was read from the head-master:— Aucklard, February 3. 1831. Sir,— Referring to the published reports of tho monthly meeting, held on the 25th ultimo, I respectfully request, in the interest of the College and Grammar School, and in justice to myself, that you will hold an inquiry as to the management of tho institution during my head, mastership.—l have, etc., Farquiiar Slacrae. To tho Chairman of the Board of Grammar School A letter was read from Mr. Anderson, in which he gave an emphatic denial to certain statements alleged to have been made by Br. Purchaa in what are now known as the '' Purchas charges." The following paper was also read :— The opinion of Oie committee is, that a copy of the charges of Dr. Purrfias against masters of " the Grammar School, anil tiic papers connected tliercwith, be sent to the Minister of Education, and that he be respectfully requested to cause an inquiry to be made by themselves, or other persons locally resident. Mr. J. M. Clark : I think that any new action upon these charges should be deferred until the question raised by Mr. Fenton's motion and Sir G. M. O'Rorke has been inquired into. An inquiry as to the management of the school as desired by Sir. Macrae will cover the whole ground, and take up most of these charges, possibly the whole of them. Dr. Purchas did not merely make charges against one or other of the masters. His charges in fact were against tho organization and management of the institution. Mr. Peacock : It appears to me that the position of the Board now is one of some embarrassment. It has been in some measure embarrassed by the motion carried a% a previous meeting. The Chairman : What motion do you refer to? Mr. Peacock : I am referring to the motion in respect of the head-master being a graduate of a University. The recommendation seems to imply a certain I amount of prejudice which might interfere with the inquiry, which Ido not admit. If the Board had not passed the resolution of the previous meeting they could not have shirked the holding the inquiry themselves. It would hardly do, in such case, to have asked the Minister of Education to hold an inquiry which properly devolved upon the Governors. The passing of that resolution has altered the position of matters, so that I am inclined to look more favourably upon the proposal to refer the investigation to the Minister of Education.

Rev. Mr. Nelson : But suppose the Minister of Education should refuse to conduct the inquiry. I think the first thing we have to do is to deal with these Pnrehas charges. Mr. Peacock : As I understand it, the charges made by Dr. Purchas embrace the most of the ground. He refers to want of organization, want of supervision, deficiency of direction. It was not simply that the head-master was negligent, but there was an entire want of supervision in the school. Mr. Hesketii : I feel with Mr. Peacock that the Board's position is somewhat compromised by what has taken place. At the same time I am quite clear that it is the Board's duty to investigate these matters, and not to call upon the Government to do it for them. And I think the Board should proceed with this work without delay. The CifAtKMAX : My own opinion is that the whole matter is altered by this letter from Mr. Macrae. lam opposed to going to the Government with respect to the Purchas charges. If they were to determine to extend inquiry to the management of the institution it did seem anomalous to ask for an inquiry into that for which they would be held responsible. Mr. Peacock : It is not contended that the Board have any direct responsibility other than that they are bound to investigate complaints, and remedy them if necessary. Eev. Mr. Nelson : It will be well to do one thing at a time. Our first business, it appears to me, is with these Purehas charges. Mr. J. M. Clark : But the other inquiry asked for by Mr. Macrae passes over the same ground. Eev. Mr. Nelson : Yes ; but they are referable, as it is, to different bodies. Mr. J. M. Clark : The course I would recommend is exactly opposite—it is not to decide upon this Purchas letter, merely because it did not cover the whole ground. No doubt the Purchas letter would come up, and might be disposed of. But if the Board refuses Mr. Macrae's request they will still have to deal with these Purehas charges. The recommendation, it appears to me, covers the whole ground that the inquiry would occupy. Mr. Tole : I do not know what the charges are, but if they are charges they ought to be specific. If you are going intomattersas to the organisation of the school during Mr Macrae's head-mastership, you may nevex, reach these particular _cluvrgesi^.-£eT"th e into the_ jjjEcific charges, and deal with tueiin OTey could upon the wider j question still go to the Government if it was necessary.

Mr. J. M. Clark : But the general management of the institution is included within these complaints. Mr. Peacock : The position which the Board now occupies is a different position from that which it occupied before the resolution was passed. That resolution was conveyed to the head-master, and this is his reply to it. He says: "lamwillingth.it an investigation shall be made into the conduct and management of the school." Mr. Tole : 1 think we should take our own proper independent position, and should not give up our rights to any person. Mr. Hesketh : Has there been any other communication from the head-master? The Chairman : There is the one we have had before us already relating to those charges. Mr. Tole : There should be a motion to adopt or reject the recommendation of the committee. Mr. J. M. Clark : I move "that it be adopted. Mr. Hesketii : I shall move an amendment, that it be not adopted. Rev. Mr. Nelson- : I think an amendment .should take some definite form or shape, as that, so far as these Purchas charges are concerned, the subject matter of them should be investigated by this Board of Governors. Mr. Peacock : I think the report of the committee has the objection that it implies there is some unfairness, and therefore I think that people will not be satisfied with the inquiry by the Board. I shall vote for the motion in the altered circumstance in which the Board is placed. Now that a certain line of action was taken at the hist meeting, I do not think the public would be satisfied with the inquiry if it were held by this Board.

Mr. ToiiK : Is it quite in order to refer to a previous debate ? The Ciiatkman : I do not see how I could rule on the point as the matter now stands. Mr. Peacock : This letter from Mr. Macrae is not embraced l»y the work of the committee at all. Rev. Mr. Nklsox : I shall move an amendment, "That, so far as the Purchas charges are concerned, they be investigated by this Board." Mr. J. M. Clark : If the amendment be carried, I shall move the addition of words to the effect, "That the whole of the matters be investigated in accordance with the head-master's letter." The amendment was put, and declared to be carried. (The amendment became a substantive resolution.) Mr. Clark : I shall move an amendment to strike it out. Mr. Tole : It cannot be struck out; but you may add something to it. The Chairman : You can alter it as yon please. Mr. Pkacock : The head-master asks for an inquiry into his management as headmaster. £! Mr. Tot.E : If you began in that way yon might never get at anytliiug specific. You might go on for ever. Mr. Mksicetii : I shall support anything in the nature of an investigation of the Purchas charges or into the conduct of the head-master. Mr. Tolb : What is the date of those charges ? The Chairman : There was no date to them when first made. Mr. Tole : ICo date to the document ? Mr. HksketH : They were even unsigned. They were not addressed to the Board or to the Chairman of the Board as such. A Member : They were addresed to "John Logan Campbell, Ksq/" The Ciiairmak explained Vyhat took place n respect to the charges imade by !>>■'■

Purehas, who was asked to put them in , writing. •'•■'.■'" Mr. Peacock : All we can do is to recognise formally the object ol ! it. Mr. Tole : But if it is the foundation of the action taken by the Board, what are you to do ? Mr. J. M. Clark : I shall move as an amendment, "That the Minister of Education be respectfully requested to cause inquiry to be made into the management of the institution during the period of the head-mastership of Mr. Macrae, and into the charges made by Dr. Purehas against the head-master and other masters of the Grammar School." Rev. Mr. Nelson : I shall vote against that, because it makes what I conceive to be the primary question the secondary one. The question of the whole management of the school lias only now come before us in Mr. Macrae's letter. If the charges made against the head-master were untrue such an investigation as that suggested by Mr. Clark would not be necessary. Mr. Hesketii : Ido not see that. It I would not necessarily follow that an inquiry would not be necessary. j Mr. Tole : The bottom might fall out of the Purehas charges altogether. Mr. Hesketh : Let the Board investigate the charges brought by Dr. Purehas. Having settled that they might, if they pleased, extend the inquiry. Mr. J. M. Clark : But the charges made do embrace the question of management. Mr. Tole : Do they go to the want of organization ? Mr. J. M. Clark : They go distinctly to the question of want of organization. During Mr. Fenton's speecli on the 25th he distinctly referred to the management of the school. Mr. Tole : But, so far as I remember, he never mentioned Dr. Purohas' charges. Mr. Hesketii : I should not feel disposed to act on this letter, although lam willing to go in the same direction, on the ground that on the 25th of last month the mover of the resolution made certain remarks endeavouring to show the shortcomings of the head-master. It was on that ground, and not because Mr. Macrae asks it, that I go in this direction. I shall therefore support the general enquiry, for if Dr. Puvchas' charges were well founded, that would go to show that there was almost a total want of organisation in the school. The amendment was put, and declared to bo negatived ; the Rev. Mr. Nelson's resolution was therefore carried. LEASE OF LAND. Mr. J. M. Clark said that he had received a note from Mr. Fenton expressing the opinion that the Board had no power to lease the particular piece of land which had been referred to the committee, except by tender or public auction. Ifc was resolved to call for tenders, stipulations and conditions to be notified. QUORUM. Mr. Hesketii moved, "That henceforth the number of the quorum should be five instead of three members."—Carried. MEETINGS. Mr. Peacock said the place and hour of meeting was very inconvenient for business people. After some discussion ifc was resolved to make application for a room in the Postoffice buildings. INQUIRY. Mr. Hesketii moved, "That the Board sit (in committee of the whole) on Monday next, for the investigation of the charges made by Dr. Purehas against the headmaster ; that Dr. Purehas, the masters, and witnesses, have the necessary notice."—Carried. This concluded the business.