SCHOOLMASTERS & BOROUGH COUNCILS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6817, 22 September 1883, Page 6

SCHOOLMASTERS & BOROUGH COUNCILS.

:• . — —O— —' At tho meeting of . the Board ; of Education yesterday, the (.-bairman explained the action, which had been taken in regard to teachers becoming members of County Councils, Road Boards, &c. The following letter wa3 received from Mr. EL Worthington :— Avon-street, Parnell, I.9th September, IS.S3* Sir,— In rejily to your leuor of th-> 14 th inßt.„ I beg to inform you tt,at I had the honour 10 be eiecteil a inembor of tho Parnell Borough Council on Thursday last, tho 13th inst. Uoforc 1 reply to the latter part of your letter 1 must respectfully request that the Board yf .Education will kindly re*consider ihe case. When I was asked .to allow mysslf to be nominated as a candidate lor the Parboil Borough Council i carefully considered the question in its relation to my position as a school master u* der the Board of Education, and catno to the conclusion that as the duties of the one could not possibly clash wit.h those of the ofcber there was no reason why i >nO'. Id refuse to be useful to my fellow townsmen, if they did me- tho" h mour to elect me. Morfc than one teacher in addition to mmlf havo become members of church svpodn and luerary and Other institutions tho meetings of which they are expected to attend only. .when.. released fcom'other professional duties, ami, ac.," Henkv Woktiiing* xojf, head,-id astir Wellesley street ■■ ■ Mr, Goldie said there was a very strong reason for the regulation m cuuutry schools, where schoeliriaetcts jtnok... part... in«|luca! politics, ■ and influence as ; teachers in. pQli.tks,>.;or.. sacrificed the interest of ,his . school to the bucceas-of his political objects..?,ln This case mere;-were probably .no children 'from J Parnell un' the city school iii charge of W(irtliington.' * j Mr. Honus did not.see:any reason for dealing with Mr. Worthington diilerei»tly from other. teachers. > ' Mr. Cooi'EH'thouflht tins regulation was trenching upon the liberty whicn every man might fairly assert, to take part in the public ; business. Indeed the regulation appeared to : him to be ultra vires. ■:* 1J e'idoubted?mueh whether jth'e Board had . any' power to-make such a regulation:'?:''Tho result'of.'action of this kind would ibe; that: every.;man tof a [ manly .spirit who' had regard lor the prosperity of his neighbours or Ills neighbourhood would refusesto take employment umlcr the i Board. It d 1 not follow beciuse Mr. i Worthington was member of Parnell Borough Council that ho would negleut his duty as a teacher . Mr. Buck land thought Mr.* Worthmcton '. had a strong point, inasmuch ;as he was not i a member of a Borough or County ;.C >uneil within his school district. If his school i. duties were in no way interfered with, the > permission might be granted. Mr. (501,i.18 : I shall move,:'"That the con- ; sideration of this matter be deferred, in order ■ to obtain a return of the number of children (if any) from Parnell: attending Weliesley- ; street." ' - ; ■v- >'-*■'■■ ■■' [ Mr. Cooper : I shall move an amendment ; " That this Board see no reason to interfere i With Mr. Worthington in hia capacity of member of the Parnell Borough Council, r until it shall be shown that his .holding, such : office interferes with the efficient discharge of i liis school duties." The amendment was put and negative.d;wi [ Mr. Goldie's resolution was carried.