THE PARNELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE EMBROGLIO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6948, 23 February 1884, Page 6

THE PARNELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE EMBROGLIO.

I At the meeting of the Board of Education held yesterdary, the dispute between the members of the Parnell School Committee and the appointment of Mr. Talbot as assistant teacber was brought up by correspondence. The Secretary, Mr. Rice, reminded the Board that at its last meeting a letter had been received from three members of the committee, Messrs. Ireland, Winks, and '.Robinson, asking the Board to appoint a Chairman, ae the Chairman who had been elected had become bankrupt. The Beard replied that they had no power to interfere. Since-then, a letter had been received, from the same gentlemen stating that on Tuesday a notice had been sent to each' member of the committee calling a meeting for .Thursday. There were six members; present, and it was proposed that Mr. Ireland should take the chair, upon which the other members raised the objection .that the meeting -was illegal. A dead-lock has thus ensued, to which the attention of the Board wae drawn. They also requested that a suitable assistant master should be appointed to the school. There waa also a letter from the other three members of the committee, complaining of Mr. Robiuson constituting himoelf Secretary, and convening a meeting ; also complaining of Mr. Moss, a member of the Board, making himself the monthpiece of three members of the committee. And there was a further letter from members of the old committee, denying that Mr. Talbot had canvassed the committee for the appointment of assistant master : The Chairman (Mr. Lnke) said it ap- [ peared to him that the only way out of the difficulty would be for the Board to appoint an assistant master, and he would move, in accordance with the Inspector's recommendation chat Mr. Webber be appointed. Captain MoKenzib seconded the motion. Mr. Cooper said that before they should over-ride the decision of the late committee there were, he understood, some petitions regarding Mr. Talbot's appointment which they ought to have before them. The. Chairman said two petitions had been received, one signed by 3S and the other by 24 parents of children attending the school against the appointment of Mr. Talbot. . : . ...-■• •„■:■•' Mr. Bookiand said they must recollect that a large annual public meeting had been held, at which a majority was elected in favour of Mr. Talbot.' ; Mr. McKeszih said he was present at that meeting, and through the method of election it was possible that those elected in favour of Mrl Talbot were elected by a very small minority by block voting It was no test of the feeling of the householders of the district. The Chairman thought the whole difficulty would be got over by the Board appointing the assistant master. Mr. McTvESZiE said there was another matter which they must not overlook. The Inspector had reported that Mr. Webber was the best qualified, l'arnell wanted a eood master, as it did not hold the position which such a suburban school should occupy. Mr. Goldie said that waa owing to the committee's neglect in not getting the best teachers. Finally, after some further discuesion, the motion was withdrawn, and it was agreed to inform the committee that if within a week they failed to elect a Chairman the Board would appoint ao assistant master for the school. Mr. Moss said before leaving this subject he desired to say a few words with reference to the portions of the letters from the late committee, and from Messrs. Thoburn and Taylor, iu which he waa mentioned. In the first letter he was supposed to have said that Mr. Talbot both intrigued and canvassed to obtain the appointment of second master in the school. The Herald's condensed report did not give all ho said, but any one reading the report would see that he had not maiie this statement of his own knowledge, but ia connection with the proteat against Mr. Talbot's appointment received by the Board from the members of the committee. That the belief existed in the district there could be no doubt, and he was glad the committee was able to state that it was incorrect. The reports in the Herald were condensed, not full, reportsof whatmembers of the Board said, and those who read the reports should bear this in mind. As to the second letterreferring to some statement made at the committee meeting last night, he was ignorant of what had taken place at the meeting, and therefore did hot know to what it referred. The whole object of his remarks was not as to the appointment or otherwise of Mr. Talbot, but to bring before the householders the responsibilities and duties of tbe committee. Mr. J. Winks, a member of the school commitce, was present, and was allowed to address the Board. He said that constituted as the committee was it was impossible they could get a Chairman out of six members as they were equally divided. The meeting last night, although full notice might not have been given, was one at which they could have transacted business, and no objection to its legality was raised until it was proposed that Mr. Ireland should take the chair. It was be (Mr. Winks) who had requested Mr. Robinson, as Secretary pro tern., to call the meeting, and he suggested at that meeting that they should fix a date —three days after—as that on which the meeting should be held, but they refused, and now there was a dead-lock. The Chairman said he thought the appointment of the assistant-teacher would be the best way of solving the difficulty. Mr. Winks concurred iu this view. The matter was then allowed to drop.