MOUNT ROSKILL SCHOOL HEADMASTERSHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12609, 25 June 1904, Page 7

MOUNT ROSKILL SCHOOL HEADMASTERSHIP.

MR. O'BONOGHUE'S APPEAL. The Court of Appeal set up up to inquire ~into the appeal made by Mr. D. O'Donoghue against his dismissal from the headmastership of the Mount Roskill school by the Auckland Education Board continued its sitting at the Board's room yesterday morning. ' . J. 0. Dickenson, an ex-inspector, and H. Goodwin, R. Crowe, and James Grierson, inspectors, gave evidence as to the results of the past three years, showing neglect on the part of the teacher, and each agreed that a change in the Mount Roskill school was necessary. Mr. Goodwin said appellant had been a good teacher, and taking all the circumstances into consideration witness did not think the results of the past three years justified appellant's . dismissal from the service. Thomas Warren, assistant-master at Onehunga school, who was pupil-teacher at the Mount Roskill school, said children were habitually unpunctual, and the appellant was often absent from the school for half-an-hour or under during the day. The order at Mount Roskill was not as good as at the school at which he was. previously stationed. To Mr. Blomfield: In several cases scholars were marked present when they were absent, but he was unable to suggest whether it was inadvertence or deliberate. He did not report the circumstance to the Board. Annie Newbegin, certificated teacher of Mount Roskill school, said she had known the school to open as late as ton minutes to ten. The management of the school was not vigorous. The master complained of the manner of crowding at the 1903 examination. There had been a marked change in the discipline since Mr. O'Donoghue's retirement. * - William Collins, who was placed in charge of the school after Mr. O'Donoghue's retirement, Said the division of work in the school was not satisfactory. The work of the pupils was poor, and the scholars did not have good habits of work. - Alfred Taylor, headmaster of the Northcote school, and Frank R. Wilson, formerly pupil-teacher of Mount Roskill school, also gave evidence. Charles Bagley (chairman of the Mount Roskill School Committee) gave evidence as to interference by Mr, O'Donoghue in the deliberations of the committee and his habits of living. , ■ To Mr. Peacocke: Several parents stated they intended to withdraw their children from the school unless a change in the headmastership was made. In a letter to appellant witness said the pupil roll was decreasing, oaused, he believed, by the removal of the pupil-teacher. He was not then aware of the fact that 13 children had been admitted and two withdrawn. , L. J. Bagnall, a member of the Education Board, said the last two years' report? were considered very unsatisfactory, the last three years' reports inducing him to move for Mr. O'Donoghue's dismissal. To Mr. Peacocke: Mr. O'Donoghue was offered employment after his dismissal as a relieving teacher, but he declined. An exchange of teachers could not be made unless satisfactory reports were made. To Mr. Blomfield: He believed the Board's resolution to be one of dismissal, but said it would not have killed his chance of re-en-gagement. A matter in which appellant was concerned relating to the Newmarket school weighed with witness in supporting his dismissal. , Richard Hcbbe (chairman of the Education Board) said appellant had to be dismissed in order to give effect to the wish of the Mount Roskill School Committee. Mr. O'Donoghue was not, in witness' opinion, a suitable person to be in charge of the Mount Roskill school. * To Mr. Blomfield: Appellant's engagement was terminated and this entitled him to be placed on the list for selection for other schools. If he had been dismissed his name would be struck off the list of teachers.. What he told Mr. Greenslade were rumours; he did not state anything absolute concerning Mr. O'Donoghue. _ Thomas E. Hayr Vsecretary of the Mount Roskill School Committee), Thomas Partridge (a member), Edward James Herd, Charles Worrall, Samuel Scarborough, Henry Christini, Patrick Conway, Thomas B. Partridge (a youth), all gave evidence as to Mr. O'Donognuo's habits and the lateness in opening the school. * -■ This completed the evidence • for respondents, - •■ , ~, Mr. Peacocke asked leave to call rebutting evidence in regard to appellant's sobriety, and this was permitted. A. R. Harris (a member of the Board) said he had heard or seen nothing detrimental to Mr. O'Donoghue. He believed him to be a temperate man. * Alexander Boyd and Constable Hintoa corroborated. - ; The Court intimated that they would go through the evidence and judgment would probably be given at the Magistrate's Court on Monday. ■• .■■;'. -' .■'■■ . ; .''" '■'/.,