INSPECTOR LEE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4467, 21 September 1901, Page 3

INSPECTOR LEE.

REPLY TO THE BOAEDSMEN. In reply to the circular issued by Messrs Hogg, Bradey, Young and Robertson to the 1 School Committees ..of/ the district, Chief Inspector Lee' has addressed the following letter to the chairman of the Education Board “A circular letter sent by four members of the Board to the School Committees of the district" is so redundant in disingenuous and inaccurate ; statements that I find it necessary to call your attention thereto. “ When I applied for the appointment of a second assistant inspector I made no request to be relieved of up-country work, nor was the request made on any other grounds than • those of increased work of examination and inspection aridthe inclusion of the Roman' Catholic schools. , ■ ■

“There was absolutely no understanding between me and . the Board : that I should, on .the appointment of a third inspector.'confine .my work to the ' city schools, or that I should cease incurring travelling expenses,' nor was there* any intimation that the reduction of salary was intended as reflection on my work, anymore than the' cutting down of Mr Fleming’s travelling ■ allowances was intended as a reflection on his. I accepted the reduction as a piece of all-round cheeseparing.

■ ■ ‘‘As to the assertion that expenses would be saved by confining my work to the city schools, I reply that the total cost of inspection is a'fairly constant quantity, whether the : whole work is done by two, or by .'three inspectors, and that the city schools do not afford work enough for the Chief, Inspector;: notwithstanding the large amount of incidental office work thrown upon him. Moreover, the words of the document in question are in themselves both contradictory and condemnatory,, for. how could it have been necessary to reduce my travelling allowance if I were not required to travel? ; You are, of course, aware that travelling allowances per diem have never been charged for < work done within city boundaries. “In reference to the following extract —‘The senior inspector was following his juyiors all over the country?—l have to say that, if these words mean .anything, they imply that I have been needlessly inspecting, schools just visited by my colleagues, and that such a statement is wholly untrue.'

“As to the ungenerous reflections on any loss of physical energy or mental capacity after twenty-eight,yean of aervice, I may safelv leave, that matter in the hands of School Committees, whob kijpw my work.—(Signed) Robert Lee.”