MR NORME'S'RESIGNATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4870, 26 September 1877, Page 6

MR NORME'S'RESIGNATION.

following is the letter in which Mr Norrie intimated his resignation, which was accepted by the Education Board :—

m, „, dnnedin, 18th August, 1877. Iho Lducation Board of Otago. Gentlemen—l have the honour-to acknowledge receipt of a letter from the Actin" Secre tary 01 the Board, dated 14th inst., covering certain resolutions stated to havo been passed at a special meeting of the Board held that day. The resolutions in question are of a nature to require, in replying, some reference *o the circumstances connected with the correspondence.

■. ■ Onthe 10th mst., I received a memorandum ;l°?, tht A c,tin{r Secreiary of theßoard, stating that he had been " directed to inform" me that the name of Mr 'A. Y. Smith had appeared in the papers as: a^member of the football team which had left Dunediii, end to ask if the gentleman named was'Mr Smith, the Commercial master of the High School. Although this letter was open to tho same objections as thos<V atterwards referred to by me, yet, looking at the request contained in it, I informed- the' beeretary on the following; day that Mr A. Y. Smith was tlie teacher in question. * °? J^ 6 l3th. ilVsi M I received a letter, of which the following jj ace py :—

t " Education Office, 13th Angus 1., 1577. . Sir^-Refemng- to my letter of the 10th inst,., x am now instructed to ask if Mr Smith chained leave of absence prior: to his leaving Duuedin;.and, if so, from whom?—l am, &c. «Tt/ at '.' P-PRYDEi Acting Secretary. ' : "Wm. Norrie, Esq." ■■■■..

'.-■-lhe Board must be: aware that I am under no obligation to supply information »s to-the details of the administration of the HighSchooi to any individual member, or to. the Secret-Ary of the Boartl, except when acting as its authorisou mouthpiece. Mr Pryde's latter not only did not profess to be written under instructions from the Board, but. as it is well- known that no mating of the Board had been held since Mr bmitu s departure on the sfch inst., ifc could not have Been so written. 1 must, therefore express my extreme surpriae and indignation at the Board assuming to consider as " wautiu'" in courtesy both to the Education Board and" its Secretary" a simple request of mine io be informed whether an application td furnish particulars regarding a Master'of the High School ha;i been made under circumstances whioh required me. or indeed, left me at liberty to furnish sucli information.

The letter to which I am now replying is the onjy one of. the series which purports to have the sanction of the Board. By it, lam re-queste-l again "to furnish the information required." I may point out that, as the Education Board's Act requires at least seven days' notice of a special,meeting to be published, mv letters of lOfch and 13th inst. could not properly have formed a subject of discussion at a special meeting held on the 14th inst. However, without acknowlcdging.tho regularity or competency of the proceedings then.taken -by the members present. T beg to inform the Board that, when Mr Prnith Minified to mo his desire to go North with the football team, I stated.to him that I 'should'pnt no obstacle in the way, vrovided he obtained leave of absence from the Secretary of the Board, and procured a suitable substitute. The language of the resolutions referred to, the attitude «':>ieh certain members of the boartl have lately assumed towards me, and the conviction that the discipline and govemmant of. the-school have suffered, and must seriously suffer from its.head.being.publicly ex posed to such treatment as I have received, have decided me to retire from a position wliich .Ican.no longer retain with comfort. I be?, thereforo, ty-give the necessarj'notice of my intention to resign my officO as Rector of the High School, afc the tern.ir.aMou of my present engagement,'namely, the 13th April next.—l am, &c, Wsr. NoiuuK

Mr W. C. Kirkcaldy lias been appointed manager for the Otago and Southland branch of the Union Fire and Mai mo Insurance Company. .