A SCHOOLMASTER'S CHARACTER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15063, 9 February 1911, Page 4

A SCHOOLMASTER'S CHARACTER.

COMPLETE EXONERATION.

(From Our Own Correspondent,)

AUCKLAND, February 8.

Very serious allegations were recently made against the head master of the Ara. tapu School (Mr H. Hockin), in. reference* to the scholarship examinations, Aratapu School having been a centre in connection with the holding of the examinations. It was stated, said the chaiiman of the Education Board this moraine,, "that the head master had lent himself to actual fraud, inasmuch as his daughter, who was sitting for the examination, was supposed to have been actively assisted by her father with regard to her papers. BurnouTS were soon broadcasted about the north to that effect, and the board thereforo decided to give the fullest publicly to an investigation which should be of the fullest nature."

• Mr Parr, after reading tho Teport of the Inquiry Committee appointed to deal with the allegations, which expressed, after exhaustive investigation, its complete disbelief of any irregularity whatever on the part of Mr Hockin, said that it was only' the barest justice that the board should now pronounce Mr Hockin completely exculpated from the allegations. The Undersecretary of Education deemed it a matter of sufHcient importance to journey {row Wellington to attend the inquiry, and ho concurred with the committee. Not one of the suggested charges against Mr Hockin had been made out. Personally, he was delighted that such was the ease, Mr Hockin was a very okl servant of the board, and held a stainless record and one to be proud of. He was more than pleased that nothing in the conduct of the head master warranted any eensure by the board.

The report of the Inquiry Committee was unanimously adopted, the board expressing its gratification that the charges had been proved baseless.

A motion of thanks was also passed to the committee for the manner in which the investigation had been carried out. The "head master's daughter who passed at the examination was also quite exculpated from any slur of cheating, while her ability and application wero spoken of by the inspectors as being particularly high.