THE WEITZEL CASE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18340, 2 September 1921, Page 6

THE WEITZEL CASE

SERIOUS ISSUES RAISED. AN INQUIRY TO BE HELD. THE HON. a J. BARR’S CRITICISM' H’kb United Press Association.) , WELLINGTON, September 1. The Minister of Education (the Hon. C. J. Barr), ,wheh asked if he had anything to say in regard to the Weitzel case, stated : "It is a serious matter when a young teacher holding a B.A. degree, and enjoying tho benefits of a training college bursary, is found guilty by a magistrate of wilfully distributing literature encouraging violence. There are other disturbing factors. Ten or 15 young women students of the training college or of Victoria College, who attended the court, showed by their interest and attitude that they wore sympathetic towards Miss Weitzel. Several loading Communists were also present at the court, and after Miss Weitzel was fined £lO a collection was taken up outside the court by her Communist friends in order to pay the fine. The department is seriously concerned with what appears to be evidence of the dissemination of revolutionary influences among tire students. Miss Weitzel was one of the leading agents for dealing with literature from’ the Communists’ Hall. In her statement to the court she said that she had frequently discussed with her confreres matters of sociological interest. She did this, so she stated, as a student of economics and mental and moral philosophy. This is all very well, but the distribution of revolutionary literature is hardly a necessary part of a course of sociology. How far have these influences reached at the university and at the training college? This should be a subject for investigation. The matter cannot rest where it is. I have asked the Director of Education to communicate with the' Education Board and tho University College Council, and to request a full inquiry into the serious issues raised hv this Police Court case. The Education Board will conduct an inquiry next week at the training college, at which either I or the Director will bo present. It is of no use this country spending thousands of pounds in training young teachers who will mould tho mind_ and character of the coming generation, if we are going to get this sort of thing for our money. Our teachers must be loyal citizens. * If some of them want to be revolutionaries they must seek another job.”