DISMISSAL OF TEACHER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24715, 18 September 1941, Page 3

DISMISSAL OF TEACHER

CONSCIENTIOUS GROUNDS LEGALITY CHALLENGED (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Sept. 17. The allegation that his peremptory dismissal by the Auckland Education Board on account of his being a conscientious objector was illegal was made in a letter received from a teacher at a meeting of the board tothe teacher stated that the grounds upon which he had been dismissed had been fairly stated as " your conduct and your attitude towards your military duties," which were arbitrarily construed by the board as "gross misbehaviour." The board had not specified how his conduct was contrary to the board's regulations or the laws of the country, presumably because the board knew it had no legal grounds for dismissing him. The vyriter failed to see his attitude towards military duties concerned the board. "My dismissal was illegal, highhanded, and an outrageous attack upon the liberty of the subject," said the teacher., who claimed £73 as being three months' salary in lieu of notice, as well as £5 9s lOd fare to the school district after the holidays. It was stated that the board had acted on legal advice., Mr W, H. Fortune said a conscientious objector was no good because the parents and children had no respect for him. It was decided that the request for payment of three months' salary be declined. OBJECTORS TO SERVICE MINISTER CONSIDERING POSITION (PA.) AUCKLAND, Sept. 17 Advice that the Minister of Education, Mr H. G. R. Mason, was considering what action should be taken in regard to teachers who are conscientious objectors to military service was received by the Auckland Education Board to-day from the department. The letter asked the board to furnish information as to the number of teachers who had appealed against military service, the number of appeals allowed and dismissed, and the number of appellants whose appeals had been dismissed and who had refused to enter camp. , _ , ~ The chairman, Mr W. J. Campbell, said the board could state onlv the numbers it knew, as full information was not given to the hoard by the military authorities. The department had already been advised of the action taken by the board in cases where teachers objected to serve on conscientious grounds. Mr W. H. Fortune said it was quite refreshing to see the attitude taken up in the Hawke's Bay district.