BALCLUTHA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1915, 3 August 1888, Page 17

BALCLUTHA.

July 28.— A meeting of householders in the Balclutha school district waa held last evenir'lj to consider the aotion of the School Commit tee- in recommending Mr Pope to the Bduoation Board for appointment to the head mastership of the school, and to consider why t v ie claims of a number of other applicants with higher certificates had been ignored by the com* mittee. There v.as a large and representative attendance of parents and householders, and Mr James W. Wilson was called to the chair.

.The Chairman said the appointment of head master to the Balclutha school was a very serious matter with him, indeed it was a personal mattar, as at present he had to send his son to the Tokomairiro High School. He had hoped that when the new teacher waa appointed, he would be saved this expense. If the recommendation of the School Committee wsvs given effect to, however, his hopes would not be realised. Mr Pope, he had no doubt, was a very excellent man, and a capital teacher so far as he went; but he considered that iv the face of his certificates it would still be necessary to send their children out of the district to receive the higher branches of education. He regretted 'this all the more, seeing that eligible teachers with necessary qualifications were applicants for the eoliool. It wa^ a serious question for' parents, and he hoped it woulfl receive full consideration. He had not been instrumental in, Calling 'thß irieetiug, but he 'hoped' those who had express themselves on the subject. B£r D,.Stewabt said his. feelings' were the same as those expressed by the chairman. He complained, that the committee h.ava recommended for tyie appointment a teacher with a much lower. oertincAte than several of the other teachers, and lpwer also than thepresent teacher, Before proceeding further ho -might say that the meeting of committee at which the recommendation was mad.c wai illegal,

the necessary notice not having been given, and hebelieved steps were being taken to get the committee to reconsider the application for the head mastership. If the committee had to meet again he would suggest that a petition by the householders in the district should be presented to the committee asking them to recommend a teacher holding at least a C certificate. The committee were the representatives of the householders in this matter, and if they are true to their trust they would readily act in accordance with the householders' wishes. He would move — "That, in the event of another meeting of the committee being held to consider applications for the position of head master, that a petition of householders be presented to the committee, asking them to recommend a teacher holding not less than a O certificate ; and that a committee consisting of Messrs Turnbull, Gow, Wood, Wilson, Henderson, and the mover be appointed to prepare the petition." Mr Wood seconded the motion, which wasjearried unanimously. From a statement read at the meeting it appeared that the qualifications of the applicants were as follows:—One applicant held a B2 certificate, three held C 2 certificates, one held a 01 certificate, four held Dl certificates, and four held D 2 certificates. Mr Pope holds a Dl certificate.

Mr John Turnbutjc thought some immediate steps should be taken to acquaint the Kducation Board as to the feeling or the parents on the subject. He would therefore move—" That the chairman of this meeting acquaint the School Committee and Education Board with the fact that the recent meeting of Balclutha School Committee called to recommend the appointment ef a head master was illegal, the three days' notice required by section 72 of the Education Act not having been given to the members of committee."

Mr John Gow seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.

A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.