Educational Matters at the Taieri Beach. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Volume 11, Issue 2159, 11 July 1895, Page 29

Educational Matters at the Taieri Beach. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,— This usually favoured spot, liai during the past week been visited by a storm unprecedented both in character and violence. Comnienciog in the schoolhouse, it completely upset the dignity and temper of that small monarch, the dominie, and went tearing over hill and dale to tho residence of the chairman of the Bchool committee, i upon whom it had precisely the same effect ; thence to the buah settlement it rushed, and then ' onward, ever onward, until within a radius of five miles from its starting point there was not a dwelling whicKhad not suffered from the violence of its onslaught— and all this over the election of a sewing mistress. It appears that applications for this important position wore called for; the successful candidate to receive £30 psr annum, and in return to teach sewing twice a week, also, if necessary, to take other classes the same number of times weekly. AH applications were to be in by 5 p.m. on a certain day. The eventful day da a ntd ssrenely enough, and at 7 p.m. the meeting commnccd operations. The applications were all redd and considered, notes tnk"ii, a lady appointed, and the minutes signed ; wbeu, bey,« presto ! what a change was there— angry muttermgs, loud grumblings, a storm ! Her application was not in in time, say schoolmaster and chairman ; she can't have it. "But," cries a voice, "she's got it." "Then we'll protest"; and protest they did in the face of their own election and minute book. But this is not all When the lady— who, haviug been informed of her appointment, had trudged through a mile or two of, mud and rain to her work— arrived she was told that she should not teach, as the schoolmaster had not been officially informed either of her appointment or of the resignation of the former sewing mistress, whom h« had also Asked to come and teach &t usual that day. Her request to be allowed to wait in the shelter of the schoolroom till time for the lesson was uiot complied with, and she had to wait on the door»tep in this dreadful weather until tho time for the hsson was over. The Udy is a duly certificated teacher, who has for some time been a resident at Taieri Boacb, while the other applicants, if I am correctly iufonncd, hold no certificates, but aye also residents in the same charming seaside resort, which to all appearance will be too stormy to allow the usual sweet rural peace to descend upon it for some time to coino. On Saturday, owing to tho violence of tho storm, weird-looking protests and petitions were flying about the beach, torn to tat.His by opposing forces ; while wild-eyed combatants, determined to secure victory at any cort, had nailed an announcement on the wall of the local store calling for applications for the vacant (?) position of sewing mistress. But is it vacant? The applications, late and otherwise, were all received, considered, and voted upon, and a lady duly elected. Can she not claim her salary if »ho goes regularly at the appointed time and, failing to g*ln admi-sion, sits on the doorstep?—l am, Ac, Seagull. Taieri Beach, July 8.