MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1931, Page 10

MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS

NO ACTION BY WANGANUI BOARD AWAITING EVENTS IN AUCKLAND. Until an appeal in the Auckland district on the dismissal of a married woman teacher has been heard no action in that direction will be taken by the Wanganui Education Board. That decision was arrived at by the board on Wednesday. The board’s solicitor (Mr. W. A. Izard) ruled that the Act gave no power to countenance dismissal on the ground that a teacher was a married woman. He pointed out that the board had the right to refrain from appointing, or reappointing, married women to the teaching profession and by following such a course could establish a system of gradual elimination. lie was asked to advise, Mr. Izard stated, whether the terms of a subsection in the Finance Act authorised the board to dismiss from its employ any female married teacher. In other words, did the words “refuse to employ” empower the board to dismiss from, or refuse to continue in its employ-, a female married teacher? Section 71 of the Education Act, 1914, dealt with the appointment of teachers and it provided that any board should in accordance with the Act and regulations thereunder appoint teachers for the schools under its control. The board had to select for the position the applicant who was highest on the graded list of teachers, subject, however, to Certain specific powers of the board to appoint some other person. Then came provision in the Finance Act, 1931, giving the ■right to the board, with the approval of the senior inspector, to refuse to employ certain female married teachers. In his opinion this meant that if a female married teacher applied for an appointment the board, with the approval of the senior inspector, might refuse to her to the vacant position, notwithstanding she was otherwise fully qualified, and, but for this proviso, would have had a vested right to the appointment. It might be, as had been suggested, that the words “refuse to employ” in the section under discussion meant that the board might dismiss such a female married teacher as is there described, but he thought that this was not so. “This opinion considers that the board cannot do what my motion intends that it should,” remarked Mr. J. K. Hornblow rising to move that married women teachers in the board’s employ be given three months in which to show cause why they should not be dismissed. “I am prepared to accept the opinion of the solicitor of the Auckland Board.” The chairman, Mr. W. A. Collins, said it would be better to wait for the result of a test case in the Auckland district. Mr. J. S. Tingey and Mr. E. F. Hemingway thought the board should abide by its legal advice. The motion was lost by four votes to three. • s * HOCKEY MATCH RESULTS. Otakeho seniors on Wednesday defeated Alhambra by 3. to nil. Goals were scored by Surgenor (2) and Herbert. It was a great exhibition and was productive of some clever stick work. The referees were Messrs. T. Miller and C. S. Davies. The Otakeho juniors also were successful by three goals to nil in the match against Orientals played at Otakeho. The referees were Messrs. Miller and Davies. ' Pihama ladies beat Auroa at Auroa by three goals, all of which were scored by Miss Conaglen, to nil, Mr, C. J. McFadyen was referee. At Tokaora the home team was beaten by the Opunake ladies, the score being three to one. The referee was Mr. W. J. Shepherd. PERSONAL ITEMS. Four teachers who have been in the employ of the Wanganui Education Board for several years are about to retire and when their resignations were accepted at the last board meeting there were many expressions of regret. They are Miss J. M. Mountford (Foxton), Mr. J. J. O’Reilly (Westmere), Mr. B. M. Kibblewhite (Taihape), and Mr. R. G, Hall (Lytton Street, Feilding). It was decided to forward to each of these letters appreciating the loyal and faithful service rendered. The appointment of Miss L. B. Wallis as assistant teacher at the Waverley school has been confirmed by the Wanganui Education Board. M r R R. Tasker is an acting assistant at the same school. GENERAL ITEMS. The most surprising of all the articles received at the Women’s National Reserve rooms at Hawera yesterday as the result of the appeal for food for the unemployed wm a bottle of Ipecacuanha wine. The ladies of the reserve, u who have only undertaken to supply the unemployed families with the necessaries of life, may wonder how to dispose of it.

The Hawera Amateur Athletic Club advertises particulars of its opening dance, to be held in St. Joseph’s Hall, Hawera, on Tuesday.

It was reported to the Wanganui Education Board on Wednesday that at the Whenuakura school repairs had been carried out to the exterior woodwork of the school building, and the floors, where necessary, renewed. At Waverley the brick chimneys had been removed to the flashings, and copper xtensions erected. Concrete steps had been provided to the back entrance. General repairs to the buildings had been executed.

A challenge sawing match was . arranged between Manaia Road residents, A. J. Hughe.s and J. Wrigley (challengers) and W. Gulliver and T. Paterson on Wednesday. The match was sawing a 20in pine block and A. J. Hughes and J. Wrigley won a very keen contest. The time was 371 seconds. Mr. J. Russell being timekeeper.

.The prize winners at the recent euchre and dance party at St. Patrick’s Hall, Manaia, were Mrs. E. Thompson, Mr. R. Franklin, Miss M. Franklin and Mr. F. Sattler. Other prizes were won by Miss Bennett and Mr. J. Sattler. Monte Carlo dances were won by Mr. Gulliver and Miss Margaret Cosgrove and Mr. Nngram and Miss C. Duncau. A competition was won by Mr. A. Conway. The supper was under the supervision of Mesdames McGlinchey, C. Winters and T. Patterson.

In aid of St. Cuthbert’s Church, Manaia, a. euchre party was held in the Oddfellows’ Hall last week, the prize winners being Mrs. H. Whalen, Mrs. J. Campbell, Mr. M. Ryan and Mr. N. Davis.

A motion of sympathy with Mr. T. A. Bridge in hia recent bereavement was passed by the Manaia. School Committee on Wednesday evening.

BANKRUPT SHAREMILKER. FURTHER INFORMATION SOUGHT. "'As a. body of creditors we are not satisfied,” said Mr. T. P. Hughson junr. yesterday at a meeting of creditors at Hawera in the bankrupt estate of Bertram Arthur Hammond, sharemilker, Oaonui. Unsecured creditors were shown as being owed £259 Ils 3d and furniture valued at £2B was the only asset. The principal creditors were: Annie Doogan (Wellington) £36 4s 6d, Taranaki Trade Association £lB 12s 6d, J. Farg (Kaponga) £lO Us 7d, O. Manley £l2 Is sd, J. H. Woolier £25 10s lOd, Sheffield Supply Company £l2 10s, Home Supply Company, Ltd. (Wellington) £32 4s 7d, Taranaki Hospital Board £23 5'3, E. M. Reynolds £lo,‘Hughson’s, Ltd. (Opunake) £29 3s 7d.uBankrupt stated that he was a sharemilker working for Mr. W. Wilson, Oaonui. He milked 80 cows and received one-.third of the dairy cheques. He first got into debt five or six years ago and°had never been- able to get out of debt. About two years ago his son and himself were inmates of the New Plymouth hospital for six weeks and three weeks respectively. About six months ago another son had been in hospital for three weeks. He had a wife and seven children to keep. He had no assets beyond a little furniture valued at between £25 and £3O. To several creditors bankrupt said he had not the money to gamble with. He sometimes attended race meetings, but he denied that ,he had borrowed £lO to go to one meeting. He owed his employer a sum of money, which was to be repaid by a third off each cheque. At Christmas a third was taken off and he believed that it had not been taken off on other occasions, It was only a rumour that he had an account at an Opunake hotel. Mr. Hughson: Do you think it a fair thing to your creditors to buy a case of wine and a canteen of cutlery, and to drink a nd to go to race meetings? Bankrupt: I don't think it’s a fair thing to owe money—if you can help it. After further questions Mr. Hughson said he was not satisfied with the-in-formation produced and moved that further information be sought as to bankrupt’s account with his employer during the past three years, and that the money received by Gibson’s, Ltd, for the conveyance of bankrupt’s children to school during the last three years

be checked with the grant made by the ed"catidn board for this purpose. This was carried and the meeting adjourned.