"HOODWINKED?"

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11029, 18 March 1914, Page 1

"HOODWINKED?"

MR OPIE'S DENIALS. SAYS NO DEARTH OF EMPLOYMENT. . Hie ,-positions, of students frojli tbo Normal Training College was hotly defended by; Mr C. H. Opie to-day, at the meeting of the North Canteibury Education Board. ' • Mr Opie referred to an article ill the " Star;"' headed " Hoodwinked," which, had-suggested that" thcjre-was-a plethora of teachers, instead of a,dearth, "as 'was usually'suggested. ' Mr' Opie said that lie' brought-the matter up, at the request of : the ' principal of Normal Training , College, who . coula , not defend, himself. r Mr ; Opie. read -the article to tlie; Board/ and .then. proceed-, ed to criticise' it." ; He. said that,-there were - some 1 statements' with ; which he [Would. join ;issue.,' ; >The; articlestated that five male > students ■ who ■ leftthe Collea'e at the end!" of/the year were out- of'work. \ -" Fifteen male students' ■were • turned> outC at f tlie end- of i-tb®: year," he went- on, and most of those have ■ been extremely fortunate.- in •ob* taiiiing positipnSjTsoinevpermanent ayd some relieving. • • There, . are-:-two are not in work, 1 butj-hadfOTery opportunity of obtaining;.; positions. ■ <Teii have permanent positions, -two were believing, 'one is , continuihg at.: Canterbury College and'.was", not'.seeking ; an engagement. " That leaves two'.,and one of them is at present, an applicant for a position' ,and will ' probably ~ succeed. That, left one available,, and 'I think that lie might bo responsible for, the letter, but, if so, he'refused an'offer of •a position in WanganUi. suid withdrew' his application 1 for' a' position in-- a. town school* because he thought lie could not manage the class.- '' There'is.abundant work, offering; in all"parts, of .the-do-miuion,' hut some prefer to stay in the towns, taking, '.rettesrfnp: w.ork .Bfr cently only one 'applicant wasTeoewd for the' Arthur's - Pass' School, * a ■ iiti© chance for a sturdy -yourir New; Zealander. and only -one for That doesn't , look like-a; dearth of work. I. think .that .this yornigcman (raising the newspaper) is at-ype that is not a credit, to liiuiself, to his> parents, his college, or, • the dominion.