THE PARK CASE.

Wairarapa Age, 20 January 1922, Page 5

THE PARK CASE.

A NEW PHASE. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE’S ACTION. Following on the letter of the Director of Education (Mr J. Caughley) to Miss Park, the Carterton schoolteacher, advising her of the enquiry to be held at Carterton on January 30, the Educational Institute has taken the responsibility of advising Misfc Park not to attend the enquiry, and has forwarded to the Director of Education the following letter: — “Sir? —I have the honour to inform you tha-t the case of Miss Park" has been referred to the executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute for consideration, and such action as may seem suitable. I have been directed by the executive to acknowledge on Miss Park’s behalf your letter of the sth instant informing her of a projected second inquiry into her case. The executive does not see in your letter mention of any matter that was not fully dealt with at the inquiry held by the Education Board. Miss Park has already undergone one inquiry by the proper acthorities, and it is contrary to all standards of British fair play that a prosecutor, having failed at one trial, should be given an opportunity of a second trial for the purpose of bolstering up the. weakness of his case that the first trial disclosed. Against such a proceeding the executive enters its most emphatic protest, and has, therefore, advised Miss Park not to attend the proposed second inquiry. “With the subject matter of your letter it is not the exqcutive’is intention to deal at this stage, except to say, in reference to Miss Park’s letter in ‘National Education,’ that the executive does not in any way excuse the letter, which, in the opinion of the executive, contains expressions which are injudicious and of doubtful propriety, but do not justify some of the injurious inferences that have been drawn from them. As far as the other matters are concerned, the executive is preparing, for publication if necessary, a statement covering the whole history of the case.”

Mr Ca ugh ley has replied to this letter, and the matter is now in the hand’s of the Educational Institute's legal advisers.