THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1656, 11 June 1879, Page 2

THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 1879.

There are a number of institutions which are very excellent and very useful when kept within their proper sphere. Among such may ho reckoned Teachers’ Associations. They subserve many useful purposes. Among others they raise a desirable esprit dc corps; they enlarge the knowledge of the members by giving them opportunities of mutually comparing their work, and they enable the teachers to concert measures for their own protection and for the general improvement of the status of their profession. But, bko other societies, Teachers’ Associations are sometimes apt to stop beyond their properfunctions, and to claim a voice in matters that are not within their jurisdiction. A case of this nature occurred the otherday at Waganui. The Waganui Education Board had, in the course of its duties, to encpiiro into the right of a lad named .Ross to hold a scholar-ship which had boon awarded him on examination, the matter having been referred to the Board by a school committee. A protest was then handed in from tiro Teachers’ Association against Boss holding the scholarship. The Board considered the action of tiro Association, but came to no resolution on the subject, although a majority of the members present thought the Association had been ill-advised in their course of action. At a meeting of tiro Association subsequent to the Board meeting, a cordial vote of thanks was awarded to the two members of the Board who had expressed their opinion that the protest was in order. Tho ‘Now Zealand Times,” in commenting on these facts, points to an anomaly that would arise if once measures of such a nature were considered allowable on the part of teachers’ associations. As the above-mentioned journal points out, every Education Board is the official superior of tho teachers under its supervision, and all proper official control would bo endangered if tho associations wore allowed to assume a position not accorded them under the system in force in the colony. Teachers’ associations have no legal status whatever : tho educational work of tho colony is carried on by Boards and Local Committees under a central supervision, and it would be manifestly most undesirable that an irresponsible body, consisting of persons under tho official control of such Boards and Committees should move out of its proper sphere, and claim a right to in any way influence or interfere witli tho decisions of those who are elected by popular constituencies to carry on educational mat • ters in their own particular districts. Wo are not imagining that Teachers’ Associations would, as a rule, claim such power, but we are merely alluding to a special case to show that institutions, most desirable in themselves, may, unless they boar in mind tho causes and objects of their own existence, easily find themin a false position.

The little difficulty between the City Council and Councillor Wilson as to tbe guarantee for a share of the cost of rebuilding Colombo street bridge having been settled, there is now every probability of the work being proceeded with. That the bridge should have boon allowed to remain so long in its present unsafe state, does not reflect credit on our Municipal authorities. It is one of the main connections between the city proper and the large and populous district to the northward of Colombo street. The traffic is very great over it, and for a long time it has been patent that the present structure is not sufficient to carry the said traffic safely. Not only so, but, as wo have pointed out over and over again, the danger to pedestrians crossing is considerable, owing to there being no footway for their use. We hope, now that the Council have taken the matter in hand, that they will make the bridge, not only of sufficient capacity to carry all the traffic that may daily pass over it, but that they will also have duo regard to the probable growth of the northern portion of the city. This is the second or third instance of a necessity arising for, practically, rebuilding a bridge over the river owing to the fact that no thought was taken at first of the day when an increased population would necessitate a more commodious structure. What with the repairs to the Colombo street bridge, which have been of frequent occurrence, and the cost now of enlarging it, more of the ratepayers’ money has been spent than would have built a really good bridge. Therefore wo venture to express a hope that the Works Committee will not perpetuate such a blunder as this, but will erect a substantial article, with a view to the certain large increase of traffic during the next few years.