THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1880. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2091, 5 November 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1880. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

We cannot but think that Mr. Montgomery sounded a true chord, when at the meeting of the North Canterbury Education Board yesterday, on certain reports on the efficiency of certain schools being laid on the table, ho suggested that it might be advisable to take the consideration of such matters in open meeting. The effect, ho stated, might be to induce greater vigilance and care on the part of teachers generally. There can be no doubt but that the less secrecy there is in the deliberations of all public bodies the better. It may bo true enough that it is desirable, to use the old adage, “ to wash one’s dirty linen at home,” but public bodies do not occupy the same position as private ones, and the public at large is very sensitive with respect to any attempt to keep from its notice what it considers it should know all about. Moreover, there are two sides to the question. Publicity is a very wholesome check on any disposition to find fault over-readily that may exist on the part of inspecting officials. No efficient schoolmaster, with his heart in his work, could object to having the manner in which he conducted his school placed before the public. Any shortcomings would most probably be explained away by showing that the staff of the school was shorthanded, or by some other reason of the same sort, and the prestige of the master would suffer in no respect; indeed the thorough ventilation of the circumstances with which he was surrounded would have the effect of drawing public sympathy to his position. No doubt there are occasions when the seeresy of committee is desirable. For instance, any attack on the personal character of a master should be carefully examined in private before being allowed to go forth to the public. Characters are, like Venetian glass, most valuable but most fragile, A careless attack on them may do as much harm as a well-founded accusation. In dealing with them, therefore, a preliminary investigation is desirable to show cause why the matter should be made public. And there are other cases which may be placed in the same category. But, speaking generally, the Board of Education, like many other public Boards, is far too fond of shrinking into Committee on the smallest provocation, and, indeed on no provocation at all. We all have noticed the eagerness with which the homely snail retires into its shell when touched with the smallest object, and we have altogether understood the instinct which leads it to do so, for it is so remarkably defenceless when out of its house. But the Board of Education is presumably by no means a weak body. It is constructed on the principle that the best available talent is necessary to direct the education of the nation, and that in fact, as Dr. Ohanning used to say, it requires as much wisdom to educate a child perfectly as to govern a state. Why then should this body shirk publicity F Is it alone its tender regard for the feelings of its employees ? These latter, as long as they do their duty, have nothing to fear from the working of the education machine being supervised and oiled in open day. The public is, on the whole, when not in a panic, a wise and forbearing master, and it certainly is not with its sanction that a dim and mysterious shadow is thrown over a good deal of the work done by the Board of Education.

STREET WATERING. The season for nor’-westers has once more come round, and yet, notwithstanding the experience gained in past years, the City Council do not appear to have become wiser as to the best method of street watering. Only a few days back the whole city, for two or three hours, was enveloped in a cloud of dust, some of the main streets not being watefed at 11 a.m. The remedy for this state of things, respecting which the ratepayers have a right to complain, wo have already pointed out. It is that tho staff should be increased, and that the watering should commence at an earlier hour than at present. On tho day alluded to, which will no doubt bo fresh in the memory of our readers, tho nor’ - wester commenced very early, and the City Council, or whoever has charge of the arrangements for watering the streets, ought certainly to have had the carts out some hours before they were. It must bo remembered that there is something more in this than the inconvenience to the general public, though that is bad enough. The City Council have levied, with the consent of the occupiers, a rate for watering the streets mentioned. Hence a contract has been entered into to do certain work, and they should take care

that it is executed in such a way as to gire the persons paying for it that amount of convenience to which they are entitled. But, under the present system, hours of dust blowing'are allowed to elapse before the carts come into the streets, and the goods of the tradesmen suffer in consequence. Thoio is, we contend, no reason whatever that during the short period of the summer months, the carts should not come out, when necessary, as soon as it is light. By saturating the streets at an early hour the inconvenience now felt would be avoided, and the work be properly done. The members of the new works committee, including amongst others the Mayor expectant, Councillor Ayers, whilst private members only, were loud as to the way in which the watering of the streets was conducted; but now that they are in power they do not seem to be any more able to carry out the work satisfactorily than their predecessors. We hope that the points we here brought under the notice of the works committee will be taken notice of, and that an alteration in the present system will be made at an early date.