SNOBBERY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5040, 15 October 1926, Page 2

SNOBBERY.

INSTANCE IN ENGLAND.

AN EXAMPLE IN NEW ZEALAND.

Some time ago attention wa|& drawn to what the English newspapers resignated as nauseating snobbery in connection with the reporting pf cricket matches —amateurs having initials bPfdre their names, while distinguished professionals had to be satisfied with “Hobbs,” “Sutcliffe,” “Rhodes,” and so on. The Ti-maru Post says : “We did not realise at the time of writing that we were living in a glass • house. We now find that the report <ff the Canterbury Education Board affords proof that New Zealand is- not yet completely above reproach in tho matter of courtesy titles. An example of this strange mentality is provided in the tabular summary Of attendance returns of the schools under the jurisdiction of the Board. There, we find in the details of the schools, the head teacher given a courte|sy title of ‘Mr,” while only the name of the chairman of the committee is given. In sdme respects, at least, we have smashed English precedent, since we have honoured the professional and ignored ths amateur. In other words, the Canterbury Education Board has accorded a courtesy title of ‘Mr’ to the. professional pedagogue, or paid servant of the State, while .the amateur administrator, or the non-expert school committeeman, as the late Minister of Education delighted to regard them, are made to feel that although they ■may be heads of local administrative bodies their status is much lower than the teachers in charge. We regard this method of compiling official records as an, affront to school committees and a deplorable example of bad taste.”