Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, DEC. 6, 1892. Dual Control.

Manawatu Herald, 6 December 1892, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, DEC. 6, 1892. Dual Control.

« Owinu to the peculiar wording of " The' Education Act 1877 " the Education Boards claim a siniilai control over teachers which has been very clearly given to the Committees Every now and then trouble arisrs from this caiu-e. The Foxton Coin inittee have bad frequent attemptmade to over-ride their appointment.-!, and the last attempt of the W.mga nui Board is their ref usual to forward to the Palmerston Committee the name of a teacher which the committee apparently desiie to have before them when considering the testimonials of the applicants already forwarded to the committee. The outline of the discussion shows that the Hoard, in its usual manner, sent cartain names for selection, the com mittee desired the addition of one which the Board declines to add What the committee will do next will be watched with interest, and we decidedly hope they will endeavour to carry their point, which seems a most reasonable one. We, however, much fear, without measures being carried to a point which would probably be resented by the parents of the pupils to be placed under the teacher to be selected, that the Board will gain the day, but, in our opinion, directly contrary to the reading and meaning of the Act. The ct, under Section 80, gives the Board power to appoint and re move a Secretary, Inspector, and such other officers as may be thought necessary, referring to the Board's own management, as Section 85 whilst empowering the Board to appoint and remove officers and teachers, states it must be done in the manner provided by this Act, which is clearly set out under the heading of Sohool Committees and their Duties, which inseotion 72 states that " no recommendation to the Board concerning the appointment, suspension, or dismissal of a teacher, -hall be considered unless notice in writing to the effect that such busiis proposed to be transacted has been iddressed to every member of the sommitcee three days at least before -.he meeting.'' It may be argued -,hat as section 45 empowers the Board to appoint teachers for every school they can do so on their own responsibility, but the clause above mentioned seems to set out so particularly the necessity of every oommitteeman being notified of the object of the meeting, that the power given to the Board under section 45 is merely administrative after the committee have exercised their judgment. If this was not so there would appear, to be but little sense in section 74 which directs that " subjeot to the general supervision and control of the Board and to inspection by an Inspector as herein provided the committee shall have the management of educational matters within the school district." The position of the committee in relation to the teacher is also shown

by section 47-as " no school teacher v . . . shall be at liberty to ivlinqnhh'his said cn^a^ement without giving to tli3 Chairman of lha , Committ-: 1 !- 1 and also. to the Secretary of 'uho Board uiuler which ho holds his appointment at least one month's notice in writing.' We have before assorted that Education Hoards are a law unto themselves, and they aiv very ant to drive comnutk'i'.s t<i tdlif such action for the preservation of tho very small measmo of their right? at times accorded to i'nem by tlw Buurds» as t\'ou!d Wd to Wdst unpleasant results* Our advice lias been to protest to the last and then id treasure np Bucli instances for the day when a strong combined action may sweep the Boards away. The action of the Board in resenting the request of the Palmerston committee is ill defiance of the Act; CiatiseS 45 and 72 clearly seb out that besides selecting a teacher they ha\e the right of recommending one, a right which not only puts the Palmerston committee straight) but further instance's the powei* the ddmmifcfce'e possess to go Outside of a selection of any number of candidates forwarded by the Board. The Board gets the ' whip hand ' ot a committee by going through thfe farce (which .when attempting it) force the selection of a tencher they can truly make such consultation) of consulting the committee, as until that is done no appointment can be made, but when a committee makes a recommendation 1 td the .hoard, and that body can make no reasonable objection to it ; we hold that by tho powers of section 7i the committee has the " right " if not the might, to make tile appointment. The Board act as though, after " consulting " a committee they could then do as they pleased, bat any reasonable interpretation of the Meaning | must be that unless the: committee desire a most unwise thing, and it can be so shown, that their advice should bs acted upon. The Wanganui Education Board evidently thinks otherwise, which} however, does not oppress or surprise us.