School Committees' Petition.

Manawatu Herald, 9 July 1898, Page 2

School Committees' Petition.

« Tha following is the text of the petition to be presented to Parlia mont by the variou3 school com rait tees on the coast, as referred t< in our report of the School Com tnittee's meeting : — •• We your peti tioners, being School Committees io the various Education Districts set opposite our several names*, humbly pray that whereas the present ayst< m of leaving the inspection and examination of each Education District in the hands of the same officer year after year is detrimental to the best interests of education from the following causes : (a), a wide diversity of opinion as to the interpretation of the syllabus exists in the different Education Districts of the colony, and an equally wide diversity as to the methoda adopted of appraising the work performed in the schools,

(b), such diversity argues that the inspectors do not agree, and it is common to hear in one district condemnation of (he proceedings of Board 3 and Inspectors of other districts, (c), Traehera feel it incumbent upon ihem to set-k success by adopting the whims and fanciefl ol a particular luspector, and have not :he opportunity of obtaining the skilled advice of a large number of experts, (d) In every branch of the Public Service where superior officers have control of numerous subordi* na es fur a lengthened period of v. ar.-\ local feelings and local influences often acquire a strength which is inconsistent with the im« panidl f xerciae of public duty. Your H ;noi-ab!e House will take such step 3as may be necessary to bring the Inspectoral Staff of the colony under the control of the Education Department in Wellington and make such rules and regulations as will ensure no Inspector being more than t, vo yars in the same district."