The Manawatu Standard. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 1885. CLERICAL IDOSYNCRACIES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 108, 11 April 1885, Page 2

Manawatu Standard. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 1885. CLERICAL IDOSYNCRACIES.

Thebe has been a storm m a teapot m the usually placid and serene atmosphere m w.bieh the Bulls School Committee lives, moves, and has its being. It seems that a little scheme had been planned to get appointed to the positioa of assistant teacher, a daughter of the present master. This young lady happens to be uucertificated, and had furthermore passed a very indifferent examination. There were besides four certificated teachers available, and the Wanganui Education Board very properly declined to ratify the appointment of the master's daughter under such circumstances. The little scheme which has so completely failed, was the subject of some correspondence m the open columns ot the Marton paper. We now learn with surprise, and sorrow that that wise tmd good man, the Rev. Mr Doull, of Bulls, on Sunday last made a most scurrilous attack m the Marton paper for having published such r letters. Suiely this can scarcely be true. The Rev. Mr Doull, the personification of all Christian virtues, to descend to scurrility, because a public journal afforded space to correspondents to ventilate their opinions m a manner distasteful to him. The Marton paper makes the following observation* with regard to the main point at issue : — " And now a few words about the appointment recommended by the committee, lfc seems to us a monstrous thing that, when there were four certificated teachers available, they should have recommended a person who was not only uncertificated, but who had passed such a miserable examination as a pupil teacher. Why was the recommendation made 1 Was it because the young lady was a daughter of Uie head teacher and the latter was a friend of the chairman of the committee ?" Surely the Committee weie not m ignorance of the Act which provides as a sine qua non the possession of a certificate m a candidate for the post of assistant teacher. Yet this sapient Committee, were trying to foist on the Board an unceitificated teacher, when four certificated teachers were available. It is quite time more discrimination were shown m the appointment of teachers and assistant teachers, m which lespect too much laxity has been heretofore displayed. Ak the Marton paper reniiirks: — "The action taken by the committee was all the more indefensible because the Bulls school had already got into a very low condition, and they Bhould have made every endeavor to secure the best assistant teacher available, instead of trying to pitchfork the head teacher's daughter into a position for which she was utterly unfit. The Education Board, as might have been expected, treated the commii tee's recommendation with \ contempt. They have very properly set their faces against family arrangements, and made up their minds I to obtain the best talent available." It is fortunate for the public and the cause of education that these aud similar little hole and corner arrangements cannot be carried into effect with the same facility as once could have been done. But we are surprised at the Rev. Mr Doull. And again we are not surprised, because we do not think very highly of Mr Doull's judgment, disci iminntion, and intellectual ability. Ho has tried to get a seat on the Board time after time, aud it' ever his unfitness for that position stood revealed m clear and dis-

tinct outline 1 it w vow m connection wiili this mutter of the appointment of an assistant teacher foi the Bulls school.