THE EDUCATION- QUESTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4255, 9 November 1874, Page 3

THE EDUCATION- QUESTION.

Sir, —I have read with interest your several articles on education, and your lengthened reports of important educational speeches, and I unhesitatingly assert you are doing “a world of good ” to our rising generation. and to the New Zealand of the future. Your several articles have been directed more to the theory than to the practice; but clue regard must bo had to the fact that our Colonial Education Boards supply only the most meagre details of the working or results of their several systems. Wo have no New Zealand Blue Book on Education—there is no educational return called for by Parliament— the public take no interest in them, and few New Zealand journals trouble themselves about the matter, for the simple reason, I suspect, that it would not Interest their readers. Theorists on education fancy it is a mere Act of Parliament docs the good without ever looking to its after management ; the. Government cry out, “ Here it is for you, do this or do that with it.” Book at Wellington with its Education Act! See the different phases it assumes ;—The Wellington Education Act, 1871: the Wellington Education Act Amendment Act, 1572 ; the Wellington, Ac.-, Ac., Ac. Act, 1573 ; and a new and confounded edition appears for 1874. Of the interest taken in the Education Act since its passing, it is needless to remark to your readers—it will be sufficient to say that, there was not a person in Wellington city willing to stand for the office of member of the Education Board. The retnrning-officer—J. C. Crawford, Esq. remained standing in front of the Court House, and it is unknown how long more he would have remained there were it not that Mr. Pearce was passing by, and on inquiring what it was all about proposed Mr. Brandon. This shows that the office was thrust upon Mr. Brandon, which explains, perhaps, the lukewarmness with which he has attended to those duties, which thereby devolved on him. There was not, as far as I can ascertain, a contest throughout the province for any of the seats. At the end of the second year it would bo only reasonable to suppose that some interest would be taken by the settlers in its working, and the recent vacancy for Fcatherstnn shows how vain hopes arc. Very few of the members take a real or active interest in education. Mr. Graham does the secretary’s business at £3OO per annum, Mr. Brandon does the law business, Mr. Hutchison does the printing, Mr. Toomath did the office of itenerant inspector for some time, and it appears when any other gentleman < f the Board wishes to come to Wellington, or is compelled to conic on private business, he calls at the Education office, asks politely is there to bo a meeting,—perhaps two others are invited,—and they there and then sit down to make laws for the poor teachers and ratepayers, laws that must from the hurry with which they are considered be afterwards unworkable, as they have proved to be. But I have made a mistake. A more common business of the meeting is to adjourn, most likely after the travelling expenses arc settled. And who dares speak. Reporters from the papers are seldom present, for there arc no settled days of meeting, and I have yonr authority, and the authority of your evening contemporary, for stating that you have been several times without any information as to the time, and oftenor still that when you do get notice it is so short yon cannot make arrangements to send a reporter. How often a poor teacher’s feelings are hurt, and he cannot even request the Editor to correct some statement therein, “without the express permission of the Board.” which I am informed has been in some cases refused, or the permission so long withheld that it is worthless. To make a long story short, the Wellington Education Board arc called upon to administer an Act which is antagonistic to their feelings, and it .surprises me if they are not paid more on the average than they pay In rates. None of their children take advantage of the Act, and they can have no sympathy with it. To show how they treat their teachers would take up too much of your valuable space, and besides it might be telling it to an unsympathising public : but oven at the risk I will, with your permission, state a few. The salaries arc not based upon the individual worth or the collective or individual goodness of the pupils, nor have these qualifications anything to do with them : political considerations and religious feelings are the paramount qualifications for office and advancement. The highest salary anv teacher receives under the “Toomathian scale” is, I believe, £IOO. What an inducement this is for teachers to leave their homes in England. It reminds me of the couplet—- “ Rash fool, for a vision of fanciful bliss To barter thy calm life of Labor and peace.” Any new teacher joining the Board will have to wait two months and a fortnight for Ins salary ; but the delay would be compensated for if they got the salary duo then, but they will only get a month’s salary, and ns I have already stated, the teachers can’t complain. If the papers speak of it, some unoffending teacher will be made a victim of, as in the case of Mr. Hnlke. Perhaps, too, some one mav suffer for this, and if anv one gets a threatening letter for it. as Mr. Hnlke and Mr. Gomrer got, through a local which appeared in one of the Wanganui papers, they have only to leave a letter at your office for the undersigned, and he will take the responsibllitj'. It is no wonder, sir. that the teachers of the Wellington Education Board should bo discontented ; it is no wonder that numbers should leave, and that others should be getting ready. Some of the best and most qualified teachers have left since the “Toomathian scale” has come into operation. Among these I may reckon Mr. Wilson, of Karori. and Mr. Camfield of Kaiwarra. who have both got superior positions at Canterbury; Mr. Macdonald, of the Hutt, now alawycr’g assistant, and more than'half a dozen have left the up-country districts, while the Board have given a virtual notice to quit to Messrs. Hurley and Newlyn, in the shape of a reduction of their salaries, by forty or fifty pounds per annum, to suit the said Toomathian scale. All things considered, the Wellington Education Office is the last place for n man to come to seek for employment. It would be far better for him to take advantage of Mr, McKirdy’s advertisement, which appeared side by side with the Board ’» advertisement ft few days back, under the head Wanted.—-I am, Ac., Amicus. November 7th.