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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4408, 6 May 1875, Page 2

The Board of Education has rescinded its resolution for the amalgamation of the offices of Secretary and Inspector. This, we had every reason to suppose, would be the final issue of the matter. But we had no idea, until reading the report of the Board's proceedings, asTeported elsewhere, that such a strong personal feeling existed, on the part of two prominent members of the Board, against the Inspector of Schools. The first meeting having been held with closed doors, we accepted the statement of the movers in this affair, that they were actuated by public motives only. With the report of yesterday's meeting before us, we.are reluctantly compelled to change that opinion, and to deny to Messrs Toomath and Hutchison the slender prop which a narrow, but honest, view of their public duty might afford to them in this case. To that report we appeal ; and we challenge any candid person to say, after perusing it, that, these gentlemen are entitled to plead, in justification of their conduct, a scrupulous regard for their public duty. It is not for us to search for motives, although these were pretty clearly disclosed in the discussion; our duty is to direct the attention of the ratepayer's of the province to the imminent danger of having the whole educational system usurped by a clique, unless the constitution of the Board of Education be altogether changed. Reading Mr. Toomath's draft scheme, defining the powers and duties of members of the Board, together with that gentleman's remarks on the motion for rescinding the amalgamation resolution, and Mr. Hutchison's observations in his support, the public will perceive what a very narrow escape there has been from the baneful influence to which we have referred. The Board, to its credit be it said, not only rescinded its former resolution, but it rejected altogether Mr. Toomath's scheme for conferring arbitrary power upon each member within his own district. Indeed, nothing could have induced Mr. Toomath to propose such preposterous resolutions, but tho certainty of carrying them. Fortunatelj', he has been disappointed. The attention of the Board was aroused, and for the present a stop has been put to the sapping and mining which has been unremittingly carried on during the past twelvemonth. For this time at least, the school system is safe. But what guarantee can tho public have that it will remain undisturbed ; that some other method of approach will not be adopted, with the view of getting absolute control of the educational machinery of the province 1 We confess that we see none. The only hope lies in changing the constitution of the Board in the suggested in the Chairman's resolutions, or by giving members tho right of proxy voting, al* though there aro many valid objections to tho latter. On the whole we incline to Mr. Brandon's plan. However, there

is now: a Bill before the Council -which might be so amended in committee as to meet thexase, and we trust it will not be passed until after the decisioriof the Board of Education has been come to on the motion and amendment now before it.