Powers of School Committees.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 37, 16 February 1884, Page 5

Powers of School Committees.

There cannot be a moment's doubt that the view taken by Mr Moss on Friday as to the relative positions of the Board of Education arid the School Committees is correct. The Parnell Committee last year selected Mr Talbot, at present a teacher in the Graf ton Road School, to fill a vacancy in Parnell. The Board doclined to make the appointment, on the ground that Mr Talbot's classification on the list of teachers made the appointment illegal, and that there were others on the list better qualified, and with stronger claims. Since this occurred a new Committee has been elected. One of its first acts was to renew the selection. Yesterday, therefore, the question came before the Board. At tho same time there was presented a protest against the appointment, signed by three members of the new Committee. The protest was on tho ground that they believed the appointment would be injurious to the interests of the school. Some of the members of the Board backed up this view, and wished to decide at once that the appointment should not be made. Mr Moss objected to such action being taken, and held that whatever his own opinion or that of other members might be as to the effect on the school, there was nothing against Mr Talbot to warrant them in tho least in taking the power out of the hands of the Committee. Of the welfare of the school the Committee was the best judge. The proper course Avas to let the Committee know of tho protest that had been sent in, and if they adhered to the appointment, the Board should make it. Ho stated what he believed to be the ground on which the protest had been made, and also what he understood to be a genei'al feeling in the district. He shared the feeling himself, but felt that as a member of the Board he had no right to be influenced by it. The Committees must be made to feel their responsibility, and this could not be done if the Board interfered with them except on the clearest and strongest grounds. We agree with Mr Moss, and believe that if the Board persevere in the policy they are pursuing the Committees will have new life and vigour infused into them, to the benefit of the great cause of education, in which they and the Board are equally concerned.