QUIS CUSTODIAT IPSOS CUSTODES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1561, 29 March 1887, Page 2

QUIS CUSTODIAT IPSOS CUSTODES.

TO THE BEITOR. Sir, —I wish to inform the pub'ic through the medium of your columns of some very improper proceedings which took place in our schoolroom on Wednesday last, March 16, Some months ago a concert ptomoled by one or two members of our School (loramittee, and perhaps other persons, was given in our schoolroom to raise money for prizes for the children, and last Wednesday was the day appointed for presenting them. The Inspector of Schools had consented to, send a list of the best children in each , standard at the examination held here about six weeks ago, and i also was asked at different times to furnish returns, such, as the number in each class, the best attendant, the bast writer, and the best conducted of my scholars, but I replied that I was unable to recommend anyone for the last prise, as all, or most of the

children, were very well behaved. When the prizes were about to be given out th 6.e other day by a rev. gentleman, and member of the Education Board, i asked him whether he had satisfied himself that all the books (and I may say they were of a very paltry description) were fairly apportioned among the children, as I had soma doubts about it myself, though I had never seen the prizes untif that moment. The gentleman replied he had no doubt it was all right, although, he said, he kiflw nothing about it. So I requested him to show me the principal prize book—in Standard IY., and showed him that be was just fibout to give the best prize in tha school to the only scholar who had failed in the standard, but who happened to be the daughter of the person who had got up the prize fund. 1 soon perceived that very little notice was being taken of my protest, so I made my bow and left the room, but the next day, hearing gome remarks made by the children, I made further inquiries, and found to my great displeasure that the prile for good con* due', fe* which I had declined to recommend anyone, had been given to another daughter of the same fortunate family. I am constantly in the habit of inciting my scholars to love to do what is right in the sight of God, and to bate the contrary, but I am afraid their ideas of right and wrong will he rather upset and mixed up for the future. Certainly, lam surprised to see that a man’s affection for his children will lead him, when be, has tha chance, to award them prizes subscribed for by public money, and to which neither of them were in any way entitled, and I am equally surprised to see that a person of position, and minister of religion, could consent to distribute such prizes when he is warned and shown beforehand that everything is not right.—-I am, etc.j Dominick Browne, Teacher, South Rasgitata School. March 21st. '

[&.S Mr Browne has taken the responsibility of the contents of this letter on his own shoulders, by signing it with his full name, we give it publicity. At the same time we think ho deals unjustly with the rev. gentleman who distributed the prizes. He evidently distributed the prizes at the request of the School (Join- j, raittee, and he could do nothing more nor * less than give them to the children whose names were submitted to him as prize winners. He would indeed have acted very wrong had he done anything else. Whoever is to blame, he certainly ought not to have been dragged into it. It would have been a moat extraordinary proceed! / for him, who perhaps bad never been in the school before, to turn on the Committee and say: “ You are not giving the przes to the rightful winners of them.’'— The Ebitok.]