THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, APRIL 22, 1878.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2865, 22 April 1878, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, APRIL 22, 1878.

Some members of the new Education Board hare lately shown a disposition to withhold from the public information of their proceedings. The right of the Press and the public to be present at the meetings of the Board has been questioned by the Chairman, but we are glad to notice that the attempt to. carry this into practice was resented by some members. It is well that the proceedings of an administrative body like the Education Board should be published as widely as possible, and this is not likely to be (he case unless the representatives of the Press hare free access to all meetings and receire assistance from the Board's officers. This matter has received greater promt* nence from an incident that occurred at one of the meetings last week. An elaborate report had been prepared by the Secretary to the Board. This was accompanied by a synopsis of the report, in which the points were only lightly touched upon. The reporters wished to obtain the full report and make their own synopsis therefrom. This was objected to by some, and we believe a little scene occurred, the request of the reporters being ultimately acceded to. This same report has disclosed some rather startling proposals of a financial character, which we are glad to see our Auckland contemporary, the New Zealand Herald, is commenting upon. In an article of this character which appeared in Saturday's issue the following comparative statement of the cost of the Education Board and the late Provincial Executive administration is given :—

It may be worth while to make a com* parison between the cost of the executive officers of the late Provincial Government and that which it is now proposed shall be that of the new Board of Education. The lubjoined figures show the former:— Executive— Provincial Secretary ... ... 450 Provincial Treasurer ... ... 250 Accountant (also Gold fields Paymaster) ... ... *. 350 Chief Clerk ... ... ... 300 Clerk of Records 225 Clerical assistance and contingencies ... *... ... ... 360 Messengers ... ... ... 140 Total £2,075 The figures which are now intended to form the executive expenditure of the Board of Education are the following :— Inspector ... £500 Inspector's clerk 290 Secretary ...' 500 Two clerks 400 Treasurer ... ... ... 350 Auxiliary clerk ... ... 50 Architect (about) 360 ■ Messenger (say) ... ... 40 Total *2,sqjf We take leave to say that the difference in these computations is a rather startling one; and if the Education Board, now that it is freed from the administration of College and Grammar School and from the charge of the education reserves, is to cost for its mere executive work nearly twenty per cent, more than was the cost of the united political and administrative talent which from time to time used to govern the whole province, the subject j merits careful consideration.

School committee men in country districts will be able to thoroughly appreciate this excessive liberality of the Board to its servants, especially some of those who have seen service under the old Board. A lengthened correspondence has in some cases ensued over the unauthorised expenditure of a few shillings on some urgent work ; while many public schools have to be cleaned at the expenso of the teachers or remain dirty, because the Central Board would not set apart a fund for such necessary purposes. The statement published above discloses a disposition to reckless expenditure which must be checked, and if public opinion is unequal to this, an amendment of the law must be demanded. It would be better fo* the public, and conduce more to economy in spending the vote for education, to have a department of Education erected, with a responsible Minister at the head, than to entrust the administration to Central Boards if the gentlemen comprising these Boards cannot perform their functions without such expensive staffs of officials. With a Minister of Edncation in communication with the local committees we believe the educational department of the Colony could be better—as it certainly would be lesa expensivelyworked than under the present system, which appears to be open to gross abuse. The powers of committees would have to be slightly extended, and their number lessened by amalgamation of districts. We trust the committees and the public will not lose sight of the doings of Central Boards.