The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1883.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4529, 11 July 1883, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1883.

The title; of Board of Education is gradually becoming a misnomer, as far as the Auckland body ia concerned. We had occasion a short time since to point out a most flagrant attempt, on their part, to violate the spirit of the Act under which they exist, in the matter of obtain* ing—it must' be presumed for their guidance in making appointments—a roll showing the religious denominations to which their teachers belong. This, in itself, is evidence of their .unworthiless to occupy the high position in which they are placed; but they; themselves, furnish further telling proofs of their incompetence to carry out the important duties appertaining to the offices which they fill. The latest movement in an educational direction—or rather, we should say, in auother direction, is the action taken upon the statement of their sapient chairman,, who after consulting the Inspector and Secretary had come to the conclusion that " it would not be expedient to move legislation at present " in the matter of educational matters, which should include the question of scholarships, primary education in connection with .grammar schools, and the. constitution of Boards of Governors. Jt is not our intention to enter into the whole syßtem, but great and radical reforms—in the way of local administration—appear to be neceasary. Doubtless the intention of the Act is all that could be wished by its framers, but the method adopted by the Auckland Board of carrying that intention out, is to our mind somewhat peculiar. We have, no objection to, tb.e Inspector and Secretary to.-the, Board being consulted) in the working of the measure, as they are, or should be, most fitted, by knowledge, experience, and study—as a duty I—to carefully interpret and devise means to carrying it out, but there their dvty ends. As our Auckland content- j

poraryputs it, they should perhaps have » say in school management, but in matte: of legislation they should not express bd opinion.. We,should be sorry to see tht Edooational district soffer through the in oorapetency of a chairman, or the srro nance of officials, and we hope that notwithstanding the dictum of the chair* man, secretary, and an inspector of the Education Board, the\ Legislature will provide that the loose clause, allowing the doors. _qL ; certain educational establish-menla-f maintained principally by Government —to oe elosedj 'will be amended; that tkt JbUp»bo«. to the higher schools will be regulated by legislation, without .official iotatforeacft; and that the free untrammelled course of popular education which was intended by the designers of the present Act will not be interrupted.