The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1879.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 316, 15 November 1879, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1879.

The Wellington Monthly Itcview, speaking of tin teachers of ths colony, suggests "they should ho ii'idcr Ik direct control uf the. Central Kducalioi] Dopsirtment, :m-1 only lespon.-dble lo their superiors in office, us is the case with civil servants—fchoit- not being classed as such is an injustice to a hard working and intelligent body of people. The appointment of teachers to schools should be made by the Minister of Education on the advice of his officers, considered by himself. , Local committees' powers, under the present Act, are now more hindrance than profit to both teachers and communities, Under the sytem now in force a teacher is nominated by the Central District Board to a school, upon the advice of the Inspector, after due examination of certificates and testimonials; this nomination is transmitted to the Local Committee, who, in due course, can accept or reject the nominee—thus sitting in solemn conclave and judging the actions of the superior Board ! In many instances the local boards are composed of people who are notoriously incompetent to decide upon the subject ; yet, forsooth, they have the real power of appointing teachers. To maintain the proper status of teachers is of primary importance, and to ensure this they should be responsible and subordinate only to the official heads of the department, the same as in other branches of the Civil Service. Under the arrangements now in force the unfortunate pedagogues have nearly as many masters as pupils—in their immediate local committee, the district board and its Inspector, and the Government with its Inspector-General and other officers—truly the teacher is a too much governed individual. The Inspector's supervision of the teachers and schools is sufficient to. ensure, in all ordinary cases, their efficiency. And if the teachers should he Government ■ervants only, it is essentially necessary that the Inspectors be the same, and not -amenable to any boards, either local or district; nor is it for the good of the service that they be'staiiuiiory in one district; were ihey moveable to place by the Department HBMSpeotor-General, many of the HHe of teachers under the system nßSnjoguc would be rennved" Of of public teachers in lingfWPi'ovinciid '.District, lias been materially improved). Their salaries have been increased at least 50 per cent. on the amounts which were paid seven or eight years ago, and they are far more independent of local committees and focal influences than they were formerly, We hardly agree with the recommendation of our contemporary for abolishing local committees, Speaking from a wide experience of numerous committees, we cannot remember a single instance where a teacher - has been subjected to unfair treatment by such a body. Local committees are perhaps a nuisance to indifferent teachers, but they are undoubtedly a support and protection to good masters. A. schoolmaster who does his duty is quite independent of his committee. It is only when lie neglects his work or abuses his position that he has any

reason for objecting to, have n committee connected with his school. Tlio abolition of School Committees in the Wellington Provincial .District would mean giving absolute power into the lmiuls of tin l . Inspector. It is objected now to Mr Leu that he exercises too grout a swny over educational affairs, but were he free from the influence of local committees his power • would become much more absolute. Local committees are an institution both in New Zealand and the home country, which Ims existed for a great number of years. Before such an institution is done away with it is desirable that it should be shown that it is useless or obstructive. " Teachers' grievances" which our contemporary harps about, seem to us to be more imaginary than real. A colonial teacher gets in many instances a larger income than a colonial clergyman who has taken an University degree. His hours of labor are short. His holidays are periodical and extensive.. He earns more money in five cases out of six than he could obtain at any other work. As long as he does his duty he is independent of his Board, his Inspector, and his committee. What are his grievances 1 It is better to' be a public school teacher than a clergyman, a bank clerk, or a doctor, as the former has better pay and less work. We think that teachers as a whole are exceedingly well off in this colony, and that they are somewhat unwise to talk about small grievances when their lot is so wonderfully free from the worries and anxieties incidental to so many other businesses and professions, The Loyal Masfcerton Lodge 1.U.1.0, O.F. meets on Tuesday evening. Tenders arc invited for the good-will, business premises, etc., in the estate of Kibblewhite Bros. Mr E, Wrigley's tender for the Victoria Hotel lias, we understand, been accepted, We call attention to an advertisement in another column of that enterprising Carterton firm, B. A. Gardner and Nons. The letter of" One of the Disappointed" is unavoidably crowded out of this issue. In our advertising columns willbe found the Christinas excursion arrangements of the Union Steam Shipping Go, The annual cost of Hansard is £5,000. its mission is tu prolong the speeches in the Assembly, and to substitute talking for legislation, Mr Young, a Judge of the Native Land Court,well known in this district as an interpreter, died at Otaki on Thursday last. Yesterday Messrs E, Feist and A. W. lienall wore nominated for the Mayoralty, The proceedings at the nomination were iikToly nominal. An infant child of Mr E. Braggins was f mud dead in its bed this morning. The 1 t'.c one had been sickly since its birth three weeks ago. Ths morning a valuable coach horse dropped down dead in Hast well, Maeara, hi I On.'s stables. The cause of death was supposed lo he heurt disease. Mr G. \Y. Wondroofo advertises a farm to let on the Upper Plain, Mr J, W. Butinrs announces for sale m exchange iiO Cotswuld rams, bred by Mi Canning, of Napier. lorns and Fei'gusson hold a large sale at their yards this afternoon, commencing at 2 o'clock. An emergency meeting of the Thistle Lodge, 5.0., will be held on Wednesda) evening next. We believe Messrs R, & J, Brown senl I ( J3 entries for the Pastoral Show, ol which number Messrs Beetham Bros con tiibuted no less than 73. We notice that Mr Jas. Harvey has applied for a license for a new house to be , called the Post Office Hotel, which it is proposed'to have erected on the celebrated corner site which Mr Murtagh oceupied. A return published, showing the Government advertising and printing, from . the Ist July, 1878, to the 30th Sept., • 1879, gives the following results for local papers:—New Zealand Times, £742 lis sd; New Zealander, £81912s 6d; Evening Post, £BO7 Os 7d ; Evening Chronicle ■ £462 8s 3d; Wairarapa Standard, £ll7 16s; Waibabapa Daily, £4O 16 Od. In . fifteen months the Wellington,newspaperE i received from the Government a gum of , nearly £3,000. So large an amount must t tend to affect the independence of the press in the empire city, and cannot be ;, justified. We notice an Auckland paper received as much as £1766 14 5d during ' the same period. This is simply scanda- ■ lous! ■ Benjamin married Ann. She was bene- ; fited, and he was animated. Why is a wicked student like a skyi rocket] Because he will scintillate al • night, Closing the eyes makes the sense ol 1 hearing more acute, This accounts for ! the many eyes that close in church or ; Sunday. I There are from two to six per cent more [ males born than females, yet more than j six pei cent more females in the'living . population. As the proportion is steadilj , increasing, it is evident that the females are longer lived than the males. I 'T TT"T.7~.