The Westport Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1873.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1035, 3 January 1873, Page 2

The Westport Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1873.

The Nelson Central Board, of ; Education has, after mature counsel, arrived at a conclusion, self-evident and assertive ...to every parent and guardian interested iu the welfare of their offspring, that the Nelson Education Act needs amendment. .Albeit it has beon the pride of Provincial legislation, the one effective enactment among a multitude of statutory failures. The progress of tho Province, slow though it may be, and retarded by obstacles that arise from misgovernment-rather than lack of helpful resources, indicates that if our educational system should be kept soundly efficient, it must expand to meat the varying contingencies. of widening and increasing-population, -and present also a more denned embodiment . of liberal and advanced ideas. -Tho question of religious iutruction in public fchools has not yet disturbed the public mind in this Province, as it has in other portions of New Zealand ; and, thanks to the good common Fense of the people and their spiritual pastors and masters, it is not likely to become a subject of fierce -sectarian discussion ; but tho little rising clouds, the faint indications of gathering discontent, are obvious tCnpughin many quarters to showthat the Central Board will need to more clearly define the future course of action therein. Apart from the questions of rolLious or secular instr.uclion there is also the more important question of the .appointment or dismissal of teachers, upon which opinions vary and actions at times have been, also.at variance with ■,gwd sense or regard for the true

interests of those needing education. Referring to the subject, the Nclbou 'Examiner' utters the following -homely truths, worthy of consideration ■not alone by the committees in and around Nelson city, Our contemporary says : —" Difficulties and defects in the present mode of appointment by the Local Boards have of late been more numerous. Objectionable teachers have been chosen; hopeless incompatibilities have grown up between teachers and parts of evenly divided committees ; inefficient teachers have been retained through the unwillingness of men close at hand, in a -small community, to incur the odium of removing them. We have frequently pointed out how beneficial it would be to the condition ot the teachers, and consequently to their efficiency, if more of unity could be sintroduced, and they could have conferred on them more of the character of a general public service, instead of being as now isolated local servants. Hope of promotion would be. a new life-giving element in their position, and would attract and retain themostcompetentmen. Thisresult can be achieved only by giving substantial power to the Central Board, which has general knowledge of the teachers, and is practically dispassionate in its judgment. But we should regret extremely any change that would diminish local interest, and discourage local attention to the schools by depriving the local committees of all power. Avery good middle course has been suggested, and will no doubt bo discussed, namely, to give to the Central Board the power, on a vacancy arising, to present to the Local Board two, three, four, or as many teachers as may at the time be eligible for appointment or promotion, reserving to the Local Board the right of election among these. The power to dismiss, after refusal by the Local Board, should be distinctly and directly conferred on the Central Board, which can now 'only act by cancelling certificates or refusing to pay salaries." It is the intent of the Central Board, through a Committee specially appointed for the purpose, to consider the working of the Act, more especially as it affects, in its present form, the religious instruction imparted, and the position of teachers, in order to suggest remedial measures at the next sitting of the Provincial Council. To guide them in their deliberations an expression of opinion from each Local Committee would seem desirable, if the public expect either the Central Board or Provincial Council to devise and carry out amendments of the Education Act likely to be either popular or of any practical benefit.