Correspondence.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1052, 22 March 1879, Page 2

Correspondence.

(Our correspondence columns are impartially open to all, but wo do not in any waif identify ourselves with opinions expressed ihercin.J

Sib, — Iu a distriot not a huudrcd ruile*^ from this, four ladies a month since presented their liege lords with their annual pledges of love and affection— very gratifying to the parties concerned, I have no doubt, but a groat hardship to the unfortunate school teacher. She, pbou thing tolls me that what is fun to them is death to her, as tho four babies required four nurses, and their brothers and sisters— the last year's called " old babies "—four more ; but this is not all. Each of the ladies m question have the usual monthly nurses, who, leaving their cottages, place their own small fry in charge of fa eldest girls. All these children-twelve in number— were on the school roll/and with others, when the weather was fine the roads p^aable, aud agricultural and domestic duties not keeping them away, made the average the teacher required However, the number bas now fallen off froin the above-mentioned causes ; so has Iter salary t 0 thy oitiiut 0 f -JWU tt-yew \

H' 1 She protests in vain to tho Board; her communications are referred to the Executive Committee, whatever that may be — a kind of " Femgerichte," it seems, whoso deeds, done iu diiriuie.-B, aro fearful and wonderful from the utter inattention they on all occasions feem to pay to the ■suggestions and requests of the Committees of the province. By this sapient body their servant is directed to refer to some absurd old provincial regulations, which, though repealed by the Act, 1878, are, it appears, still considered in force, and acted on to the tampering with the salaries of poor, under-paid teachers, which sums so stopped are not, I expect, saved to the State, but form a fund, the amount of which will by-and-bye seem to justify an increase to the salaries of an over-paid and useless staff, every penny of which issued to them is little more than legally robbing the children of the people, for whosccomfort, well-being, and advancement the education vote is granted by those people's representatives. Why should Committeemen be expected to en force the (. ompulsory Clauses of the Act —thereby doing the dirty work of the Central Board, who havo a well-peid, if not intelligent, legal adviser for that ">urposo. There are many other abuses that will go on uncheoked till the Legislature takes the matter in hand by abolishing Central Boards, and paying teachers from the Minister of Education's office, which office should correspond direct with the people's Committees instead of doing so through the Boards; this is as absurd and supererogatory as it would be for the Government if they employed special messengers on a road having a telegraph line. I am, &c, A Committeeman.— P.S. : The Education Question is, I hear, to oome before the House next session. Will the Act of that body benefit the children of the people, or will it still sanction more than half the vote to be swallowed up in departmental expenses ? I heard two members of the Auckland Board whining about doing "work for whioh they were not paid." If they don't like it, let them resign, and not try, which I expect they will, to get, if not regular pay, Home other form of a legitimate politically-permitted swindle, such as travelling allowances, &c— A.C