H.—lG.

4

The office of sub-manager was instituted less than a year ago. It has been filled by five different persons, and the fifth was about to leave at the time of my visit. Mr. Cleverly (to whose case I have already referred) held the office about two months ; the next sub-manager resigned in less than three months, the manager having declined to punish a boy as the sub-manager desired ; the next remained eighteen days only, and was dismissed, being, according to Captain Breton's report, " entirely unfit and grossly impertinent;" then came Mr. Bezer for a period of three months, followed by another, who is just leaving after a few weeks' service. There have been fourteen appointments to the office of schoolmaster. Pour of the schoolmasters have been discharged on the ground that they were unfit for the post, and one for drunkenness; one was made seaman-instructor, being found unfit for the office of schoolmaster; one was promoted to be sub-manager; one was dismissed because a seaman was preferred to a landsman; one resigned for reasons connected with his family circumstances ; one because the manager complained of the way in which he did his work; one because the manager found fault with him for speaking to his superior officer with his hands in his pockets; one because he understood that the manager accused him of listening; and one without assigning a reason. Of the other officers, ten are entered as dismissed for incompetency; four for impertinence; ten for various offences, as, insubordination, negligence, teaching boys to deceive, dirty habits; nine resigned without assigning reasons; others to go to sea or to business ; others through illness, and for various reasons. It is very certain that such frequent changes must be detrimental to the school. Great waste appears to be involved in a succession of probationary appointments, which result only in proving the unfitness of the persons employed; and further waste ai-ises from the loss of competent servants when they have been long enough in the institution to understand their work. The good influences which would flow from pleasant relations established between the boys and suitable instructors, who had their respect and confidence, do not come into play while the instructors are coming and going at the rate which prevails at Kohimarama. Personal influences are scarcely felt in such circumstances ; each instructor is part of a machine, and the mechanical and routine element in the school preponderates over the personal. The tendency of Mr. Speight's statement made to me in the course of this inquiry is to throw all the blame for the frequency of these changes upon Captain Breton, and to represent that he is so arbitrary that engagements dependent on his will cannot long endure, and so overbearing that men of independent spirit are driven to resign. The evidence I have been able to collect does not substantiate this view of the case. Captain Breton is evidently a rigid disciplinarian, and will not tolerate any act of disobedience to orders or of disrespectful conduct towards a superior officer; and it may be that in this respect he demands more than he can always get from his officers, and is not prone to make concessions ; that he is (as several gentlemen who spoke to me very highly of him described him) unbending ; but strict discipline is one of the most important requisites in such an institution. lam disposed to attach more importance to another view of the case, which is, that perhaps there is not sufficient care exercised in making appointments. Captain Breton describes many of the officers who have remained only a short time with him as " unfit for the position," "quite unfit," " utterly unfit." Still, it is possible that in every case he appointed the most eligible, or the least objectionable, of the candidates. If so, it is necessary to inquire why eligible candidates do not offer, and to discuss the reasons. One reason may be that the area of selection is narrowed by the fact that it is desirable to appoint men who understand nautical affairs. In this connection I may remark that seafaring men are often of a roving disposition, and that they are not as likely to remain long in one place as most other men. Another reason may be that there are no quarters at Kohimarama suitable for men with families. And here, again, comes in an occasion of frequent change, because a single man can so easily pack up his belongings and go. A third reason may perhaps be found in the uncertainty of tenure. An engagement terminable by a week's notice is not attractive to the best class from which officers might be drawn. Under " The Education Act, 1877," a schoolmaster, unless guilty of gross misconduct, cannot be dismissed without three months' notice. If appointments and dismissals were made more formal—if, for exnmple, the power of appointment and dismissal were vested in the Minister, and exercised upon the receipt of a report fi?pm the manager, and if three months' notice of dismissal were made necessary —it might be easier to obtain good men. lam afraid that another reason is that the salaries are low—sub-manager, £150, with quarters and board; schoolmaster, £120, with quarters and board ; instructors, £7 a month, with quarters and board ; cook, 80s. a week, with quarters and board ; sewing-mistress (and mender), £40, with quarters and board. It should, I think, be a rule that the schoolmaster should be a certificated teacher under "The Education Act, 1877." In my judgment it is more important that he should have a certificate than that he should have a knowledge of the sea. In the case of this officer the difficulty of selection is increased by requiring him to superintend the gardening operations. The school site is, in most respects, an admirable one, the principal objection being its close proximity to a seaport town. This affords facilities to absconders, and moreover brings the boys, who often have to take a boat to Auckland, into too frequent contact with sailors and loungers on the wharves. Captain Breton informs me that he regards these visits to Auckland as a necessary evil, to be kept within the narrowest possible limits. These visits would be less frequent if the manager had a horse and cart, so that he could drive to Auckland. He tells me that the purchase of a horse, cart, plough, and harrow would be the means of effecting a saving, and would afford improved facility for teaching farm work, in which he is competent to give instruction. At present, horse, plough, and harrow are occasionally hired. The school-buildings are, on the whole, well'adapted to their purpose. The schoolroom and dormitory arc, practically, one long room, divided by a partition, which does not reach to the ceiling; and I noticed that in the morning, when the boys assembled in the schoolroom for prayers, the air was not very pure. The impurity was due largely to the fact that there is no closet accessible to the boys after the dormitory is locked for the night, and that buckets are placed for their use, which in the