E.—l2.

[n. c. mckenzie.

78

36. The secondary schools have that at present, have they not?— Yes. 37. You believe in taking that power out of their hands even so far as secondary schools are Concerned? —Yes, if the larger Boards were formed. The smaller the body making the appointment the narrower is likely to be the outlook, and the more room there is for favouritism. 38. It is your opinion that no technical education should be introduced into the primary "schools?—That-is a thing to be guarded against. Nothing of the kind, as far as I know, exists at present; but there is a danger that misguided people not connected with education might force this thing upon the school. That is what made me speak so strongly against it. For instance, a farmer is apt to expect us to produce a full-blown farmer from the primary schools; the builder thinks that if a boy does good work it is as good as an apprenticeship. That is a phase that I think we must guard against. 39. You spoke of sexual immorality in the schools, and said that it was the result of ignorance rather than vice: now, what does this sexual immorality- amount to? —My personal experience has not shown me that there is anything of that kind to any marked extent in our schools. In fact, I have never personally come across a case. 40. But does it exist to a certain extent in the schools?—l am told so, but I cannot say so from personal experience, because, as I have said, I have never known of a case. 41. You do not agree that the teachers should teach sexual physiology?— No. I think it requires an expert, and a very tactful one at that. 42. The Chairman? You would not limit it to one teacher of this subject? There would have to be teachers of both sexes?— The girls would need to receive separate instruction from a qualified woman. 43. Mr. Kirk.] A suggestion has been thrown out that the Government might appoint dentists to inspect the children's teeth, and doctors to examine the children, more especially as to their liability to contract consumption : do you think that those persons could have duties cast upon them in this direction?— Not necessarily. They might have the medical and scientific knowledge, but not the necessary tact or skill to approach a boy or girl in the way they ought to be approached on such a delicate subject. 44. Have you any suggestion to offer as to the way of dealing with the matter ? —The suggestion made by the Institute is the only one that occurs to me —that the Department should select a suitable man and a suitable woman to pass through, all parts of the Dominion and deal with this matter in their respective sexes. It is not necessary that this matter should be constantly before the children. Once in a lifetime might be sufficient for one particular child. 45. Does it not really come to this : that it is the fatherly instinct rather than the teacher's instinct that is required in the person who undertakes such an office ? —The fatherly instinct, coupled with a reasonable amount of scientific knowledge. 46. Mr. Wells.] This morning's Herald devotes the leading article to our education system, in which it states that in the system we are spreading our efforts over too many subjects—that we should concentrate more: what is your opinion on that point? —I do not agree with that. If any teacher does spread his effort out he does it from a wrong conception not only of the syllabus, but of the principles of education. The spirit of the syllabus and the spirit of modern education is that subjects nominally separate should be correlated so that they form one undivided whole. There is no spreading if that is done. I think, the Commission might give some special attention to the question of the correlation of the work. Nominally there are a great many subjects in the syllabus, but they are so interrelated that they can be brought together so as to form practically one subject. If that is done, and Inspectors and teachers guard against quantative teaching, there is no spreading out of effort at all. 47. Auckland is the largest education district in the Dominion. Do you, as a representative teacher, know of any drawback resulting from the large size of the district?— Only that mentioned by Mr. Mulgan yesterday—that the Chief Inspector does not know all the teachers; and I do not think that it is a serious drawback. Ido not think it is necessary he should know them personally. He has an able staff, and he and they between them know all the teachers, and his skill is sufficient to judge a teacher from the report of his colleagues. 48. The Institute is anxious to see a Dominion promotion scheme in operation : do you think it would be possible to have a Dominion scheme with the present number of Boards? —It might be possible, but it would be faf better to reduce the number. The question of Inspectors would come in. There are too many districts with one Inspector in the district. 49. The question of movable pictures has been mentioned as a means of teaching : what is your opinion of the value of the movable picture as against the magic-lantern in the school with an abundant supply of slides? —I am experimenting on that subject now. I have arranged with the owners of a theatre near my school to give a matinee once a month, at which they will showthree or four films selected by me some time beforehand, in order that we may give lessons on the subject. We propose to take the children to see these films exhibited after they have a sufficient stock of ideas on the subject. I hope the result will be good, but, of course, the matter is in the experimental stage at present. 50. Have you had any experience of being handicapped in practice through the school growing faster than your assistance?—A. great deal of experience. For about nine years I was in schools that were constantly growing, and I can speak very definitely on the subject. 51. That the assistance does not come quickly enough? —Exactly. I will quote some cases from memory, and Ido not think I shall be far out. About the beginning of 1904 I took charge of a Whangarei school which had an average attendance of about 121. The staff consisted of one assistant teacher, two pupil-teachers, and myself—four altogether. To get the next assistant under the regulations in force at that time—and they are not very much modified now in that direction —we had to get an attendance of 180 for the quarter —that is, approximately sixty above