N. R. MCKENZIE.I

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what we were staffed for. We kept on growing for a number of years, until in the middle of .the year the school reached an attendance of 220. Just before that stage we had been staffed for 151, so that we got to be about seventy ahead of what we were staffed for. At a later stage things were not quite so bad, because the staff was stronger. I was there for six years, and it was not until the last few months that we were fully staffed. Then I came to the Mount Eden School. At the present time we are staffed for 851, and in more than one week we had an average of 958, or 107 above what we are staffed for. Our monthly average for February last was 942, and it dropped only because of an epidemic down to 926, just three below the number required to get another assistant with one quarter's work. Now we will go on for six months, and I am afraid that that epidemic will bring our average just below 920, so we may have to go on for three quarters with this number in excess of what we have staffed for. Those are cases in my own experience. 52. The Chairman.] In your own school, do you draw off from neighbouring schools to an appreciable degree?— No. I do not admit any child from outside my own district. In point of fact, I cannot admit all those from the district who apply. Sometimes I have 100 on the list waiting for admission. 53. Mr. Wells.] Do you know of any instance of overlapping or duplication in our education system?— There is a certain necessary amount between the technical schools and the high schools. I had charge of the technical school at Whangarei, and it was doing work somewhat similar to what was done in the high school, only that we did it in the evening and they did it in the day-time. 54. You spoke about the power to raise money locally for school purposes : would you be in favour of giving the Committee power to levy a local rate? —Not unless they were elected in a different way from the present method. 55. Do you think it would be possible to improve our play-grounds as part of the townplanning scheme? —Yes. It certainly is an essential part of any good town-planning. I think the play-ground might very well become public park. 56. You spoke of allowing a teacher who was getting beyond his best work on account" of age to retire from a school where his duties were heavy and take up lighter work without his superannuation suffering. Take another case —that of a young teacher placed in a 'rapidly growing district : do you think the Board should have power to remove that teacher if the school increases beyond his deserts I—l1 —I do not think any teacher should be removed from a position so long as he is able to do the work efficiently, but the moment he is unfitted to do the work I think he should be removed. 57. Take the case of a young man from the training college who goes to a school of the size twenty-five to thirty. Owing to the increase of settlement the school reaches an attendance of one hundred or more —a school which many an older teacher would be glad to get. Do you think the Board should have power to move that teacher, and advertise the position ? —Yes, if the thing were made general. It is a matter that has been under very warm discussion in the Auckland District recently—not in regard to such a case as you state, but in regard to assistants who were in a school before its grade went up and another assistant became appointed. Foi instance, a certain lady held a position of second assistant in a school when it was in Grade 9. The school got into Grade 10, and she was displaced by a man. She suffered nothing in salary; but it is a question whether by this process she was not virtually transferred from the position of sceond assistant to that of third assistant. Unless the thing were made perfectly general, I would approach that question with very great caution; but if it were understood that a teacher was definitely appointed to a definite position, and that when the conditions changed he was to seek some other sphere suitable to his attainments, I think it would be fair to give the Board the power. My point is that an efficient teacher should be left in his position, and an inefficient teacher should not be tolerated for a moment. 58. Mr. Pirani.] In regard to the last question, do you not see that your opinion strikes at the very root of a Dominion system of promotion?— Not necessarily. A Dominion system of promotion does not necessarily mean changing everybody when the grade of a school changes. In other words, a person is appointed only when there is a vacancy. 59. Surely a Dominion system of .promotion is based upon the merits of the teachers. Surely, if there is a teacher more fitted to take charge of a certain school than the teacher in it, then under a Dominion system the teacher in it should give place to a better teacher, and should take a lower place?— Within limits. Suppose a man occupies a certain position, and has 75 per cent, of marks for efficiency, I am not prepared to say that as soon as some one is found with 76 per cent, of marks he should replace the 75-per-cent. man. 60. But the case put to you was that of a teacher recently from the training college, who could not possibly have 75 per cent. Yet you say that if the school jumps even from fifty to a thousand, so long as that teacher was efficient, and had marks for efficiency, he should stay?—l did not speak of the marks. I spoke of his being able to carry on the work efficiently for the good of the,public. 61. Who is to be the judge?— The Inspector. 62. Would you give the teacher the right to appeal against the Inspector ?—I would give every man the right of appeal. 63. To the Appeal Court? —No. I thought you spoke of appeal from the Inspector's marking. 64. I am talking of the appeal against the teacher being transferred to a reduced position because the Inspector did not think he was up to the work?— You should not refuse the theoretical right of appeal to any one, but in a case of that kind it is surely improbable that any one would take up his case for him.

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