N. K. MCKENZIE.J

81

E.—l2.

88. Is not your idea more applicable to the large schools than to the small ones, where you have a responsible man at the head of the school ? —I think it is even more so at the small schools. '"If a man does not know when an Inspector will appear in his school he is more likely to keep his daily work up to the mark than if he knew he was to be tested at a stated period, and could cramp up to suit the case. 89. Docs it not strike you that as soon as an Inspector has visited a school the master may know that he will not be round again for a while, and so he can slacken off? —If I were an Inspector I would not let him get that idea. I would appear again without notice. 90. How many Inspectors would you require for Auckland if they were to turn up occasionally every month?—lt would not be necessary to turn up so often as that. The examination of the big schools takes two men. At my own school last year one Inspector was inspecting for not quite four days. Two came a little later, and spent three days. That is ten days of Inspectors' time taken up. A great deal of it was unnecessary, because the two men who spent three days examining found out no more about the school than the one man found in inspecting it. They would have been better in the backblocks helping some teacher who needed assistance. My idea of the Inspector's work is that he should go to the help of teachers in the small schools—be a guide rather than a critic. 91. The Chairman.] There should be less inspection and more instruction? —That is my idea. 92. Mr. Pirani.] Do you think the majority of the teachers are capable enough to be judges of the work in their own schools?—lf they were not capable of doing that I would not let them teach. 93. Then would it not be a good idea to abolish the Inspectors altogether?—No, because the Inspector is a very highly skilled man. A man may be capable of teaching and classifying, and yet not be a man at the head of his profession as an Inspector is. 94. What test would you say an Inspector ought to make as to the efficiency- of a school? —A man who knows his business would in a very short time satisfy himself after he had seen the teacher at work, observed the tone of the school, and seen the work done in the copy-books and exercise-books. I would undertake to form a fairly sound judgment upon a teacher without examining any of his pupils. 95. Do not the regulations allow that now? —Yes, but they are not always carried out. 96. Then, you complain of the interpretation of the regulations rather than the regulations themselves? —Nine-tenths of the criticism of the syllabus should be levelled at the interpretation of the syllabus. 97. In regard to the election of these new educational bodies, does it net strike you that you want to put the power into the hands of the residents in the cities? Take Auckland for instance? — We have wards. It would be absurd to have people at Lake Taupo voting for a man who lived at the North Cape. 98. Then, you would not elect the Board on the popular basis? —Yes, but for wards. Members of Parliament are elected on the popular basis, but the whole Dominion does not elect any one man. 99. They are elected on a popular basis, but there is a handicap against the cities of 28 per cent. ?—There is no reason why that should, not apply to these elections; I said on a popular basis, not a population basis —on a democratic basis, if you like to put it that way. 100. Mr. Kirk.] Is it possible in New Zealand for an}' teacher to be reduced in salary or to lose his position in a school? —Quite possible. That is the case Mr. Pirani was quoting. 101. Even in view of the great outcry there is for teachers? —In view of the present circumstances, it is practically impossible for a competent person to be unemployed, but supposing the supply were to be in excess of the demand it would be possible. 102. But that does not exist at the present time? —No. 103. The Chairman.] Is there any means by which a Board can dispose of this man's services? —I do not know of any case that has come under my notice in Auckland where a man has been out of a place. Our Board has been very paternal in this respect, and generally finds such a man a position as relieving teacher. 104. But he relieves only until a proper position is found for him? —Just so. 105. Mr. Hogben.] You speak of twelve or thirteen subjects being required for the first section of the D examination? —I said there were about fourteen in the whole examination, and about twelve in the first section. I speak stibject to correction. I have not counted them carefully. 106. Take English language, composition, history, and civics : would you call those four subjects as they are classified here? —Yes, they require separate study, and in the case of a pupilteacher who is tired after his day's work it is a serious business to undertake that study. 107. Drawing used to be called one subject. It is now three, for the sake of division : would you reckon those as three subjects?—l did in speaking of them. 108. Have you considered the question of graded desks instead of adjustable desks? —The difficulty is to know the exact proportion required. It is difficult to say how many- children you have of a given size. With that proviso graded desks would be very well. We have them here to some extent, as a matter of fact. 109. You said in one portion of your evidence that with a staff for 151 you had to go on with a range of seventy: is it quite correct to call that the staff for 151? Was it not the staff for the number from 151 to 200?— Yes. 110. Could you not equally well say it was staffed for 200 in all grades? —When you are near the top of a grade the classes are very difficult to manage. They are unwieldy. 111. But did not 151 rather overstate it. Was it not well staffed for the minimum attendance? —I quoted the minimum in each case. 112. Would it not be fairer to call it a staff for 17R—half-way between the two?— That would be fairer; it would leave a good margin.