13

E.—l

between district and district, but within, the same district, evidence is lacking of any system of selection, or appointment of teachers, or of overcoming local harriers and prejudices. If we divide the adult teachers into six salary-groups representing salaries respectively of £110 to £140, £140 to £190, CUM) to £250, £260 to £310, £320 to £360, and £370 to £440, we find, that in each of the lowest five groups at least one-sixth of the teachers are graded higher than, one-fourth of the teachers in. the next-highest salary-group. This is on the, declared judgment of the Inspectors, after three separate gradings. It is worthy of note that in several education districts the Boards have adopted the Dominion grading-list as a basis for the appointment of teachers. The recommendation of the Senior Inspector to the Boards would in any case be in. agreement with the grading-list. In. this, as in many other respects, the separate controlling bodies have not been able systematically to give due attention to the whole question of the proper distribution of teaching-power, and it will be necessary in the near future to make some better provision in this respect. Inspection. In this connection the importance of the work- of the School Inspectors is brought into view. It is highly necessary that the number of Inspectors should be increased, and the area of work for each Inspector so defined that he would have a continuous and personal interest and responsibility in the educational work carried on in a certain number of schools almost to the same extent as if he were headmaster of all of them. To make this practicable it would be, necessary to make the area under his control smaller than at present. This would enable him to visit schools more often, to spend more, time at each school, to meet teachers frequently in conference, and to take a personal and definite part in, the constructive work of the schools. The rapid advances recently made in methods of infantschool teaching make it necessary that women Inspectors should be appointed to organize and direct the important work' of the infant schools, on which the Whole superstructure of education has to be built. In order that under this system the work of the Inspectors in the various areas might be co-ordinated it would be necessary somewhat to revise the status and the duties of Senior Inspectors, and to bring into effect the provision made some time ago for the position of Chief Inspectors. Higher Education. Although the reference above made to teachers and Inspectors has special reference to primary schools, on account of their more direct connection with the Department, it should be recognized that to a, very great extent the reference should be made to apply to secondary and technical schools', to which, owing to the development in recent years of the extension of the free-place system, such a large proportion of our primary-school pupils are now proceeding. Too little attention has been given, in. the past to the training of secondary and technical school teachers apart from their academic training, and, owing to the status of secondary and technical schools, the amount of inspection and professional direction given has not been adequate in view of the need of ensuring that thejjest results are obtained for pupils proceeding from primary schools and that some continuity of method and of training is preserved. Co-ordination . Though, as has already been indicated, the Imuran element must be the predominating factor- in education, there is nevertheless need for securing a proper amount of co-ordination of effort between the different agencies and authorities engaged in the educational field. One of the greatest difficulties in the way of making the most effective use of our educational resources, and of providing for an adequate extension of those resources, is the lack of full co-ordination between kindergarten, primary, secondary, technical, and university education. Various controlling bodies are engaged in the administration of each of these branches, but only in an indirect and often inadequate way is it possible for the Education Department