DEPUTATION TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1306, 15 April 1874, Page 3

DEPUTATION TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.

AJdeputation- from the school committees of Auckland city waited upon His Honor the Superintendent this mOrning for the purpose of laying before His Hohor the following address relative to the Education Act:—

" To his Honor the Superintendent of the Province of Auckland, — "We the undersigned members of the school committees of the city of Auckland and its suburbs beg to submit to your Honor our opinion relative to the working of the Educational Act, 1872, of this province, as far as relates to the appointment of teachers to district schools under and by virtue of the powers contained in clause twenty of the said Act. As the law at present exists the school committee of each district has the power to appoint ' a teacher or teachers, and the same to suspend or remove,' subject however 'to the general regulations of the Board in that behalf.' From the experience which we have had as members of school committees we see no valid reason why that portion of the Act should be altered. The power which is now vested in the school committees of originating the appointment of teachers has, in our opinion, worked successfully by bringing to bear on such appointments the advantages of local experience. We have been informed that efforts are now being made to obtain an .amendment in the 20th clause to the effect of altering the existing mo de of appointing school teachers by seeking to confer upon the Board of Education the power to initiate such appointments, and to leave to the local committees the privilege of sanctioning or vetoing the same. We believe that were such an alteration in the law effected it would weaken the ties which at present bind the committees to the General Board, and be the means of lessening their usefulness, thus disorganizing to a very great extent the whole Educational system. We have found that hitherto the Board has worked in harmony with our committees, and we believe that the utmost confidence at present exists between the Board and ourselves, for it has been apparent that wo have had but one object to promote, that of working the present Educational system to th c fullest available extent for the public good. We therefore beg'to impress upon your Honor's mind that any alteration in the Education Act which has tendency to weaken the confidence of the local committees cannot fail to prove detrimental to the interests of the public, and should therefore, in our opinion, be avoided. The other subject to which we wish to direct your Honor's attention is one of primary importance to the working of the whole of the educational system. We refer to that of finance. It has been publicly affirmed-that the mode of raising the necessary funds for establishing and maintaining district schools,will be submitted to th. Provincial Council during its ensuing session. We therefore consider it our duty to leave that matter to the decision of the legally constituted authorities, although we cannot refrain from hoping that whatever plan of rating may in future be adopted it will prove successful in placing at the disposal of the Board sufficient funds to enable it to provide that additional school accommodation which is now so urgently required. With the exception of the rating clauses we are of opinion that the present Act should remain unaltered for some time to come in, order to afford the public an increased opportunity of appreciating the advantages that the existing educational system secures to them, and also of strengthening the confidence which the local committees should feel in its continuance. The school committees which are here represented beg to express their satisfaction with the secular system of education that now exists, and they hope that no attempt will be made to disturb it. Auckland, April 3 1874—City East, B. Cass (Chairman), D X C_A_Ksb*-, seo-, Jas. Coupland, Osm-ND Lewis, Thos. Richardson; City West No. 1, Thos. Shove (Chairman), G. M. Main, sec, Jno Billington, M. Ross, Jko. Fisher; West, No. 2, W. Gorrie (Chairman), Norman McMillan, TH. Ho.gham, Chas. Sam Wright; Grafton Road, Jno. Batger (Chairman) ; Ponsonby, Morton Jones (Chairman). After presenting the petition.the several members of the deputation made various representations as to the inadequacy of the school accommodation in the several districts of the city. His Honor, who was accompanied by the Provincial Secretary and Pro vincial Treasurer, courteously received the deputation, and thanked the members for having brought these matters «nder h s notice, and promised that they should receive the careful consideration of the 'Government in framing a measure on education to be submitted to the Provincial Council. During the interview it came out that in addition to the.£7,500 or thereabouts raised by the household rate, there had been paid.from provincial funds proper some £12,000 to the Board of Education to carry on operations within the twelve months during which the Act had been in operation. The deputation having thanked his Honor withdrew. .