FUTURE MANAGEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 146, 22 June 1899, Page 2

FUTURE MANAGEMENT.

With regard to the future management the Commissioners point out that it is desirable that candidates for Holy Orders shall take New Zealand University degrees which involves attendance at the Auckland University College. They therefore state: — "After careful consideration of the question from many sides, we have come to the deliberate conclusion that in order to obtain these benefits advantage should be taken of the powers already conferred by the "St. John's College Removal Act, 1883," and the College be transferred to some site nearer the City. The distance between Tamald and Auckland is so great that much time is wasted in travelling to and fro. The expenditure under this head amounts at present to not less than £50 a year. Lectures at the University College are frequently given in the evening a« well as in the afternoon. We ar e informed that scholars from Tamaki are therefore often compelled to wa.it about in the City from early in the afternoon until about nine o'clock at night. These are matters of serious inconvenience to the scholars, and are quite sufficient to prevent any large mimber of paying students from joining St. John's College. We consider also that there are other objections to the continuance of the College at its prescent site.

We are assured that the School now conducted by Mr Smallfield is doing1 good work, and we should be sorry if it wer closed. . But the present buildings are insufficient for the St. John's scholars and the boys together. It may be found possible to erect additional rooms, but we agree with the words of Bishop Patterson in a memorandum made by him in 1870: —"Such education (i.e., the education of young persons above the age of 15 and 16 years, both generally and specially for the work of the ministry) cannot be satisfactorily obtained at a mixed school where young- and old pupils are thrown together; there is too much distraction for the teacher and the older lads and young men do not like it." This view bos been clearly expressed by Dr. Kinder in a document which he has prepared for our assistance.

On these and other grounds the Commissioners advise the removal of

the College and suggest the renting of a house at Parnell, near Bishop's Court, and the Cathedral. They con : sider that the premises at Tamafci may well be carried on as a. Boys' School, and remark :—"We have not seen anything to lead us to suppose that the j school as now conducted by .Mr ; Smailiield is not perfectly satisfactory j and in complete acordance with the j views of Bishop Selwyn as to the ecln- i cation of youth. If the Governors | are satisfied, we should regret any interference at present with the ex- j isting system; but it is always open j to them, if they prefer it, to cancel the agreement with Mr Smalltield, to take the management of the school more directly under, their control and to ap- I point a Head Master themselves. In ! cither ease—whether the school re- \ mains as at present or is placed under j the charge of a Master nominated by i the Governors of the College —we consider that the lerms of the Trust "the instruction and the training of the youth," are being faithfully complied with."

The Scholarships, the Commission-1 ers think, should be awarded by competitive examination, and be open j to persons in all parts of the colony, arrangements for that purpose being made in various centres. They advise separate accounts for each scholarship. Some special provision should also be made for Maori youths. '

With respect, to the Parnell Gramj mar School they report:— "We are of j opinion that the terms of the Trust ■do not permit of the school being ■ carried on elsewhere than on the site ;of the existing buildings. For the I reasons we have already given with

I reference to Tamaki, we think that ;to unite the offices of tutor of the College and headmaster of the Gram- ; mar School would not be desirable. IWe think that the Governors have | acted wisely in accumulating the income until it is sufficient to provide j for a master's house; when that has : been obtained it will probably be ] possible (if the General Synod agree I with our suggestion that the £30 a | year shall continue to be paid to 'the Marsh Fund by the College, and i not by the Grammar School) to reopen the school and carry it on suci ccssfully with its present net iuj come of £100 a year, probably j chiefly as a day school, although the I master might also receive some i boarders into his house. As soon as I the school is re-opened the '"Old

Boys" and the "John King" Scholarships will be available,"