ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE SCHOOL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 120, 22 May 1901, Page 2

ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE SCHOOL.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —It having- been stated that the memorial of certain licensed clergymen of this diocese to the General Synod regarding- St. John's College desired the Synod to separate the college from the school and terminate the present arrangement with the Eev. P. S. Smallfield as tutor of the college and headmaster of the school, I ask you to publish the text of the memorial that all who read it may see that the memorialists desired no such thing. The memorial is as follows:

"Memorial to the Most Reverend the Primate and the members of the General Syaod of the Church of the Province of New Zealand.—The memorial of certain licensed clergymen of the Diocese of Auckland.— Whereas it has been proposed by the Governors of St. John's College to remove that institution from the Tamaki, we the undersigned licensed clergymen of the Diocese o£ Auckland respectfully, but strongly, deprecate this proposal, and submit that the College is now at Its original home, to which it was removed by resolution of the General Synod after its location in Parnell; that the College is now doing excellent work, and the students are attending the University College lectures, and are as successful as they could be if they were living in Parnell or close to the University College; that the, cost of bringing the students to the Univer-' Klty lectures is small in comparison with the cost of removing the College from the Tamaki; that the Commissioners' recommendation of removal was made brcause of the difficulty of the -students attending the University lectures, which difficulty Is not found by the experience of the last 18 months to have been grotit, and prnbably every year will be less; that the University College may possibly be removed from its present position. Therefore, we pray that you. will not allow the College to be removed from its present location at the Tamaki, and your memorialists will ever pray, etc." ' (Hero followed the names of 27 licensed clergymen of the diocese).

This says nothing1 about abolishing' the school. What those who signed the memorial have advocated at all times has been, first, not to move the college from the Tamaki, and secondly, to let well alone, and for some time at least not to disturb the arrangement by which the college and the school were both so admirably conducted by Mr. Smallfield. Anyone who asserts anything to the contrary is either mistaken, or for his own ends saying what is contrary to fact. The clergy who signed the petition are well aware that the trust of the general endowment is: "Upon trust, for the site of and towards the support of the said College of St. John the Evangelist, near Auckland, and for the education in the said College of Candidates for Holy Orders, and for the instruction and training in the said college of the youth of both races in moral and industrious habits, and for the education of all the students therein in the principles of the Christian religion according' to the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England," etc. And the trust of the Church of England Grammar School is: "1. Upon trust for the site, and for and towards the support and maintenance of a grammar school connected with and subordinate to the College of St. John the Evangelist, near Auckland}" etc. The General Synod admitted that "the trust of the college contemplates the maintenance of a boys* school."

I think that the Governors and Trustees of St. John's College wish to see the school well established at the Tamaki. They are not carrying out the trust unless they endeavour to do so. The only question is, how best to do it. There is plenty of college ground at the Tamaki for both the college and a very large school, quite separate from the college; and the situation for both college and school is unrivalled. It seems to me that if the Governors and Trustees do what they can to help Mr. Smallfield there is no insurmountable difficulty ;in establishing a school which will be a credit to the diocese and a blessing to the community. To let the school be disbanded and to lose the services of Mr. Smallfield from the field of work in which it has been proved he is so eminently qualified and successful would be a lasting disgrace to the' churchmen of the diocese, and an irreparable loss. —I am, etc., JOHN HASELDEN, Hon. Sec St. John's College Association. St. Peter's Vicarage, Onehunga.