The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IV, Issue 171, 15 April 1854, Page 7

The Lyttelton Times.

April 15, 1854. The Ordinance for the promotion of Education in this Province, to which we alluded in a former article as being in preparation by the Government, has not been brought before the Council, and we understand cannot for want of-time be discussed in the present Session. As temporary arrangements will be made for the distribution of the £1000 voted for this purpose in this year's estimates, we confess that we do not regret the delay which will occur before a matter of so much importance can be put upon a permanent footing. If the training up of our youth is to be anything more than mere instruction in reading and writing, some more genial and sympathetic influences must be invited and brought into action, than can be supplied by the machinery of a Government Board. Such a Board may, it is true, be of great service in looking after the proper expenditure . of. public funds, and in examining into the mental qualifications of teachers, and into .other matters which come under the notice of an Inspector during his official visits to a school; but we contend that for the encouragementof teaches in their arduous labours, and for the harmonious working of the school with other Institutions, it is very desirable that local boards should be formed on right principles including those in each loca'ity who will naturally take the most interest in the school, the teachers, and all its concerns. ■The benefits of such localsupervision cannot be attained |by a beaurocratic system of centralization which surely tends to make the te'cher's duties a lifeless routine—devoid °* the stimulus of local miiueiices so powerful over both teachers and pupils. i| We are very desirous, whilst this matter is still in abeyance to call the attention of our

legislators, and the public in general, to the importance of acting on correct principles in a matter which may be and is made the keystone of despotism in some countries of Europe. The system, however, under which' the temporary grant at present to be distributed is to be administered, is in accordance with the provisions of an Ordinance of the Governor of New Zealand. This measure so far accords with the views which we have advocated, that contemporaneously with a system of Government inspection, it places the immediate control of the schools, ass-i td by public money, together with the appointment of teachers, under the heads of the several religious bodies by whom the schools shall be established, such as the Bishop, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, the Superintendent of Wesleysn Missions, &c, We should consider even the chief Ministers of their respective bodies too far removed from the individual schools, did we not presume that they would exercise their functions only by the advice and according to the wishes of the local promoters of schools. They form however a valuable intermediate authority wisely interposed between the supreme government and the individual schools. In the case of this Province, we believe that it is intended to place groups of schools under the superint jndence of those most competent, from their present occupations and past experience, to exercise a beneficial supervision, such as the masters of Grammar schools, of which we are glad to learn that there is a prospect of one being shortly established at Lyttelton. In this way we trust that many additional schools will soon be in operation, and that thus experience will be gained as to the best system by which in our circumstances they may be most effectually encouraged and perfected.

Owing to a press of-important advertisements, we are compelled to withdraw an analysis of the Report of the Road Commissioners read in the Provincial Council on Tuesday last. Next week we hope to give the whole Report in a supplementary sheet. The Lyttelton Roads. —We understand that the Provincial Council have decided upon recommending to His Honor the Superintendent to grant the sum of £100 towards the making and repairing of the roads in Lyttelton, provided another £100 is raised by the inhabitants. Steam Navigation.—The proposition made by Mr. Tancred in the Provincial Council to guarantee the sum of £2,000, being the proportion to be paid by this Province towards the bonus of £12,000 to Messrs. Willis for running the " Nelson " as an inter-colonial trader, was affirmed by the Council on Wednesday last.