THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1881.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5994, 2 February 1881, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1881.

The extraordinary resolution passed at the meeting of the Governors of the Auckland Grammar School on Wednesday last has attracted so much attention that no apology is needed for returning to the subject. If Mr. Fenton had concluded his speech with a motion for a committee of inquiry to consider whether improvements could not be made in the mode of teaching, or in the curriculum of the school, or whether the masters performed their duties satisfactorily, we should not have said a word in opposition. We believe that considerable improvements might be made in the school. We believe, too, that these could be more readily suggested by persons in business in Auckland, whose sons have attended the school, than by gentlemen like Mr. Fenton or Sir G. M. O'Rorke, who have really no experience or knowledge of the wants of colonial industrial life. Sir G. M. O'Rorke has had a most successful political career—successful, *i 7 e mean, in the sense of being profitable to himself—because he cannot be said to hare shown any of the qualities which make the successful politician in a wider and higher sense. As for Mr. Fenton, ° he has simply been a splendidly fortunate Government servant, who has found himself in a higlily-paid position, which enabled him to bully his masters and to set even the Legislature at defiance. But even though the movement had been headed by these two gentlemen, we should have been Quite willing to assist in any honest effort to improve the school, in the hope that an examination would show that the beneficial change ought to be made in a direction just about the opposite from any ideas they have hitherto expressed. We should like to see the Auckland Grammar School producing lads thoroughly fitted for such occupations as they will have to engage in in the colonies, and so far as this goes, some of the present governors are most incapable advisers. But when it is found that Mr. Fenton concludes such a speech as he made the other day—not with a motion for enquiry, but with a motion that the head-master should be a graduate of a University—all men having the rudiments of a notion of fair-play will be unable to resist the conviction that his desire is, not to improve the school, but to revenge himself for an old grudge on the head - master. A motion for inquiry would have afforded the head-master an opportunity of vindicating himself from the charges brought against him ; Mr. Fenton thinks it honest conduct to throw a mass of charges against the object of his antipathy, and then to conclude with a motion which would have the effect of getting rid of him, without giving him a chance to defend himself. Mr. Fenton bases his action upon the report of the University Commission, and, upon that, brings forward his motion that the head-master should be a _ graduate. In proposing his resolution, he referred to the report of the Commission. He said he would commence to-day, by moving " That the Board of Governors concur in the opinion expressed by the Commission, that the head-master of the Grammar School should be a graduate of some University." Mr. Fenton, in the course of his speech, said :—lt is now, for the first time, we have had the report of the Royal Commission before us, and that is the reason why I have not moved this particular resolution before. I say that that report is one which I hope we will accept as an authority. I am ready to do so, as far at least as. the points upon which the members of that Commission were unanimous. Wh-rt 1 they were unanimous, I contend that we should adopt their recommendation."

So, Mr. Fenton bolsters up his case, but, in speaking thus, he states what is not the fact, and he must knov.- That he is doing so. In the report there is a section headed " Recommendations:.''

and if the matter of the head-master of a grammar school being a graduate had been recommended as a rule, it would surely be recorded there. Many important recommendations are specifier], but to have taken up any of these with a view to their adoption, although that course might have improved tin- school, would not have afforded Mr. Fenton the chaiice of a blow - at tne headmaster. We have seen that states that his motion embodied a " recommendation of the report of -he Commission. which, however, it does not do.

On page 16 of *he report, solitary sentence blithe subiect I it is embodied in .such a waTiff shpw that the ComimsaoSers meSt v as a recommendatioh tonew Board electing head-masters of new 'and not, as Mr. Fenton > make it understood, as a Z ' recommendation to the A,,oVi„ I Board of Grammar School Govern to discharge a head-master because W is not a graduate. Here is the n»sf sage :-«IWould not be to expect that a part at least of th original expense of the building be defrayed by pubUc subscStioS private donation ; and might well be given by the Govern ment to districts where the desire of the people for the education of their' I children was expressed in such a form We are of opinion that the head , master should always be a graduate of some University. W e also think that where it was practicable, it would be advantageous to make provision for allow ing or for compelling the head-master* to retire on half-pay after fifteen years' service, or on tw© thirds of his salary after twenty years' service. The Governing bodies of the schools shouldbe so constituted," &e. All this, including the recommendation as to. head-masters being graduates, is aefn ally in the report, under ihe heading of "General proposals for establishment and constitution of new schools." Mr. Fenton must have presumed greatly upon the ignorance of his colleagues and the public when he attempted to take action upon this, and had the boldness to make statements to show that it was a "recommendation" to the Board of Governors of the Auckland Grammar School. It is clear from the report of the meeting that Mr. Fenton succeeded Si conveying a wrong impression to his colleagues. Mr. Clark said If the Board passed the resolution, to be consistent they must make a change in the headmastership." And also"The resolution itself is merely an abstract question whether it is" not better to have a University graduate at the head of this school, or rather whether this Board shall not endorse the recommendation of the Royal Commission on this point." Mr. Clark now knows that it is not a recommendation of the Royal Commission to anyexisting Board. Mr. Clark will, no doubt, determine to be more careful in relying on Mr. Fenton's statements in future. Mr. Dargaville, Mr. Hesketh, and Colonel Haultain all were simple enough to accept Mr. Fenton's assertion, notwithstanding that Mr. Hesketh charged him with ■what amounts to dishonourable conduct in respect to the Bill of last session. There is one of the Board of Governors, whom we can in no wise excuse. Amongst the Commissioners named by the Governor, is " George Maurice O'Rorke, E squire, Bachelor of Arts, and Member of the House of Representatives," and vet he, having assisted in the compilation of the report, allows these statements to be made without contradiction, nay, inore, votes upon what is a misrepresenta- . tion of his own report. The twisting of this recommendation, which is carefully set down amongst the " general proposals for establishment and constitution of new schools," into an authoritative recommendation to dismiss the head-master of an old school, who has held office for some ten years, is one of the most daring things we have ever heard of. But Mr. Fenton is now found out, and if those who voted with him are honest men, they will follow him no longer, but will express their indignation at having been so grossly misled. There are a number of other points in regard to the position taken up by the Board of Governors, which we feel it incumbent upon us to comment upon, in order to endeavour to save the school being greatly injured, and in order to prevent a man from wreaking private spleen under the guise of doing a public good. These must, however, stand over for the present.