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New Zealand Mail, Issue 245, 20 May 1876, Page 12

At present we have no intention to enter upon a discussion as to the merits of the dispute in which the Mayor has become involved since his connection with the Board of Governors of the Wellington College. On one point in connection with the management of the institution we have already delivered ourselves with no uncertain sound. The manner in which appointments to the teaching staff have been made has not as a rule been satisfactory, in too many cases vacancies having been filled without an attempt to invite competition from amongst the best qualified gentlemen in the colonies. The letter of a correspondent in another column, too, would seem to indicate a deficiency in the teaching powers of the institution except in one direction. However, on this latter point we propose to ourselves to write more fully subsequently. What we wish to point out now is that at present we do not comment on the question in which Mr. Hutchison’s name is involved, although we cannot refrain from saying that, to put it mildly, a little less reticence on the part of the Secretary would have enabled the public to judge more clearly whether Mr. Hutchison was in the right or in the wrong. At present the meetings of the Board of Governors being, in Masonic language, “ tyled ” to the public, we have only Mr. Hutchison’s ex parte statements in his letters to Mr. Graham,

and that gentleman’s somewhat evasive replies, to judge as between them. This kind of thing can, however, be easily remedied by the members of the Board adopting the motion of which Mr. Hutchison has given notice, and throwing their meetings open to the Press, when the light of free discussion, which should not be obnoxious to any body supposed to be dealing with and in the public interests, will enable the people to judge, not only between the disputants, but as to how the affairs of the college are carried on. We might point out to the governors that in one respect they will benefit by admitting the Press to their meetings. At present the representatives of the different journals are graciously permitted access to the minutes of proceedings, mere records of the actual results arrived at. We have ourselves supplemented these by reports of what took place, which, obtained unauthoritatively, were not so full as could be wished, although for their accuracy, so far as they went, we are prepared to vouch. It is not in a threatening manner we say that it rests with the Board of Governors whether the publication of such reports shall continue, for if they refuse to admit the representatives of the Press to their meetings we, acting in the public interest, must continue, to the utmost of our capabilities, to throw some light on their proceedings. Though we used the expression “tyled” as regards their meetings, they must be aware that none of them are under oaths of secrecy, and that human beings are communicative, and that some, if not all, of their number will furnish information of what they do. We write candidly in this respect, with no desire to , give offence, and without any intention to disparage the fitness of the members of the Board to discharge their duties. Publicity can do them no harm, and in nine cases out of ten will but give mere records of meetings at which formal proceedings are gone through. But since now and then (as in the case at present exciting attention for instance) incidents of importance to the public must be discussed, it is their duty to provide that nothing shall be done in the dark, and that undue suspicion shall not arise merely by carrying on a course of concealment.