A LIVELY BREEZE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7038, 28 January 1910, Page 6

A LIVELY BREEZE

<tißoaasm thmkd ..asmsaxms. DCWOSACHKRS KNOW THEIR TRADE? OT OPINION. mstanay (passage at yesterday's moating of tho Wellington Education Board, arising from ai motion by Mr A. H. VHo that the fcoard's inspectors 'bo given an opportanity to grvo an explanation with regW to charges which had been pnblidymadoafl to -too efficiency of tho tochmg an swwwrf tho board's schools. Mr Vil© sand thfctt at the. end of last, pear ho bad attended *he ceremony of to disbrxbatkm of the Oammerce -prizes, at 'which Mr Lee preBidod. In the conrae of along and very inioxesbiiig address, Mr Lee nao. made the ranfiai—apropos particniarW of tt» teaching of arithmetic—that atoco woro teachers in ami around WeQingban xlm "did not know _ their fanadto." This ft bad struck tarn as vary so-vene- on tho teachers. Mr J. GL "%. Aifckon: And on -Ehe inspectorsMr Vila.: I •waa jmsfc gcang-to say so. 3J -was cspeoiaßy htird on the inspectors. e_™. Tsh> speater womb on to quote trom last anmual rspCit of tho inspectors, •winch had announced a satisfactory : etnto of affairs. Either tho chairman* or the inspectors w<3ro wrong. Mr W. Allan seconded tho motion. He hod boon astonished to hear Mr Xee.'s etabeaneni, but ho did not think bo bst& mnaitt ail ho said. (Laughter). Mr Leo said that Mr Vile had "found e mare's nest.*' (Iraaightor). If Mr VBo thought that writing, conrposdiSaa, and arrthinietic were everywhere in a state of efficiency, he was living in a paradise •flhait was far from Celestial. It did not necessarily follow that if he Inmseff IhSrd found that certain goho<JjLi woro weak, that tho inspectors hill found tho saioo atato of affairs a year before. Two of tbo thirteen schools ho had esaminied had boon lamentably wttsk. He (had eat twenty questions, ewcry ono of which bad been answered by two or- moro. ohccfcben. Tot in one of these schools -fiho best boy could got only seven answers right, .and in the et&er the best performance iras four! Mr Vale's words were those of a man whoso mind Ibad not a grasp of tho subject. The inspectors could throw no light on the matter. Mr S° TTOS SOT:ry aat the chairraanckd not_ wiA. tho inspectoS' n^Twi° n S^ Ject - . Ti, ° cbirirman had «ud that somo tearfiers did and he had heart] ? e mspectar himself did not know iaa trade. Mr Lbo: I am no novice, Mr VAe ■ Mr Tile: I am onjy stating what is said. Mr Loe: We- don't want the opinion of the man rrn tho street; give ua facts. Mr Vile: The opinion of teachers is worth taking. It is said— Mr Loo: There you go again. Tho opinion of tho tag-rag and bob-tail is ,nofc worth that. (Cracking his fingers). Mr Vile: 'Well, if you do not wish me to speak, I shall sit down. Mr Loo: Oh, go on; hut keep to your subject. Mr Vile: It is not fair to make remarks about the teaching in schools oxa.rn.inod on such a papor as was set. Mr Lee: You are practically making B- oharge against me. Mr Vilo: Excuse me, Mr Lee, bat may I proceed ? Mr Lee: Yes; but you don't know what you are talking about. Tho examination was a competitive one, not a pass ono, and a fairly stiff paper had to bo snt to pick ont "the Vst pupils. Ton mßt bo moro careful, Mr Vile. Jlr Vilo: T Can prove evervthing I havo sni-d. The innncctors should be pi-pen a chance to cxplarn. Mr T>o: Yon miinmdorsfoad mo. Mr Vilo: I did not; and T nhn bomr out by other mcmbfirs who nn> there. Mr Ti-p: You don't know what you err- talking about. Mr Vilo: Oh, well! lot it go. Pm

not hero to bandy words with the chairman. Tho motion was then put, and was (Wonted by six votes to three. For, AtcHSi-rs Ait ken, Allan, and Vile. Against, Messrs Leo, Buchanan, Kebbell, 'Elder, Hogg, and Field.