LAWRENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2161, 25 July 1895, Page 29

LA WRENCE.

July 15. — The monthly me ting of the committee of the Lawrence District High .School was held on Friday eveniug, when the whole of the committee were present. In addition to the usual routine business, a comuriltee was appointed to bring up a report as to the advisability of establishii'g a penny savings bank in connection with the school. The matter of the celebration of Arbor Day was postponed until next meeting, the general feeling among*t the committee seemingly beii g in favour of planting of a more practically useful dc<c> ipiion than in previous years. Schools — Ai there seems to be a desire on the part of the Educational Institute tornake some new arrangement with reference to the appointment of teachers, the committee instructed their doik to ask the member for the district, in the event of any legislation in that direction, to forward them a copy of any proposed bill, as they comider that the powers of school committees, eveu at the present time, are limited enoi gli without taking away from them their light to decide as to Buitflble teachers for their own school. I notice that one member of the E hicational Institute hazarded the remaik that at least eight out of ev^iy ten members of committees were quite incompetent to judge regaidin^ the qualifications of teachers. 'lhere is very little doubt that some teachers, because they have passed certaiu examinations which qualify them to be cln'sed as A B 0 D or V, think themselves fit for any position un-ler the sun, quite forgetting that there is a natural gift inhnvnt in some which makes it easy to impart their knowledge to others, but which, I rc»ret to say, in the case of some is coDSpicuou-i by its abssi.ee. Itcinnot well be other wire from the large number of young teachers continually pressing forward. Theiefore, with all dv deference to the Educational Institute, I coosider that the coiuruiUee* in general do not go far astray in recommending the most suitable teachers for their respective schools, always remembering that the apparently highest qualified teachers m\J not always the mobt successful in fitting those under them f.«r the battle of life.

The Waipori difficulty. — I understand that there is a strong probability of the Waipori difficulty being settled at last. Mr ll'lndoe is at present in Wellington on behalf of theßenv i-k farmers, aimed with full power to enter into any rcasouablearrangeni"nt with the Government, who are also anxious, I bel'eve, to get this matter brought to a final settlement. It is fo be hoped it will come off. 'Ihe Beaumont L->cal Co-operative Company start clearing their new line of race this week.