CENTRAL BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Colonist, Volume XVI, Issue 1605, 7 February 1873, Page 3

CENTRAL BOARD OF EDUCATION.

THURSDAY, Januaby 6.

Present: Messrsßarnicoafc, (Chairman,) Campbell, Watkin, Jessop, Rout, Dencker, CreßSwell, Garin, Talbot, Richmond, Shephard, Greenfield, Sharp, Simmons, Bell, Burn, and Rose. Minutes of last meeting read and confirmed. The report of the Committee appointed to enquire into the examination for the Provincial Scholarships having been read, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Sharp, that the Central Board receives with satisfaction the report of the Select Committee a3 to the charges made against the Examiners. Resolved, on the motion of Mr Rout, that a copy of fchiß report be sent to the parties interested. Resolved, on themotionof Mr Gbee\ field, that the report of the sub-committee on the complaints made against the examiners of candidates for the Provincial Scholarships be published, together with the resolution of the Central Board, approving of the report. A letter from the Rev. A. 0. Soutar, giving reasons for his resignation as a member of the Westporfc Education Committee was read, and the Soeretary was instructed to acknowledge the receipt of the same. The report of tho Committee appointed to consider the propriety of making changes in the Education Act was read, when Mr Shephard gave notice that he would move at the Board next meeting that the report be adopted. ■ ' A letter having been read from the Secretary to the Cobden Committee, informing tho Board that the Committee had beau competed to pay, £12 Js.,fche «ost» of m. action, brought agaiast tb,«m by the

contractor for enlarging the teacher'o house, it was resolved that the Cobden Committee be repaid this sum by the Board. . . The Dovedale Committee, having applied for £3 155., to pay for the temporary services of Mr. Snook as a teacher, it was resolved, on the motion of Sir. Cbeswbii, that a cheque for this amount be drawn next month, A letter from Mr. Connrll protesting against the continuance of bible fading iv Richmond school was read. The Secretar^-iyas. instructed to reply that the matter rests, present,^ with the Local Committee. . ■ ■-./ wl'*x -?\ f v; •■. ■ ■■■■-.■:•.■.",.■., ,' Resolved, on iM^oticin -bf Mr. Rout, that the minutes, noticel^^ijo^/and; reports, of this and of future meetingsif jSentral Board, be famished to the editors of thf)sffisrent newspapers of the City of Nelson, hy'.the immaxy, for publication. Mr. Eichmond gftve notice that he would move at next meeting that from February Ist, the salary of the junior assistant at Haven-road be increased from £24 to £48, and that from the same date the salary of the assistant at tfre-preparatory school be increased from £27 to £36. Also that from February Ist, the salary of the assistant master at the second division, Bridge-street, be fixed at £80 per annum. Mr. Eotjt gave notice that he would move at the next meeting that Mrs. Murphy's application for a subsidy to the school at Brighton be considered. Mr. Shephaed gave notice (on behalf of Mr. R. M. Smith) that he would move that £60 be set apart to defray the cost of a teacher's house at Eightyeight Valley. Repoet op Committee ok Examination tob Peovinciaii Scholarships. Your Committee understand their duty to have i been to enquire (1) Whether there was any serious irregularity in the conduct of the late examination j and (2) whether there is any ground for imputing this, or any partiality for or against particular candidates or teachers, to the Examiners. In order to narrow the extensive field before them, they first applied to the Examiners, on whose motion they were appointed, for a statement of the matters wherein they felt themselves aggrieved or attacked by criticisms and correspondence outside the Board. The statement appended hereto thus obtained is in the form of a complaint against Mr Sunley, and they forwarded a copy thereof to that gentleman, whose reply is also appended. (1.) From these and other evidence it appears that a candidate, named Harris, saw one of the papers in proof at the printers', so as to recognise the handbook from which one question was taken. He did not distinguish himself, and so far no injustice.arose. Your Committee find that the examination rapers were not delivered at Mr. Hodgson's house but at the Board room or the College aud were in proper custody to the time of the examination. This disposes of the suggestions relating to Mr. Hodgson's son and nephew contained in Mr. Sunley's and Mr. Luckie's report of young Harris's conversation. Young Hodgson and Sadd have also been examined, the former denies ull knowledge of the conversation attributed to him, and says that he saw none of the papers at any time. T. Sadd denies having seen any of the papers until they were properly placed in bis hands. Your Committee are satisfied of the truthfulness of these boys evidence. . • ■ . . . Your Committee see no reason to doubt the fairness and regularity of the proceedings. (2). It appears clear that Mr. Sunley in his conversation with Mr. Elliotb and Mr. Luckie merely repeated what ho had heard from Harris respecting the examination paper seen by the latter at the* printing office, but neither made nor insinuated any charge against the Examiners. Respecting the classification of the boys Harley and Rout it is clear on the evidence of Mr. Larchin that Mr. Sunley did, on applying to enter them as of Hampden-street, inform the Examiuers that it was nr>t his own wish alone but t}§ft of their parents that they should be so entered. It is also clear that in a published letter (marked A in the attached papers), he most offensively insinuated that the classification was suspended until it appeared whether the boys wero wore or were not likely to succeed. Mr. Sunley's statement to your Committee contains an explanation intended to show that this was not his meaning. The explanation is not consistent with other facts of the case, but may be taken as withdrawing the insinuation. / On the generosity''of the references to Mr. Smith, of Stoke, in Mr. Sunley's printed letters, your Committee do not feel called on to express any opinion. They desire, however, to say of the whole of the discussion out of doors that it would be right in future that teachers, candidates, or others, having complaints to make, or facts to make known respecting the conduct of their public examinations, would communicate in the first instance with the Board;' By order of the Committee, J. C. Richmond, , 1 Chairman. Repoet on "Amendment of Education Act. Nelson, January Si, 1873. Sib,—ln conformity with the instructions of the Central Board, the Committee appointed by it have considered the points as to which the Education Law now in force in this Province appears to thorn to require amendment. 1. By the second clause of the Amendment Act of 1869, the appointment of teachers is vested in the Local Committees. Your Committee are of opinion that a regular system of promotion should be established, and that the teaahers in the employnwnt of the Province should be organised into a service. The Committee are strongly of opinion that the more important appointments should not be filled up by persons who, whatever their education and their intellectual advantages may be, have not given proof of their teaching power in the employment of the Province, unless indeed the Inspector shall have certified that no person able and willing to accept a given appointment can be found in the service of the Province. The very modest remuneration, which is all that can be at present given, makes it necessary to have recourse to a system of promotion to attract promising reoruits into the service and to encourage Zealand energy. 2. Your Committee would also recommend. that the 37th clause of the Act of 1863 should be repealed. Experience has convinced your Committee that no religious instruction whatever can be said to be'•" free from all controversial character." They are, however, fully alive to the advisability of affording to the clergy and to other members of the various religious denominations every reasonable facility for instructing the children according to the wishes and views of their parents. It is accordingly recommended that the use of the school-rooms should be granted out of school hours to any person or persons who may profess to be anxious to communicate such instruction, provided that due security is given for the safety of the property of the Board, and for the necessary cleansing of the premises. '.''... I have the honor, &c., r Frank Churohiii. Simmons, Appointed to report for the Committee. J. W. Barniooat, Esq., Chairman Central Board of ! Education, Nelson.