The Star. FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1878.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3147, 10 May 1878, Page 2

The Star. FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1878.

It has now been dearly demonstrated that there are two sensible men in Kaiapoi. This must be regarded as highly aßßuring and comforting, for doubts have been expressed whether so many good men and true could be found in that great centre of agricultural enterprise. Kaiapoi has recently come to be regarded as peculiar amongst the great places of New Zealand. Whether we contemplate her municipal banquetings and junketings, her civil administration, her school committee management, or her ecclesiastical squabbles, we must come, to the only possible conclusion that Kaiapoi is a great place, and the Kaiapoians a peculiar people. Their public men " dresß'd in a little brief authority," are not, as others are, " most ignorant of what they are most assured." They do not " play fantastic tricks before high heaven to make the angels weep." Oh, no ! " Too wise to err, too good to be unkind," they pursue the even tenor of their way with a simple unaffectedness that wins to them affection and commands respect. With a passionless purpose which goes straight to the object to be attained, they hold in approved contempt that ridiculous straining after " dignity/ which is invariably associated with parish vestry affairs, thereby carefully avoiding that " vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself, and falls on the other side." They are not concerned about their dignity, for well they know that dignity is only to be found " where honour calls, and justice points the way." Kaiapoi, however, is unfortunate in a schoolmaster. Now, it is well known that in New Zealand, teachers are a pampered and spoiled class. It is no uncommon thing in this Province of Can- | terbury for a teacher with a wife and family to earn the extravagant salary of of £120 per annum. Oases have come under our observation where the remu neration has even leached as high as £140. This is the result of a Government based upon culture and property. In Victoria, under manhood suffrage, quite a different state of things prevails. The teacher is nearly always possessed of the instincts of a gentleman. His parents, possibly, have been in affluent circumstances, and bestowed upon him a liberal education, or he may have achieved one by his own talents or industry} in either case, he is equally objectionable. He has the prosumption to claim susceptibilities and feelings — what nonsense ! These people obviously must be taught the inferiority of their position. Our business to-day, however, is with the particular schoolmaster at Kaiapoi, who we have no hesitation in declaring ought to be removed at once. He is said to be " a scholar and a ripe good one, exceeding wise, fair spoken, and persuading ; lofty and sour to them that love him not ; but to those that seek him, sweet as summer." This pitiful "subordinate" with the native arrogance of his class, presumed to have a claim to respect. He altogether forgot that the schoolmaster is not master in his own school, and that his place is to be properly obsequious to the great men whose mere instrument he is. Some questionphaving arisen relative to the sale of some elates and pencils, a sub-committee of the School Committee was duly told off to make some enquiries upon the subject. No intimation was sent to the teacher in the matter — that, of . course, being deemed quite superfluous — nor, if we remember rightly, did the two members of the Committee deem it of any consequence to give him any information upon the subject, nor go to him together as a properly charged delegation should, but dropping in upon him, one at a time, with a cheerful abandon, required the necessary information to be promptly delivered. Then the true malevolence of a teacher's nature came out, and there was what is vulgarly designated as " a row." Probably the teacher had a mistaken notion that his allegiance was only due to the Committee when acting in a properly constituted manner. If so, he was speedily undeceived. There is not the least occasion for us to go into the squabble. It may fairly be taken for granted that, as is usual in such cases, there were faults on both sides. Ultimately the whole case was referred to the Board of Education to settle the disputation. In the wisdom of the Board we have the fullest confidence. No doubt they gave careful consideration to the high character of the public men, as we have described them, composing the Committee; to their great devotion to the school interests of Kaiapoi ; and to the circumstance of its being only a teacher on the other side whose duty it was to be properly servile to such lofty and imposing personages. With, no doubt, a highly proper regard for the " dignity " and immense importance of Kaiapoi's public men, who have kindly undertaken as a -School Committee to keep down the schoolmaster, the Board decided that the teacher should express his regret to the Committee for his conduct, and it must be said the teacher did so literally and promptly. It is at this point that the true greatness of the School Committee makes its ap-

pearance. With a magnanimity worthy of such great spirits and of such a plaoe as Kaiapoi, they arrived at the conclusion that the expression of regret given by the teacher was not that to which they are entitled, and after two hours' haggling they proved it conclusively. We entirely agree whh them. The document should be drawn up quite differently. We should imagine that there are very few of those who read the report of their recent proceedings who would not wißh to be afforded an opportunity of conveying their aentiments on the subject too. In the meantime, we hope the teacher will be immediately removed, and we are much mistaken if, when he obtains another school or position of any kind he does not regard it as promotion from that which he at present occupies.