The Waipawa Mail Published Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays. Thursday, May 21, 1885.

Waipawa Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 779, 21 May 1885, Page 2

The Waipawa Mail Published Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays. Thursday, May 21, 1885.

The members of the Hawke’s Bay branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, were perfectly justified in requesting an explanation from the Education Board, with regard to the action of that body in countenancing the dismissal of the headmaster of a country school without making the inquiry referred to, because the Education Board had evidently, according to their own admission, promised that in all such cases an inquiry should be held. There is no doubt that the Board were rather stultifying themselves when they broke through their own rule, and we fail to see what excuse they can bring forward for doing so. But it does strike some people that the members of the Board were comprising their position to an undue extent, when they undertook to hold these inquiries; and it is in this that they made the mistake. We take it that the Education Board is the governing body, so far as the engagement of teachers is concerned, and in fact, in all educational matters in the district. Why then do they make an agreement of this sort with the Institute ? Let us suppose a parallel case ; for instance, a government department. No doubt there are occasions when officials, through incapacity or unsuitahleness of some sort, have to be removed. Would it be right for the head of the department to enter into an agreement with an association of employees that he would allow no one to be dismissed before they had held a formal enquiry into the matter ? We think not. We take it that it is the duty of the head of the department to decide whether the servants are fulfilling their positions properly or not ; and he alone should have the power to remove them if he considered it necessary to do so. On the other hand it iR quite justifiable for the teachers in district schools to assist each other as much ns possible, and one can only admire their efforts to assist a I fellow teacher, if he is in trouble. In the I c,l _ 8e public schools this especially applies, for school committees have been known to endeavor to oust tho most excellent teachers at times, for reasons altogether apart from the fitness or abilities of the latter. But the Education Board has tho power of discretion and is supposed to exercise it on behalf of all parties in what appears to them to he tho most proper manner. They have nothing whatever to do with Associations, and can only cripple themselves in their very responsible duties by entering into agreements of any sort with them. The two interests are opposite ; tho Association has for its object the protection of teachers ; whilst the Education Board is called upon to decide what shall he best for both teachers and children. It has to weigh the evidence laid before them by committees and by a capable Inspector, and arrive at an impartial decision accordingly. It would bo very wise of the Board if it freed itself from the existing agreement with the Educational Institute at tho first opportunity, and thus remove any possibility of future' misunderstandings.