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always quite ready to hand the Native schools over to the Boards when they are prepared to take them. It takes a little time to become a good teacher of a Native school, if it is really a Native school, where the children speak Maori in their homes. As soon as the majority of the children in a school speak English at home I would hand them over to the Board without hesitation. That is our practice, but the Boards are not always ready to take them. 133. Would you allow special representation on the Boards for each of the branches —primary, secondary, and technical education ?—lf the Boards were elected in the way that I would suggest. I think each branch should have a representative on the Board. 134. Would you favour allowing the teachers of the district to have representation? —I would not allow any one in the employ of the Board to have a seat on the Board. I would have the teachers represented, but not by any one holding office. They might be represented by an ex-teacher if they liked. 135. You are acquainted with the promotion scheme of the Auckland, Wanganui, and Taranaki Boards : would you be prepared to advocate that the Boards throughout the Dominion should be required to have such a scheme of classification, and promote from it?—l think they might very well learn from the experience of the places where it seems to have worked well. 136. Do you not think it should be possiWe to deal more quickly with growing schools in the matter of staffing and accommodation? —I do not think you could get anything much quicker than the tables of staffing provide for. 137. We have had to wait three months in the case of a large increase? —The Department has gone into the matter of the scale for large schools. A sudden increase otherwise entitling a school to an additional teacher means only the addition of two children per teacher. What does that matter for three months? 138. It is found to be a grievance in the Auckland District. We have a number of very rapidly growing schools? —I should like to have specific cases. Edward Ker Mulgan, M.A., examined on oath. (No. 2.) 1. The Chairman.] What are your qualifications?—l am Chief Inspector of Schools employed by the Auckland Education Board. lam a graduate of the New Zealand University. 2. You know the order of reference of the Commission. We would like you express any opinions you may hold in reference to the several headings there given? —First of all, 1 am very pleased indeed to be given the privilege of coming here and allowed to express what views I have on the subjects that will engage the thoughts of this Commission. The order of reference is a very wide one, and I do not think that in the few remarks I have to make I shall wander outside it. The first matter I would like to bring under notice is one that has engaged the attention of teachers, and, indeed, of education authorities, for quite a number of years, and is of such importance that I would like to refer to it at some length. It deals with some kind of scheme for the promotion of teachers throughout the Dominion. It is nothing new. Several Boards have endeavoured to introduce such a scheme, but, of course, the scheme they have introduced applies to their own district only. The Auckland Education Board has a grading scheme of promotion in regard to its teachers. A number of headings are taken, and under these headings the qualifications of teachers, so far as the subject of the heading is concerned, are estimated in figures. For instance, we assign a certain number of marks to personality, to power of discipline, environment, length of service, and so on, and these marks are added up, and the totals obtained from the addition of these determine the place on the general graded list or on a special graded list that the names of the teachers occupy. When appointments are being made here applications are called in the public Press, and the teacher whose name stands highest on the graded list so far as any special appointment is concerned is the teacher who is appointed. lam afraid that is a little confusing. What I mean to say is this : There is a general graded list and special lists which refer to special appointments and certain grades of schools. For instance, there is a list which refers to the appointment of assistant teachers who would be competent to manage a large infant department. They appear on a list by themselves, and if such an appointment were vacant the teacher who stood highest on that list would get the appointment. I understand the Wanganui Board has a scheme of the kind. Indeed, I believe it was the Wanganui Board who was first in the field so far particular scheme is concerned. I do not know if anyother Boards have adopted the scheme, but I do think this, and I think a great number of other people think it also : If we can extend the scheme and get a Dominion scheme of promotion adopted in some way or other, it would be a matter of great importance to the whole service. Our service would benefit immensely, for many reasons. I cannot help feeling that there is a great deal of unrest amongst teachers, both here and elsewhere, so far as promotion is concerned. There always will be unrest, of course; we shall never be able to remove it altogether; but we ought to do anything we can to reduce it to a minimum. I feel that if we had a scheme of this kind the various districts would be able to discriminate between the claims of those applying within their own borders and those who applied from outside. That is an important matter. Teachers would have a much better chance of moving from one district to another, and in one way and another the service would be better satisfied. I feel strongly that if we are to get the best work out of our teachers we must make them satisfied. If they are discontented or dissatisfied, either with their present positions or with their prospects, then I hold we are not getting the best out of them, and so it is for this reason as much as any other that I hope this Commission will take into consideration the desirability of endeavouring to formulate, or to take evidence, on some scheme of Dominion or national promotion. If I might be allowed to make a few suggestions as to the details such a scheme might take, I would say this : First of all we want to get an expression of opinion from Inspectors and teachers as to the details of a grading scheme. Some common scheme of grading or promotion might be prepared by a Dominion committee of