54

at least be considered, even after the withdrawal of
the grant; on the other hand the proposed alteration
will restore to the Government a power which it by
right possesses, but which it has no means of exer-
cising, of controlling and regulating the expenditure
of public money.

The alteration here proposed involves, as already
pointed out, the creation of some machinery for
carrying on the work which will then devolve on the
Government. The Commission believe that, upon
the whole, the establishment of a Board for this
purpose will be most generally satisfactory, and
recommend accordingly that the Provincial Council
be invited during the approaching session to authorise
the establishment of such a body, to consist of a
chairman, charged with the routine work of the
office, and of two or more members to assist and
advise.

The next point to which the Commission wish
to draw attention is in some measure connected with
what has been already said with regard to sites.
Recent experience has shown they have made upon this
subject; it will be seen that in the opinion of the
Commission the possession of school sites by inde-
pendent bodies is calculated to give rise to complica-
tions and conflicts of authority which could not fail
to act injuriously. It can hardly be supposed that a
system which confers upon a body not accountable
for its acts to any authority the power of closing any
or any of the schools could be continued on any
extended scale without causing very great confusion.
In order to guard against such a contingency for
the future, the Commission would recommend that
immediate steps be taken by the Government to
secure school sites, either by making reserves, or,
where the land suited for the purpose has been al-
ready sold, by purchase from individuals, wherever it
seems likely that schools will be required. The Com-
mission are of opinion that three new
school sites at least are required immediately. 1st.
For a school at Leithfield. 2nd. For a school on
the north bank of the Ashley. 3rd. Near the river
Halswell, about twelve miles from Christchurch, in
the neighbourhood of the Ellesmere Arms. And they
will be prepared shortly, if the Government desires
it, to point out the exact spots which in their opinion
would be most advantageous.

The state of the school buildings is a matter
which appears to the Commission to demand imme-
diate attention. With very few exceptions they are
altogether unsuited to the purposes for which they
are used. Indeed the greater part appear to be little
better than sheds. In winter, cold and comfortless;
in summer, oppressively hot; the effect of this
state of things is to create an impediment not only
to the proper conduct of the schools, but also to
endanger the health of the children. Either the
parents are deterred from sending their children to
school at all, or at least send them very irregularly,
or else if they do send them regularly they incur the
risk of serious illness.

The Commission believe that the most certain, and
in the end the most economical mode of rectifying
these evils would be to employ some professional
person whose duty it should be to inspect the several
school buildings and premises, and to report upon
the requirements of each, and to furnish an estimate
of the cost of putting them into a proper condition.
The Commission have turned their attention to
the question of the best plan for securing a con-
tinuous supply of well-qualified teachers, and propose
in their general report to make suggestions on the
subject... The whole of this question is surrounded
by difficulties which the Commission will not attempt
to deal with on this occasion. For the present they
merely desire to advert to the broad fact which a
very cursory investigation will make obvious, that
one of the greatest wants experienced in the pro-
vince is the deficiency of properly-trained teachers
accustomed to the organization, the management,
and the instruction in schools. As a temporary
measure, and as a means of meeting wants which are
likely to occur almost immediately, and before any
permanent system could be inaugurated, the Com-
mission would recommend that steps be taken at
once for obtaining at least three thoroughly compe-
tent teachers from England, and that salaries be pro-
vided on a scale sufficiently liberal to form an
inducement to properly qualified persons. The Com-

mission believe, without however being in possession
of any reliable data, that a salary of at least £150 per
annum would be required to effect this object.

The Commission offer no suggestions as to the
quarter in which application should be made. This
would probably be best determined in England by
the person entrusted with the negotiations. It may
not be here out of place to suggest that whoever is
charged with this duty should be instructed to give a
preference to the most competent teacher, irrespective
of the denomination to which he may belong, pro-
vided only that he is of a moral and religious
character.

The only remaining subject upon which the
Commission think it necessary to offer remarks re-
lates to the education of the prisoners confined in
the jail. The Commission are informed that the
Government intend shortly to build a jail at Christ-
church, and therefore this appears to be the proper
time for making any recommendations which may
have occurred to them upon this subject.

In the present jail at Lyttelton there exist no faci-
lities for the instruction of the prisoners. The only
apartment at all available is the mess-room, which
is being constantly used for other purposes. The
frequent interruptions to which this gives rise make
it quite impossible to maintain regularity or system
in any attempts that may be made for educating the
inmates. Judging from the short and imperfect ex-
periments already made in this direction, it would ap-
pear that the prisoners, as a class, would gladly avail
themselves of any opportunities that might be given
them for employing their spare time in reading or
in study, and with a view of affording them oppor-
tunities of doing this, the Commission would suggest
that in the new jail an apartment be provided
which should be exclusively available as a school-
room for the prisoners, and that it should form part
of the duties of the person in charge of the prisoners
to hold classes at stated times.

The Commission have already, in a separate
communication, drawn the attention of the Govern-
ment to the want of a supply of books and apparatus
for the schools, and therefore do not conceive it
necessary to revert to this subject now.

HENRY JOHN TANCRED,
Chairman.

Education Commission, June 23rd, 1863.

Provincial Secretary’s Office,
Christchurch, 10th July, 1863.

HIS Honor the Superintendent directs it to be
notified that
CHARLES NEWTON, Esq.,
has resigned his seat in the Provincial Council, as
Member for the Mount Cook District.

THOS. W. M. MAUDE,
Provincial Secretary.

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW
ZEALAND--CANTERBURY DISTRICT.

In the matter of the Debtors’ and Creditors’ Act,
1862, and the matter of the Petition of
GEORGE MALLINSON, a Debtor not in custody.

In Chambers, this twenty-ninth day of June, 1863.
Upon the application of Mr. Joshua Strange Wil-
liams, Counsel for the said Petitioner, George Mallin-
son. After reading the said Petition, purporting to be
signed by the said Petitioner, such Debtor as afore-
said, and to be concurred in by William Henry Meik-
le, of Christchurch aforesaid, butcher, and George Henry
Tibbs, of Christchurch aforesaid, publican; creditors
to the extent of not less than fifty pounds in the
whole, and also a certain Schedule, and also an affi-
davit to the said Petition annexed and therewith filed,
the twenty-fifth day of June instant, pursuant to
the said Act. It appearing to the Court that the matters
contained in such Petition are true, this Court doth
appoint Monday the seventeenth day of August next,
at eleven o’clock in the forenoon, for the hearing of
such Petition, at the Court House, Christchurch.

By the Court,
CHRISTOPHER ALDERSON CALVERT,
Registrar.

DUNCAN & WILLIAMS,
Petitioner’s Solicitors.