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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 72

Exchange of Inspectors

Exchange of Inspectors.

In fact, I will venture to repeat what I have said elsewhere: that I believe the efficiency of our schools could he doubled to-morrow by transferring the control of the inspectors to the central department, and so making them itinerant. It is quite unnecessary that I should say more on this point, and, indeed, the propriety of the change proposed is self-evident. When the Central Government find the money, the Central Government should audit the results and ascertain for themselves whether they are getting their money's worth or not. It the schools were maintained by a local rate, as was the case once, the present arrangement would be right; but when the colony as a whole took over the cost of the education, to be logical it should have taken over also the inspection of the schools. The present arrangement is the survival of provincial government after the provinces have been abolished. In taking this view of the matter I am supported by that utterance of the Hon. John MacGregor to which I have already referred. This gentleman justly describes our present system, if system it be, as a body without a head and a head without a body. Of the latter phenomenon I say nothing; it is without a parallel of any sort now, though representations of it may be seen in mediæval paintings. On the other hand, of the former phenomenon we still have an analogue in the animal kingdom. It is the amphioxus, or lancelet, a creature so low in organisation that it scarcely belongs to the vertebrate section of animal life at all. It is acephalous—a carcass without a head. That is the stage of development at which the education system of New Zealand at present halts; it has no special organ for the function of intelligence! As shown by the vote of the majority at the Conference, the inspectors generally prefer the present arrangement This is intelligible enough, but it may be worth while to point out that the change would be attended with some advantages even for them personally. For example, I have often been puzzled to understand on page 5 what principle it is that a head-teacher requires an official residence in addition to his salary, whereas an inspector of schools is left to find a residence for himself, and pay for it, or camp out on the street. If boards were wise, or even just, they would furnish each inspector not only with an official residence, but with paddock and stable for his horse, and so both encourage him to travel and ensure him a comfortable home when he returns. Anyway, this provision will have to be made for the inspector as soon as he becomes an itinerant officer; and, as a friend of mine, himself a Civil servant, once remarked to me, the residences should all be of the same size and pattern, so that the carpets after removal might continue to fit!

I have already said a good deal, and yet I am hardly further than my introduction even yet. I have only touched on the fringe of my subject, and, had I nothing better to say than what you have just heard, I should not have suffered myself to be persuaded into appearing before you this evening. A few words, then, on some general principles and radical reforms.