The Hawaiian gazette., 1883-08-22

TIE new Board OF Education Is gazetted
and does not compare favorably with that
which was summary dismissed few
months ago. 4 cursOry examination OF
the qualifications Of the various members
OF the Board a. reconstructed, gives a re
suit eminently unsatisfactory 10 parents
whose children are Of the school age.
President Mr.. Gibson, Of course, no
board can be a board, no committee a
committee. no council a council. without
this ever present meddler OF Mr. Glib
| sons personal requirements no one wishes
TO speak disrespectfully, but it might be
pertinent 10 ask II il be advisable that
Board Of Education with all its officers,
be made simply political tools in the
hands Of tins or OF any other man That
this Is the case no one can question the
events OF the last few months answer to
absolute demonstration.
DR. John Mott Smith is an educated,
/ able man. and an efficient public servant
whenever he Is at his post. At present
! however, and for a long time past he has
| been absent from the kingdom. and can
| not possibly fulfill the duties of member
Of a board il Honolulu, and a Hawaiian
/ official at Washington at one and the same
! time therefore the temperance Of his
name amongst the members Of the board
can only be looked upon as maintaining
a practical vacancy, and so strengthen the
| hands Of the President IL any yagary,
which political exigencies may seem TO
/ demand OF Messrs. hapena and KIM
maka II Is only necessary to say that
neither l. IN the remotest degree qualified
| to share IN the direction Of any educa
| tional establishment. any more than either
/ Is fitted TO control the financial affairs of
a mercantile house. and vet hapena Is
titular chief OF the Finance o fthe King
dom. and Is now TO be called on to decide
| on questions Of which he Is as ignorant
/ ar he Is OF money matters. hinImaEa 10
! assist IN the decision OF matters affecting
/ the education of the children and youths
Of the kingdom would be ludicrous We're
/ it not so serious There are parents OF
/ school children here who would be glad to
! learn authoritatively what are the gualitica-
tons Of these two gentlemen for the posts
I to which IT pleases the king to appoint
them. Moreover these two, as well a
! their fellow members are otherwise paid
servants Of the government, that Is OF the
! Crown Alr Walker II an able man who
has a family Of the school age, and Were
he independent might be a useful member
of an educational board, but he too Is q
salaried official.
To take the Board then, En- bloc. we, find
all are paid government employees, one
perhaps the ablest Of them al, Is an alb
sentee, one an absolutely uneducated man
one a mere tool, and the majority of the
group dependent on His Majesty's plea
/ CUrp for their incomes This Is only m
illustration of the way things are now
worked here, an absortion of all power
every sort of appointment, Is being cen
triilized, brought together in one focus
the Crown We have seen the sort OF
qualification required of the Official tC
whose care the burning plague spot o.
leprosy is RENTED. now we see by what
hands the eddiodfiou Of our children Is t.
be controlled And the King VIII hav,
II so.