The Melbourne correspondent of the Times, in the letter pub-
lished on Monday last, asserts that " Professor Pearson [C. H. Pearson, the historian, Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford], the one man of culture who supported Mr. Berry's Government, the enthusiastic supporter of a progressive land-tax, has been consoled for his defeat at the Boroondara elections by an appointment of £1,200 a year ;" and he goes on to state that the new Minister of Education, Mr. W. C. Smith, created surprise by making for him- self an occasion to attack the condition of the Education Depart- ment somewhat vehemently in a speech to his constituents, an "unusual exhibition," which was soon explained by the announce- ment of the issue of a plenary commission to Professor Pearson, "to inquire into the working of our educational system in all its branches." The insinuation that here was a job, done to " console" Professor Pearson, is, of course, clear enough. The facts, how- ever, are very inaccurately stated. In the first place, Professor Pearson has not received an appointment of £1,200 a year, but a special duty has been devolved upon him, for which, whether it takes a year or more than a year, as it probably may, he is to have only 11,000. In point of fact, Mr. Pearson declined to have the appointment made a permanent one. In the next place, nothing can be more misleading than the suggeation that the populardiscon- tent with the Education Department was getup for the occasion. The compulsory laws had never been enforced ; the salaries of teachers were constantly in arrear ; the teachers were in a state of sup- pressed revolt ; and the whole system of State Education was in jeopardy. The fact is, in short, that Professor Pearson has got a very stiff piece of work to do,—which be will probably do admir- ably, as even the prejudiced Melbourne correspondent admits— and that he will be paid very moderate wages indeed for doing it.
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