■ It is - well - known that • when a vacancy occurs in any of the principal schools, members of the Board arc besieged by teachers and their friends. Here, of course, the members of the town staffs possess an immense advan tage. They are on the spot, and often long before a post is vacant they know ; the course of events which is shaping. A personal acquaintance with com- j mitteemen enables them to press their claims without any apparent breach of propriety. If personal influence is not sufficient, they find no difficulty in get ting head teachers or influential citizens to take up the cudgels on their behalf. Now, in resorting to these practices we do not say that teachers are any better or worse than the mem bers of other professions. The favouritism which has governed appointments from time immemorial both in church and secular business is matter of notoriety. In England an appointment is hardly ever made, from that of a bishop to a hall porter, which is not more or less the result of a canvass, if not by a candidate, then by his (zealous friends. In the colonies the practice becomes intensified where appointments are few and candidates Vnumerous. A few years ago posts. i went begging, for which there are eager applicants now. No effort so i far has placed appointments in the Civil Service above the suspicion of favouritism. There are instances where members of Parliament are not only urged to use their influence on behalf of certain candidates, but where the very language is (.suggested in which they should state their argument to make it more i telling to members of tbe Cabinet. The practice prevails in every branch of trade. The applicant strengthens his .rase by seeking the interpositionof influential friends, and feels his chances are increased, apart from his own merits, in 'proportion to the number of i powerful_ pa'iW.ns who champion his vcause. Custom .has: given, a sort of tacit sanction toithis practice, but none the less-it is objectionable. Some men of considerable force of character would sooner lose an appointment than resort to it. With others who are less scrupulous it tends to develop, toadyism, and has a decidedly deteriorating influence on morals. 