Page:Picturesque Dunedin.djvu/178

160 enumerated by him, over which he could not possibly exercise any control. In its report the Commission expressed the opinion that "the various circumstances referred to by the rector must have combined to exercise a most dispiriting influence upon both masters and pupils, to keep back intending scholar's, and to injure the status of the school." In accordance with one of the recommendations made by the Commission, the Government, in July, 1874, appointed Sir John Richardson, Sir Robert Stout, the Rev. Dr. Stuart, Professors Shand and Macgregor, and Messrs. E. B. Cargill and James Fulton "to be a Board of Advice for the High School, to recommend to the Education Board such measures in connection with the organisation and management of the school as might be deemed advisable." The result of a conference between the Board of Advice and the Education Board was the adoption by the latter of a number of Regulations based almost wholly upon the recommendations made by the High School Commission of 1873. It is very much in accordance with these regulations that the school is now organised.

Mr. Hawthorne was of a gentle and sensitive nature, and the public criticism, usually of an adverse character, to which his administration of the High School was subjected for some length of time, at last produced the results that might have been expected. His health began to fail; he completely lost heart; and in September, 1874, he resigned his appointment as rector, intending to carry on the work until the end of the year. But his illness proved of so serious a character that he was compelled to retire from active duty some time before the close of the session. Mr. Hawthorne's health was never again completely re-established, and he died at his residence in the neighbourhood of Dunedin on June 8, 1875. He was a gentleman of high principle and of an amiable disposition, and his loss was much regretted by a large circle of friends. It is known to the writer that a number of generous acts, sometimes involving pecuniary outlay, were performed by him in cases that came under his notice in connection with his official work. The duties of acting rector of the school, from the date of Mr. Hawthorne's retirement until the arrival of his successor, were successfully performed by Mr. Brent. Mr. Petrie, Inspector of Schools, also rendered good service as master of the classical department