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Rh About this time the staff of the school received a valuable accession to its strength by the appointment as English master, of Mr. Alex. Wilson, M.A., now Principal of the Girls' High School.

The selection of a successor to Mr Hawthorne was entrusted to the late Mr John Auld, Home Agent of the Provincial Government, and his choice fell upon Mr William Norrie, M.A., Classical Master in Dr. A. H. Bryce's Edinburgh Collegiate School. Mr Norrie entered on his duties in April, 1875. A number of the changes that had been resolved upon by the Board were made during the first year of his term of office, and the staff was increased for the purpose of more thoroughly and satisfactorily working out these changes. The result was an increase of the school attendance; while the boarding institution, under Mr and Mrs Norrie's management, seemed for a time to be serving satisfactorily the purposes for which it was designed. But in the course of 1877, difficulties with regard to the boarding arrangements began to be experienced, and at Mr Norrie's own request the Board in June of the same year relieved him of the charge of the Rectory. It was then resolved that the boarding institution should be placed in charge of Mr Geo. M. Thomson, one of the masters of the school. Mr and Mrs Thomson entered on the occupation of the Rectory in the beginning of 1878.

Owing to several causes, which it is now unnecessary to specify, the relations of Mr Norrie with the Board and some of its officers became somewhat strained in the course of 1877. These relations became more and more unsatisfactory, and the result was that in August of the same year Mr Norrie resigned the rectorship, giving six months' notice as required by the terms of his engagement. About the same time the Colonial Government, at the request of the Education Board, appointed a commission to inquire into the position of matters in regard to the two High Schools, and to investigate certain charges brought against the Board and its officers in connection with the schools. The commission consisted of the late Mr Tancred (of Christchurch), Mr W. H. Pearson (of Invercargill), and Mr W. Fraser (of Earnscleugh). In their report the commissioners made a number of recommendations regarding the organisation and management