MULGAN, EDWARD KER (1857-1920) was born at Magheralin, County Down, Ireland, the son of the Rev William Edward Mulgan (1817-1902), M.A., Trinity College, Dublin. His father was rector of Donagh when he migrated to New Zealand with his family (1875) in the Carisbrooke Castle with the Katikati settlers. He was a member of the Katikati school board in 1876 and of the New Zealand University commission in 1879-80, and for some years vicar of St Peter's, Onehunga.

Edward Ker was educated at Portora College and Armagh Grammar School. On arrival in New Zealand he started farming at Katikati, was in business for a while in Tauranga and edited the Bay of Plenty Times. Taking up teaching in 1888, he was in charge of several schools and graduated M.A. at Auckland University College with honours in natural science (1896). In 1898 he was appointed assistant-inspector of schools, and two years later Inspector. In 1906 he was transferred to Canterbury, and in 1910 returned to Auckland as chief inspector. Mulgan exerted a deep and lasting influence on education by putting forward new ideas with force and persistence. He was specially interested in nature study, handwork and technical subjects, and was an enthusiast for kindergarten teaching and one of the founders of the Auckland Kindergarten association. Convinced of the weakness of the old patronage system of appointment of teachers, he advocated national grading and was largely responsible for this change. He also did much by his own example and personality to break down the old idea of the school inspector as a policeman and to transform him into a friend and adviser of the teachers. He devoted himself whole-heartedly to the propagation of his ideals in education. The state of his health obliged him to decline the position of assistant-director of education in 1915, and he remained at his post until his death (on 14 Nov 1920).

Mulgan married Frances Maria, daughter of the Rev Walter Johnston (also of the Katikati settlement). He published The New Zealand Nature Study Book in 1905 and collaborated with his son, Alan Mulgan (1881-) in The New Zealand Citizen (published in 1922).

Butchers; Gray; N.Z. Herald, 15 Nov 1920.

Reference: Volume 2, page 57

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