SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 203, 26 August 1913, Page 8

SECONDARY EDUCATION.

TREE PI*ACE PtrPIXS. HIGHER STAXDARD SUGGESTED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLTXGTOX, Monday. In reply to a deputation concerning the question of free-place pupils who hnd qmililled for admission to secondary schools but could not be found a place, the Minister for Education (Hon. James Allen) said lio would have the matter carefully inquired into. There wore two or three important questions to be dealt with. One was whether the standard of free place qualification was a proper one, and another was whether the State could afford to make provision for all those who had passed the examination for free places.

It might bo that certain additional accommodation might be secured by utilising to their fullest capacity buildings for secondary education alone.. That would have to be looked into. With regard to the general question as to a higher standard, it was a difficult matter to decide. He pointed out that there were some pupils who went to these schools and who did not stay very long. Thrtt was another matter to be investigated.

It was impossible for him to deal with the whole matter of free places during what was to be a very busy session. He would take time to go into the matter, together with that of staffing and teachers' salaries, «irefully, after Parliament rose. He would have the' main question looked into immediately. As far as he was concerned, there would be no discrimination. Personally, he could see no reason why the method of selection slionld not be according to merit. He could see no difficulties in the way of that procedure. He thought that rnilcss there were some unforeseen difficulty in the way. immediate provision could be made for selection in the order of merit. If the expenses in this direction became very much heavier, there would be a. demand far local taxation. Ho did not want to have to advocate tbtk