SUPPLYING SCHOOL BOOKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 25, 29 January 1921, Page 10

SUPPLYING SCHOOL BOOKS.

A DIFFICULT PROBLEM. DISCUSSED BY MINISTER AND BOAUDS. The Minister of Education (the Hon. C J. Parr) informed a "Dominion" reporter that he had taken advantage of the couference of education boards in Wellington to consult the delegates regarding the supply of school books, stationery, and other requisites. The Education Department has been urged frequently to assist the parents by supplying these articles at the lowest possible prices from a central store, and the Minister promised during the last session of Parliament to give consideration to the proposaJ. He suggested at the conference that the boards might reduce the charges by buying the books and stationery- from the wholesalers and distributing them through the schools at wholesale prices.

The discussion that followed, said the Minister, showed that two of the education boards already have a scheme in operation, ajid two others are cuiaempiauug au early start iii the same direeliou. i'he schemes apply at present only to stationer}- and wruiug materials. Apparently no board yet attempts to suppiy text-books. The boards in the business already axe indenting supplies on it 5 per cent basis. The school committees, after conferring with the headmasters, send in requisitions for their supplies, and Hie boards sell at cost price plus 10 per cent to cover rent and the services of a distributing clerk. The headmasters distribute the material, and are responsible for the collection of the purchase money from the pupils. In one case the board deducts the cost from the incidental allowances of the committee, which becomes responsible for the collection. There was no great enthusiasm by the boards who had tried this as to the success of the movement so far, though each claimed that it was a right step and said that it would be continued. It was unfortunate, just for the present, that prices should be uncertain, and this somewhat handicapped a start now. It came out in the discussion that Home firms will supply the boards at the same rates as they sell to booksellers.

All the speakers stressed the necessity of the co-operation of the teachers, without which no scheme of cheap supply to the children could possibly succeed. "I was unable," continued the Minister, "to obtain much information as to the saving that could be effected. Generally it was thought that about 25 per cent of present prices, though in some articles a great deal more, could be saved. There was varying testimony as to the conditions in country districts. One board said that a central store was advisable to protect the country children from the rates charged in country stores for stationery, which was sometimes 100 per cent greater than in the cities. Another board thought that the country storekeeper supplied the children at .lower prices than could be obtained on Lambton Quay. The opinion was expressed that it was doubtful if much saving could be effected in the small schools, because of the cost of distributing small parcels of goods. In the cities, however, the children could go to the schools to obtain their supplies. The general opinion was that a considerable saving could be made. Severa.l speakers thought that the Education Department should have a central store and supply from it. I expressed the opinion that that was not necessary. I thousrht the best plan would be, if -we started the business at all. that the Department should employ a buyer in London acquainted with our special needs to buy at the lowest rates, and to send the goods direct to the different districts. The heavy burden on the parents is iha recurring cost of writingblocks and exercise books. The cost of text-books at the beginning of the year is not so heavy. On the whole, T consider that, it is the duty of the boards i>nd the Department, working together, to supply the schools. No doubt, as was stressed at the conference, this is a bad time to make a start, because of the uncertainty of prices and the wnrM-wido shortage of paper, and the difficulty nf (TPttinc printing done, but even with these di°abilit.ies T am strnnclv of onininn that the boards should ioin up with the Department in a whemp for wholesale "upnlics at cost price to the children." .