"ABOVE PARTY."

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 220, 17 September 1930, Page 5

"ABOVE PARTY."

EDUCATION EXPENDITURE. REFORM MEMBER REBUKED. MR. ATMOEE AND NELSON SCHOOLS (B.v Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.} WELLINGTON, Tuesday. A vigorous repudiation of the sugges-j tion that an undue amount of public money had been expended in his own electorate was made by the Hon. H. Atniore, Mjnistcr of Education,, in the House to-night, wlien the Education vote was under review. The charge was loade by Mr. R. A. Wright (Reform, Wellington Suburbs). Minister of Education in the Coatesj Cabinet, that during the regime of the present Minister .more money had been spent in the Nelson district than in any; other educational district in New Zea-j land. For instance, there was the Nel-j son Central School. When last lie; visited Nelson that was a very fine; building—it may have been in need of remodelling—but instead of that a new building had been erected. There were hundreds of buildings in New Zealand in a far worse condition. Then there; were the new school at Stoke, a new boys' college and a new girls' college,; and the information that IS acres of land had been presented to one or other of the colleges. The House was entitled to know how much all those things had cost. Surprise at Mr. Wright's attack oil the Minister was expressed by Mr. E. J. Howard (Labour, Chris tchurch South), who recalled that during the time the member for Wellington Suburbs held the portfolio, members had been able to get nothing at all. However, all that had changed since Mr. Atniore took office. It was a wonder the present Minister found time to attend to all the matters which were brought under his notice. "Ungenerous Suggestion." The Minister, in reply? eaid he had been surprised, also, when Mr. Wright had seen fit to make such an ungenerous suggestion in regard to the money expended in the Nelson district. "You wouldn't expect anything else from him," said Mr. K. McKeen (Labour, Wellington South). Mr. Atmore emphasised that he had never allowed any question of party to enter into the matter of the erection of new schools. One of the main objects he had had in visiting various parts of the Dominion was to ascertain the relative urgency of the works which required attention. It was necessary that someone should have that Information in order that there might be a fair and equitable distribution of the money. "I repudiate absolutely,"' added the Minister, ''any suggestion that an undue amount of money has been expended in my district." Mr. Wright's memory was apparently so short that he did not remember that one of the votes of which he had complained was granted by himself! Mr. Wright: Which was that? The Minister: The Nelson Girls' College. Mr. B, Semple (Labour, Wellington East): You have nad the earthquake, too. The Minister: I am coming to that. Dealing with the girls' college, the Minister said the plans had not been suitable, and ho had refused to sanction them. So far as the school at Stoke I was concerned, that was 60 or 70 years old, and in order to replace it a new building had been erected at a cost of £1100. '"Let me tell Mr. Wright," said the Minister, "that I am not euch a coward as to refuse to sanction new buildings in my own district when they are needed."

Earthquake Requirements. i The Minister added that a great deal of expenditure bad been necessitated by the earthquake. The dormitory of Nelson College had been made useless and unsafe. Surely it was the correct course to put that right. "The job had to be done," agreed Mr. Semple. The Minister said that the college authorities were paying 5 per cent on the money which it had been necessary! to expend. The Xelson Central School was an old building of the gaol type, and he believed that every child should be able to see out of the windows of his or her schoolroom. So far as he was concerned, politics would never enter into his consideration of educational problems. During the recent tour of New Zealand of the Committee on Education, not once did the ugly head of party politics obtrude itself. The Minister concluded by asking if there ■ were to be discrimination 1 against a particular section of children; just because they happened to live in a I district represented by the Minister of: Education.