RECONSTRUCTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 64, 16 March 1936, Page 8

RECONSTRUCTION.

EDUCATION SYSTEM.

SETTING A GOAL. REVIEW WITHIN THE YEAE. With the assistance and co-operation of all education authorities, including school committees, the new Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, hopes to reconstruct the education system and policy. This announcement was made by the Minister this morning when lie •;iet wiembers of the Auckland Education Board officially for the first time. Mr. Fraser said he anticipated a happy time, although there were harassing and .perplexing proKlems to be solved.

Mr. Fraser said there was a task ahead, not merely concerned with administrative functions but in respect to arrears that hud accumulated. It was not possible to deal effectively at once with all the schools that were overcrowded. or to make every school modern and to provide all the play areas that were necessary, but at least it was possible to set a goal —an ideal—and to see that in a reasonable period of years an attempt was made to overtake all the arrears which had accumulated to such an alarming extent in respect to buildings and grounds during the depression years.

The work that had to be done would involve a large sum of money, said the Minister, but the position had to be faced. All education boards, school committees and other authorities must cooperate to see that the work was accomplished. The Government could not go faster than the economic and financial resources of the country would permit, but an endeavour would be made to obtain a fair share of those resources for education facilities and school accommodation. Offers of Assistance. Mr. Fraser said he could sincerely say that lie was gratified at the offers of assistance he had received since taking over the portfolio of education. Education boards, school committee associations, school committees, secondary and technical education boards, university college councils and other authorities had sill sliown a spirit of co-operation. Their desire to help was almost overwhelming.

All matters relating to education would be reviewed during the next twelve months, and he was hopeful that many factors that were handicapping education now would be eliminated. All helpful proposals would be considered. "I do not propose to'tear down anything of permanent value," continued the Minister. Before adopting any new ideas—most ideas had been tried out at some time —the opinions would be sought of education boards, committees and others.

Referring to the presence of Mr. W. T. Anderson, M.P. for Eden, and Mr. A. S. Richards, M.P. for Roskill, Mr. Eraser said it was his desire that the local members of Parliament would have the opportunity of collaborating with the education boards. He had known items to be placcd on the estimates which the local member concerned was entirely ignorant of. A Minister might be inclined to drop an item if the member of the district was in the dark concerning it. On the other hand, if a member was conversant with a situation and the Minister was disinclined to make a grant, the advocacy of the local member or members might induce him to change his mwtd. (Laughter.) Most Reasonable. The Minister said he had found the boards were most reasonable. , They endeavoured to show clearly what works were most urgent. In welcoming the Minister, the chairman of the board, Mr. T. U. Wells, said that Mr.' Frascr was known throughout New Zealand as a man deeply interested in education. They recognised the difficulties the Minister had to contend with in respect to finance for the carrying out of all he desired to do for all classes. He wished to offer the board's help to the fullest possible extent. In referring to the remarks of the chairman, Mr. Fraser paid a tribute to the devotion and enthusiasm of board members throughout New Zealand. All the members were making sacrifices in the cause of education, and so were the members of schcfol committees throughout the Dominion.