IS IT A "JOY RIDE?"

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 124, 27 May 1936, Page 13

IS IT A "JOY RIDE?"

MINISTERIAL TRII\ EDUCATION INTERESTS. NEW SOUTH WALES OBJECTION (From Our Own Corrsspondent.) SYDNEY, May 21. A few days ago it was announced that Mr. Drummond, as Minister of Education, intends to take a trip tp London shortly so as to be present at the seventh world conference of the !New Education Fellowship, which is to be held there in July. Strong protests were at once heard from both sides of the "House; but as Mr. Drummond happens to be a member of the Country party his friends retorted that the Opposition was being worked up by the U.A.P. section of the Nationalists, who are jealous and suspicious of of the U.C.P. Though some of the criticism may have been inspired by party feeling, it is easily possible to make out a case against Mr. Drummond's trip. There is first the question of cost to be considered, and as Mr. Stevens (Premier) and Mr. Manning (Attorney-General) are already in London, Mr. Drummond would make up a trio of Ministers visiting England at the same time at the people's expense, and, incidentally depriving the State of their valuable services. It has also been pointed out by Mr. J. R. Lee, M.L.A., that while the information and experience to be gained by attending the conference would probably be valuable, the Minister is not the person who ought to be ita repository. Ministers come and go, and if the education system of New South Wales is to be benefited by this expenditure, the person to send is not the Minister, who may be displaced or superseded at any time by some Departmental official. This view is maintained strongly by Mr. R. D. Weaver, who has taken up the matter with all his wonted energy and courage. Ever since Mr. Stevens jockeyed Mr. Weaver out of the Cabinet because he had offended the 8.M.A., Mr. Weaver has been a thorn in the side of the Government and lie is at all times a dangerous opponent. Quite apart from his great ability, Mr. Weaver always fighto fair, and though he is determined to oppose Mr. Drummond's "joy ride" on the floor of the House, he has given an assurance that he will not raise the question till Mr. Bruxner and Mr. Spooner, who have gone down to Melbourne for the Loan Conference, are back in their places. It is understood that Mr. Weaver is sure of some support from other U.A.P. members. But he has stated publicly that he intends to get the matter discussed in Parliament, even if he stands alone. Self-defence. Naturally Mr. Drummond, as the person chiefly concerned, is rather perturbed at the storm that lias burst suddenly around his head, and he has made some attempt to defend himself. He told a "Sun" interviewer this week that his object in going to London is "to familiarise himself with education from a world standpoint with a view to furthering the interests of education in New South Wales." He points out that the conference will not be an academic convention, that "many important practical problems will be discussed, syeh as the examination system and the home work problem," and that by listening to the debates he "would obtain a broad view of the whole educational landscape, to learn how best he could serve education in this State." No doubt Mr. Ddummond's intentions are excellent, and he honestly believes what he says, but he has. suggested nothing that meets the argument against his trip put forward by Mr. Weaver and Mr. Lee —that "a Minister's term of office is short compared with that of a Departmental employee, and that therefore the knowledge gained as the result of the conference would be lost by the State as soon as the Government or the Minister went out of office." i It will lie interesting to see what view Parliament takes of the question when' Mr. Weaver proposes his veto this week. |