HIGH SCHOOL FINANCES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15022, 17 July 1914, Page 8

HIGH SCHOOL FINANCES.

MORE MONEY NEEDED

ASSISTANCE IN THE NEW BILL

(SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") WELLINGTON, July 10. The disabilities under which* certain of the secondary schools of the Dominion labour through not being possessed of endowments was brought before the Minister of Education (the Hon. James Allen) this evening by a deputation, of which Messrs Young (Waikato) and Anderson (Mataura) wero members. The first speakers were from Palmerston North and Dannevirke, and they pointed out local grievances. Mr W. Bain, of Dannevirke. in his remarks, suggested that all the endowments of secondary schools should be nationalised, so a.s to place all tho schools on a similar footing. Mr Young referred to the difficulties that had been encountered by the Hamilton High School Board with the present capitation, and said it was difficult to get good teachers. It was felt that secondary education was a national work, and the need for natioi.nl endowments to assist this work was very evident. He agreed that the whole of the endowments should be put. into a common fund for the l>enelit of secondary education generally. Mr Anderson, who spoke of the position of the school at Gore, suggested that the capitation for the wp.kor schools should be increased from £'12 10s to £11. There was no desire at Gore to interfere with the reserves of the endowed schools, but all schools .should be placed in the same position. Tho Minister said that tho hostel question was largely one of money. Last year an additional .£25.000 tor general building purposes had been voted, but they could not go on increasing grants in this way without hampering the finances of the country. Every case would bo dealt with on its merits, and tho. most urgent cases would have first consideration. In the Education Rill he "had endeavoured to make provision fov tho weaker schools. He was not prepared to advise Parliament to nationalise or ''pool" the reserves, as that would be unjust to those districts where tho carl- settlers had had the foresight to set aside, endowments for secondary education. Where it was possible to provide State endowments for unendowed schools he would bo very pleased to do it. He proposed in his Education Bill to pay a fixed sum of £100 to each school, and also to raise the capitation allowanco to weaker schools from £12 10s to £13 lQs. He was not prepared to fall in with a suggestion that the £4 per pupil now paid to schools with reserves returning JLI? arid over should .be withdrawn, but his desire was rather to bring the weaker schools as nearly as possible up to the position of tho stronger schools. The capitation to the large schools would not be increased, but the increase would be given to schools with a net annual income of not more than £8 per pupil from endowments. A minimum salary for teachers in secondary schools was also provided for. If the Bill did not give theni all that they required, he hoped they would believe that he was doing the best ho could with tho means at his disposal.