CANTERBURY M.P.'S.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17707, 8 March 1923, Page 12

CANTERBURY M.P.'S.

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. A meeting of the Canterbury Members of Parliament Committee was held in the City Council Chambers yesterday afternoon, when there were present—Messrs L. M. Isitt, E. J. Howard, and D. G. Sullivan. Apologies were, received from several members who were absent from town. School Committees' Allowances. A deputation from the Canterbury School Committees' Association, consisting of Messrs T. P. Moore, W. Jones, J. J. Staples, and W. Bailey, waited upon the committee, and protested against the reduction of the Education Department's grant to Education Boards for the maintenance of schools and school buildings. _ Mr Moore said that any cut in the Education Board's finances reflected upon the School Committees, and if there were to be a reduction of incidental expenses it would bo a sorry day for New Zealand. The Minister of Education had said that the Department would help the School Committees which help themselves, but in cutting down incidental expenses the Department had curtailed tho committees' activities, and the Minister had not been consistent. Mr W. Jones said the reduction in incidental expenses amounted to 10 per cent, per head, and the amount to be granted was limited to £3OO. The deputation wished to protest strongly against "government by regulation.' The age for scholars to enter technical schools had been reduced from 17 years to 15 years. Notice of this change had not been given to those wh6 took an interest in the control of these educational institutions. Technical classes were the artisans-' universities; and it was nothing less than a retrograde step to shut out scholars over the age of 15 years. There were any number of instances of men whose intellect had not developed until the age of 17 and 18 years, and it was only just to give the children of artisans in this Dominion an opportunity to become more useful than they otherwise might be. It was impossible.for him to discuss the reasons for the change, for none had been given. Mr Sullivan asked what was behind the change. Mr Jones said that his personal opinion was that it was a step forward in the direction of introducing intermediary schools. There was a scheme proposed to confine primary education to children up to the age of 12 years, those between 12 and 15 years being sent to intermediate schools, and older scholars to secondary schools. Mr Staples supported the previous speakers in their protest, and_ added that the Government had provided in its regulation that' school inspectors had discretionary power to admit children 15 years of age to technical classes.

Mr W. Bailey (secretary of the School Committees' Association) also spoke in support of the protest. Mr Howard said the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of Education, had said, prior to the election (and he had been supported by every Reform candidate) that there would -be no cut in the education vote. He asked, had the cut been niade or was the Association only afraid it would be made? Mr Jones said that the Education Boards had received notice from the Department to make provision, when framing the estimates, for a 10' per cent, reduction in incidental expenses. This information had been sent on to the School' committees by the Board. Mr Isitt said it was unfair to debar the ' duller children from secondary education.. It was just that class of children Which they should encourage. It was decided that a deputation of members who were sympathetic should wait' upon the Minister of Education in support of the Association's protest. Waimakariri River Board. . A deputation from the South "Waimakariri River Board, consisting of Mr P. E. Jones (chairman), and Mr C. W. Herveyi (secretary), waited upon the committee with a request for support of the Board's application for an increase in incidental expenses. Mr Jones said that at present the Board was allowed only £ls a year unauthorised expenditure. The members had to control 15,000 acres of reserves, and were also responsible for the conservation of the river bank.'The sum of £ls was not sufficient to cover the cost of travelling, and mernbers had had to pay some of their travelling expenses out of their own pockets, and consequently they were not inclined to make as many visits of inspection as perhaps they should. Continuing, Mr Jones said that there was a movement on foot to ask the Government to vest the Waimakariri reserves in the City of Christchurch. The reserves had been granted to the Board many years, ago, when they were practically valueless, owing to the lack of demand for sheep. Since then the reserves had increased in value. The revenue from them seemed fairly large, but it had to be remembered that it took a large share of the revenue to maintain the reserves. ■ The Board was carrying out the whole of its business out of this revenue* Mr Sullivan read a letter which had been sent to Dr. Thacker. and >handed to the speaker as embodying Dr. Thaeker's ideas on the question. Mr Sullivan, added that Dr. Thacker did not take up the attitude that the city should take the revenue from the reserves; he merely wished" to see the reserves cut up, so that city people could obtain small holdings there. Mr Jones said that if the revenue was to be conserved for the Board, the mombers would have no objection to the reserves being cut up for closer settlement. The Board had had the same ideas as Dr. Thacker on the question of closer settlement, but it was no use doing more than was wise. There were some parts which would not grow a blade of grass, but there were others which would grow lucerne, and the Board intended, when it had the necessary money, to plant lucerne, with a view to making the reserves more valuable.