SCHOLARSHIPS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20215, 18 April 1931, Page 11

SCHOLARSHIPS.

PROPOSED ABOLITION.,' [ COMMENT BY BOARD. Tta abolition of junior and senior national scholarships, as outlined in th£ education economy proposals, of the now Finance "Sill, . was briefly . .commented oti by members-of the. Canted bury" Education Board yesterday. The cob of the two classes of scholarships for the year ended March 31st, .1930, was £11,268. "I have time to consider the proposals fully," said .the chairman (Mr W. A. Banks). "As far as 1 i can see the Government'sfinanoial proposals in this direction have been largely culled from the report of.the Parliamentary Education Commission. Generally t am in sympathy with the proposals. I- -do not thins that ■ the abolition of the scholarships will involve; any real hardship,J as it-is pro* posed to provide a bursary system, > and this'meant that a promising. boy or girl would be recommended by the headmaster for a bursary enabling him or lier-to continue. The system.might lead -to _the raising of.,the .standard demanded for .admissioiT to the High Schools. This would be in the interests of the scholars generally."

,■ 1 ' Technical and Secondary Schools. As far as the .placing of secondary ,antl technical schools under a single governing body was concerned, Canterbury would not be materially affected. It had been the policy of the- Boai'd to allow the Technical College to .look after: its own affairs. , The proposal-to close schools where possible was to be commended in view of the ueed t for general-'economy. ' Until the proposals had been - put . into operation,' he said- in conclusion, the effect could not be properly -judged. A more balanced opinibn could be given later. A 'member' said that .although he had not had time to consider the proposals fully,- it had to be, rememberedthat ; at present : the - Government had to make economies wherever it could. Yet the junior national- _ scholarships were of great value to primary school; children, and it would do a great pity to -cut them out. Children whose parents ■ were in • pooa circumstances ' W©re greatly assisted by them, • This opinion was' endorsed by .'Messrs J. J. Hurley and C.S. Thompson. Messrs S. Smith and W. P. open"cer were unwilling .to make any dbmiiient qntil they had an opportunity to : consider the matter*. . < The secretary (Mr C. -R. Kirk) said rthat, apart from the scholarship question, there were few real changes. The poVer to close scbols had been in the -hands of the Minister,■ before" .this scheme had' been' brought down. Dusting ; tlie bookfl in the .British Museum Library calls" for the services special gnug of about 40 men, who . spend all their time, keeping the books clean.'