POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21436, 30 March 1935, Page 12

POLITICAL NOTES

[From Our Parliamentary Reporter.! WELLINGTON, March 29. Nearing the End With farmers' mortgages and farmers' mortgagees out of mind for the moment, members of the House of Representatives spent to-day on lighter fare. They were given the opportunity to discuss some of the problems of education administration on the second reading of the Education Law Amendment Bill, a measure which met with general approval, and in the evening the Opposition was able to get its teeth into the Prime Minister's Commercial Trusts Amendment Bill, which was not nearly so favourably received. The House is now sitting end of session hours, including Friday evening, Saturday, and Monday, and the business will probably be completed before the end of next week. There are still two Native Affairs Bills to be considered, the Commercial Trusts Bill has still to receive the approval of the House, a Finance Bill is expected to make its appearance to-morrow, and the Rural Mortgagors Final Adjustment Bill has yet to be considered by the Legislative Council. As the Council has adjourned until Tuesday, it is unlikely that the bill will be reported back to the House and finally passed before Thursday. Married Women Teachers The provision in the Education Law Amendment Bill, enabling the boards of secondary schools to dismiss married women teachers, was roundly criticised in the House of Representatives to-day, when the bill was being debated on the second reading. Mr C. Carr (Lab., Timaru), the principal critic of the bill, said he believed in the economic independence of women, and he thought they had the same rights as men to earn their living in their own way. ' ; The best teacher I ever had was a married woman." said Mr Carr, "and I believe that a married woman who has children of her own is in a better position to understand school children than a spinster whose life is sometimes a little soured and embittered." Rationed Teachers The "plight" of rationed teachers in primary schools was referred to ir the House of Representatives today by Mr F. Jones (Lab., Duncdin South), who said that existing conditions had caused much unrest in the teaching profession. There were now more than 1200 rationed teachers in New Zealand, and many had been- forced into that position because of the iniquitous system of primary school grading. Under the] rationing scheme, teachers received £92 a year, where before tiv y had j been paid from £l6O to £IBO a| year, and in many cases they were teaching in the same schools in] which they had previously been em-! ployed. Mr Jones said he would I like to know what the Government] was saving by reducing the grading of schools and by rationing teachers. The Minister for Education (the Hon. S. G. Smith): We are not saving any money. The only alternative is unemployment.

Earthquake Insurance "The Government has been making preliminary enquiries into insurance against earthquake risk," said the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes), when replying in the House to-day to an urgent question by Mr W. E. Barnard (Lab., Napier). Mr Forbes said the general manager of the State Fire Insurance Office visited London last year. He had extensive conferences and discussions when in London on the subject of earthquake insurance generally, and the result of his enquiries in the shape of a comprehensive report would shortly be considered bv the Government. 1+ was not desirable to set up a recess committee as Mr Barnard suggested, until all the necessary information had been collected, and enquiries made. A conference had already been held with insurance companies, and it would again be necessary to discuss with them further suggestions made after the ger.v-ra 1 manager's report. As to whether a bill could be introduced next session, that must depend to a large extent on the consideration of a report of the general manager of the State Fire Insurance Office.

West Christchurch School The status of the West Christchurch District High School was again mentioned in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr H. T. Armstrong (Lab., Christchurch East), speaking on the Education Law Amendment Bill, urged the Minister for Education to place the school on the same basis as other high schools. The matter concerned at least three electorates, and members of Parliament were constantly being urged to do anything they could to secure an improvement in the school's status. Mr Armstrong appealed to the Minister to meet the wishes of the people of Christchurch, and to effect the necessary change. The Minister did not reply to the request, but it is understood that he will visit Christchurch shortly after the session to investigate personally the position at the West Christchurch School. No decision is likely until Mr Smith has been to Christchurch.

School Committees' Grants The hope that he would be able to secure an increase in capitation grants to school committees throughout New Zealand was expressed by the Minister for Education (the Hon. S. G. Smith) in his reply to the second reading debate on the Education Law Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives to-day. During the debate members had complained of the inadequacy of the grants, and urged the Minister to assist committees to 5 greater extent than in the past. The Minister said that the committees had done very valuable work during the last few years, and that he was only too eager to help them. There had however, been no reduction in the capitation grants, and the Government had no intention of reducing them in the future. The Minister was hoping that the Minister for Finance would be able to provide more money for this purpose, and he would do everything in his power to persuade him.

The Minister'explained that of the 1309 rationed teachers in the Dominion, 455 were required as probationary assistants; " 321 were classed as relieving assistants, and the remaining 533 were additional assistants, most of whom would otherwise be out of work. Mr Smith hoped that by the end of 1936 the rationing scheme would not be needed.

Mr Forbes Entertained The Coalition party officially said good-bye to Mr and Mrs Forbes, who will leave for London next week, at a social gathering during the supper adjournment of the House to-night. On behalf of the party, the Minister for Finance (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) presented Mr Forbes with an inscribed silver cigarette case, and extended to hirn the best wishes for a pleasant trip. The Hon. W. Downie Stewart and Mr A. E. Jull supplemented Mr Coates's remarks.

Mr Forbes, replying, said he was reluctant to leave New Zealand this year, but he felt it was incumbent on the part of New Zealand to be represented by its Prime Minister at the King's silver jubilee celebrations, since all the other Dominions would be so represented. Mr Forbes also took the opportunity to thank members of the party for their cooperation and support during a particularly arduous session. He said it had been of great assistance to know that the party had always worked together, although "some nasty medicine" had to be swallowed.