EXPENDITURE ON SCHOOLS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27098, 22 July 1953, Page 3

EXPENDITURE ON SCHOOLS

BOARD MEMBER REPLIES TO MR ALGIE

(New Zealand Press Association) WANGANUI, July 21. “Primary schools got only 43 per cent, of the £3,500,000 spent on new school buildings last year, and post- 1 primary schools 57 per. cent.,” said the deputy-chairman of the Wanganui Education Board (Mr M. Bromlly), when asked today to comment on a statement made by the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Algie) in reply to criticism by Mr Bromily of the manner in which the education vote was being spent. At a meeting of the board yesterday Mr Bromily said that primary schools had made do with makeshift accommodation for long enough. “Can the Minister give a justifiable reason why he turned down our request for a new Wanganui intermediate school after promising to build it next year?’’ Mr Bromily asked tonight. “Seven country schools were refused septic tanks also. How are we going to persuade teachers to go into the country areas if they are not going to enjoy the facilities they would enjoy in the towns and cities?

"The whole economy of our country depends on primary production, and well the Minister knows it. But people will not take young families out into the country to live if there are no teachers to supply them with their education.”