Buildings For Education

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27375, 14 June 1954, Page 8

Buildings For Education

Local education authorities, only too conscious of local accommodation shortages, can be pardoned for overlooking sometimes the great national effort now being made to build schools where they are needed. The Minister of Education (Mr Algie) put the other side of the picture very moderately and fairly during his Christchurch visit. His telling comparison between the £500,000 voted by Parliament in 1935 for education buildings and the £6,500,000 he will ask Parliament to vote this year illustrates as well as anything the changed nature of the problem, and the notable attempt to solve it. This is a responsibility that has fallen very largely on the present Government and on Mr Algie. Between 1930 and 1945 the primary school population was almost stationary. In both 1941 and 1942 there were even fewer children in the primary schools than there were in 1930. Since 1945 the number of primary school children has jumped by about 50 per cent. In the post-primary schools there was a steady increase in enrolments between 1930 and 1945 (from 34,000 to 54,000); but the really large increases are now occurring. It is estimated that by 1960 enrolments will have grown by another 32,000. The need for many new schools in the present decade was recognised by the previous Government; but the difficulties of the war years were followed by a housing shortage. Priority was given to housing, and schools were left as a legacy ,to the present Government. Mr Algie lost no time in finding out just what was needed, and within a year of assuming office he had issued an informative White Paper. He estimated then that 2530 new classrooms would be needed within five years and another 1040 between 1955 and 1960. Even allowing for ■ increased costs, the following com- ; parisdn of votes for education buildings in tne last four years of the Labour Government and the first four years of the National Government shows clearly the vigour with ' which Mr Algie and his department have pursued their policy:

The present Government’s record is actually even more impressive than it seems, since, as Mr Algie mentioned, he sometimes overspent and his predecessor sometimes underspent. At the same time, expenditure on other public works and the rate of private and government housing has been maintained at a high level. Mr Algie rightly pointed out that these huge sums for schools and universities can come only from the people, either through taxation or from their savings. Though this responsibility is generally accepted with good grace, because the fundamental importance of education in a democracy is recognised, at the same time taxpayers should have some assurance that the money is prudently spent. The enthusiastic interest of Mr Algie in his programme is some evidence of this prudence. Even stronger, perhaps, is the reasonable assumption that when so much has to be done available resources are not

likely to be wasted. Local authorities should certainly keep their needs before the department and the Minister, which is essential to the efficient planning of facilities where they are most needed: but they should also understand that there are * limits, physical as well as financial, to the degree of satisfaction they can be given.

Labour, National, 1946-49. 1950-53. £000 £000 First year .. 1,250 2,750 Second year .. 1,250 3,250 Third year .. 1,395 3,500 Fourth year .. 2,250 5,750 Total .. 6,145 15,250