Changes To Rural Schooling

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31170, 21 September 1966, Page 3

Changes To Rural Schooling

(jV.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Sept. 20.

The Minister of Education (Mr Kinsella) told Parliament today that plans were being prepared concerning the reorganisation of rural education in New Zealand. They would be put before the Government for consideration shortly, he said.

Mr Kinsella was answering questions put by members during consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Education. The Minister said that the

programme for training college hostels over the next few years ran to £l3 million and this did not include hostels for universities or schools.

Answering a question from Mr A. D. Dick (Govt., Waitaki), Mr Kinsella said it was desirable that hostels for schoolchildren be spread throughout the country so that children would live as near to home as possible. To Mrs E. E. McMillan (Opp., Dunedin North) the Minister said each year there was a survey of school transport routes in each district and adjustment. Mr S. A. Whitehead (Opp., Nelson) asked if the Minister was still convinced higher oriority should be given to technical education, and Mr M. Moohan (Opp., Petone) questioned efforts in recruiting teachers overseas. Emotional Preparation The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) asked whether there would be a move in the educational field to devise specialist training of a group of teachers, with the aim of reducing the disparity between physical and emotional maturity of young people. Mr C. J. Moyle (Opp., Manukau) said the Government was not planning adequately for the expected in-

crease in school children. “This year the vote for education buildings has been reduced and the vote was underspent last year,” he said. (Last year £13,130,500 was voted and £12,469,977 spent. The vote this year is for £12,730,000.) Mr Kinsella: The vote this year is still more than was expended last year. Answering Mr Moohan, Mr Kinsella said: “Generally speaking recruiting of teachers from overseas has been successful.” In 1960, 570 overseas teachers were appointed to schools in New Zealand—and 42 per cent of them still taught in New Zealand. Quite a few who had left teaching were women who had left to get married. Mr A. J. Faulkner (Opp., Roskill) said that less than 50 per cent of the money voted last year for technical equipment in schools had been spent. The Under-Secretary of Finance (Mr Muldoon) said that the rest of the vote for technical equipment had been intended for providing equipment in a new technical institute, but the building had been delayed.

Tonight, Dr. A. M. Finlay (Opp., Waitakere) said he detected a note of complacency in the annual report of the Education Department about the supply of text books. A book on physical education which was supposed to be in circulation could not be printed for two years and a book on health education promised for the first term of 1966 was not yet available. Mr R. J. Tizard (Opp., Pakuranga) asked whether the Minister was going to do anything toward establishing new education board districts, and suggested the £700,000 for education board administration was not adequate.

Mr Muldoon said Mr Tizard had chaired a sub-committee of the Public Expenditure Committee which brought down a “no recommendation” verdict on the matter.

Replying to Mr D. J. Riddiford (Govt., Wellington Central), Mr Muldoon said the current recruiting campaign had cost £2OOO and there had been a good flow of applications.

The vote of £77,220,000 for the department was approved. Expenditure last year was £66,386,486.