STATE-AID ISSUE

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32078, 28 August 1969, Page 8

STATE-AID ISSUE

“User Should Pay” I The financial problem of Roman Catholic schools ■ was their failure to charge realistic fees, said Mr C. G. MarI shall in Christchurch on Tuesi day. Mr Marshall, who is chairman of a committee opposing more State aid to private ! schools, repeated this asser- : tion in reply to comments ; made by the Rev. T. Power, ; director of Roman Catholic education in the Diocese of Christchurch, in “The Press” : “The attempt to shift the : financial burden for an indii vidua! person’s choice of i school on to the general public must be resisted,” Mr Marshall said. "The principle that the user pays for his private choice is a sound one in any sphere of life.” Commenting on Father | Power’s statement that it was grossly inaccurate to say that $6.2m a year was given in State aid to private schools I and that the real figure was I about sl.sm, Mr Marshall said: “The figures available to me, and any other person, suggest more than s6m. I “Father Power suggests I about sl.sm. However, any[■one with administrative ex- [ perience may doubt that inci- | dental grants, free text-books, furniture, heating and lightI Ing, telephone rental, school I library services, school bus I services, library book subsiI dies, swimming pools subsidies, manual training/ inservice training courses,' careI takers’ and cleaners’ wages, | cleaning materials, office staff I wages, maintenance allowance l on buildings, and so on can be I provided for 487 private I schools for as litlte as sl.sm.