GRANTS TO SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 8, 4 October 1929, Page 14

GRANTS TO SCHOOLS

ALLOWANCE DECLARED INADEQUATE

PRIME MINISTER ASKED FOR MORE

The inadequacy of the capitation grants to school committees was impressed upon the Prime Minister (Right Hqn. Sir Joseph Ward) yesterday by a representative deputation, which occupied all the available space in his room. Sir Joseph Ward, while promising to give the representations sympathetic consideration, stressed the difficulty of the financial aspect of the matter. The deputation was introduced by Mr. R. McKeen (Wellington South), who stated that the case to be presented was the case for the whole of New Zealand. The chairman of the Wellington Education Board (Mr. T. Forsyth) said that a glaring esample of the inadequacy of the grant was the Rongotai College, which, had it remained a primary, school, would . have received a grant of £ll2 whereas, as a secondary school, the college authorities considered that £lB2 was a reasonable thing. He gave examples of other schools in the district similarly placed. Committees Very Annoyed.

Mr. L. Hennessy, president of the Wellington School Committees’ Association, said that never in the history of cqjnpulsory education in New Zealand had the grant been sufficient. It was impossible to keep the schools clean. “We are expected by the powers that be,” he declared, “to clean the schools for onesixth less than the recognised cost;' We are not only starved, but we are sweating our cleaners. We simply cannot carry on it we do not get sufficient money; Surely we are entitled to something better than we are getting. . . . The committees are very annoyed.” Other speakers were Mr. N. A. Ingram, secretary of the Wellington School Committees’ Association, and the Rev. C. L. Carr, M.P. for Timaru. The Minister of Education (Hon. H. Atmore) said that nobody could say that the allowance was sufficient, but it was all a question of finance. Other countries were experiencing the same difficulty as New Zealand in regard to the upkeep of schools. He recognised, that the committees were doing very excellent work, and that they deserved wholef hearted commendation. Money the Trouble. “My trouble is to find the money,” said the Prime Minister.' “It is a serious trouble. When a request was made for £50,000 I started to wonder whether I should not get out of the room —(laughter) —because we have no opportunity of providing anything like that sum for the purposes you require. I will look into the matter and see whether we can set aside anything in addition to what you are getting. If so, it will be produced in the Supplementary Estimates at the end of the session. I recognise that the school committees are doing valuable work, and that they ought . not to be asked to put their hands in their own' pockets. My inability to give you a definite answer to-day, however, is due to the fact that I am engaged upon the task of not adding to, but of cutting down appropriations. ...” * A voice: Don’t put the pruning knife on the school committees. (Laughter.) Sir Joseph Ward reiterated that the matter would receive the fullest consideration.

Mr. R. Semple (Wellington East): There is a glimmer of hope? The Prime Minister agreed, amidst applause. ■