Cost of Education

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 292, 5 September 1931, Page 9

Cost of Education

Sir, —Why will not your correspondent “Taxpayer” make himself acquainted with his subject before he writes about it? He says the expenditure on education in England, Scotland and Wales is fiftyfive million pounds. In actual fact it is for practical purposes just double that. “Taxpayer” ought to have found out that In Great Britain the Government pflys half the cost, and the other half is made up of local rates. The people in the Old Country have too high a sense of the value of education to stint it as some here would like to do. It is clear that “Taxpayer” would like to make education, that is, the children in the schools, pay the major part of the necessary economies in other fields of administration. Where would be the fairness in that? Just a word, Sir, as to the nom-de-plume of your correspondent. Who are the taxpayers? Are not the parents of the children paying their full share of the taxes? Have they not an equal right to be considered in the benefits that the State is to give in return for the taxes it collects? Have not the children themselves as rrtcmbe.rs of the State's family as good a claim for consideration as their elder brothers and sisters? “Taxpayer” should remember that there is a much larger class of taxpayers than the one he appears to belong to. Finally, Sir, let me comfort the soul of "Taxpayer” by showing him that the education service has already paid quite considerable tribute to the economies of the day—as usual, it has been among the first to be attacked, and has had to suffer heavier onslaughts in proportion than any other of the State services. Here are a few items: —Ten per cent, reduction of salaries (over a quarter of a million pounds); withdrawal of subsidies for supplementary readers; withdrawal of subsidies on local contributions: nonappointment in 1931 of about 250 additional assistants; unreasonable restrictions on relieving assistance; discontinuance of supplies of handwork material; discontinuance of the organising teacher service; withdrawal of remote allowances, amounting to approximately £20,000 per annum; the leaving vacant of certain positions in the department, e.g., assistant director, superintendent of school music, departmental inspectors, physical director. —I am, etc., H. A. PARKINSON, Secretary, N.Z.E.I. Wellington, August 29.