SCHOOLS LIBRARY

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 99, 21 January 1932, Page 10

SCHOOLS LIBRARY

Stoppage of State Grant “JOURNAL” TO REMAIN Minister Waited On In view of the urgent demand for economy, no hope was held out by the Minister of Education, Hon. R. Masters, for a restoration of the annual Government grant of £l5O toward the maintenance of the public schools’ library system in the Wellington district when a deputation representing the Wellington Federation of Educational Associations waited upon him yesterday. The Minister said that if a grant were made in Wellington he would have to restore those made in other districts, which would Involve an annual commitment of about £3500.

Mr. C. Pinnock, president of the federation, explained that the scheme had been arranged between the Education Board and the City Council, its object being to supply reading matter to 12,000 children in the Wellington district. There were 16,567 volumes available, and the system had been put into operation last year for the first time, the actual work being carried out by the City Library. The Education Board had handed £l5O to the City Library, and it was assumed that an equal amount would be paid by the library for the maintenance of the scheme. The total cost of the plan to date had been £4BO. The children were receiving much benefit from the scheme, and it was felt that the £l5O contributed by the Government Was not a large amount. The Minister: It does not stop there. Mr. Pinnock said that if the children could not receive the books there would be nothing to take their place as an educational factor. Value of School Journal. Mr. J. J. Clark, a member of the Wellington Education Board, expressed the opinion that more good would be done by putting a stop to the issue of the School Journal and devoting the money to a library scheme such as was operating in Wellington. The Minister: Do you say that seriously? Mr. Clark said he was quite serious, although he was expressing a personal opinion. He considered the issue of the School Journal 12 times a year was not as beneficial 4 as the library scheme. Mr. Masters said that a deputation had already waited upon him asking him to reinstate the grant, but in view of the financial position he had been unable to accede to the request. The national finances were, if anything, in a worse position than they were then. He acknowledged readily that the work done by the school committees in conjunction with the City Council was most valuable, but he considered that in view of the present economic position no great hardship would be caused in this city at least if the grant were withheld for, say, a year. The library would not be affected to any great extent if the large total of books had to be operated upon without renewals for a year. There was a wider question than that affecting the finances of the Wellington scheme. If the Wellington grant were restored the grants to other districts would also have to be given, and that would Involve the spending of about £3500 a year. The whole question was one of finance. Expenditure Limited. The Minister said he was somewhat astonished to hear Mr. Clark criticise the School Journal, for he regarded it as a valuable reader for the school children of the Dominion. In another country the school journal as well as the library schemes had been cut out, so that the Dominion was still In a better relative position. There was no intention of the Government to do away with the School Journal. There was a limited amount of money to spend on education, and the closest scrutiny of expenditure had to be observed. Other vital questions were arousing the concern of people throughout the country. A short time previously a deputation of settlers had expressed fear that the backblock schools were to be abolished, and two settlers had guaranteed £7O toward the salary of a teacher, the department undertaking to find £45 a year. In face of this it was difficult, to justify expenditure on libraries and other things when there was genuine fear that harmful economies might l)e effected. “I am afraid that in view of the circumstances, as far as this year is concerned it is not possible for me to reverse my decision regarding the library grant,” the Minister concluded. City Council’s Position. In reply to a question, Mr. McKeen said that as far as he knew the City Council would continue to pay its contribution, amounting to about £lOO. If nothing more were forthcoming the council would have to find the whole amount.

Mr, .Semple: We are as poor as you are. , The Minister: Well, you are pretty hard up. Mr. McKeen said the council was poor, but it considered that ' the amount spent was worth while. If the Government could give the other £lOO odd, he thought the council would do its best to keep the scheme going. The Minister pointed out. that any grant that was made to Wellington would mean the reinstatement of grants throughout the whole country.