COUNTRY v. TOWN

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 32, 7 August 1923, Page 7

COUNTRY v. TOWN

EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES,

There was a discursive debate on educational, topics in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, when the report of the Education Department was presented.

The Hon. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi) put in a plea for greater educational facilities in the rural districts, especially high schools. In his district there was a school which had to meet the needs of an area up to 90 miles in extent. There was room for further expenditure in connection with school buildings. Mr. P. A. de la Perrelle (Awarua) said the needs of the country districts should be attended to before those of the cities. He urged the Minister to keep that aspect of the matter in mind.

A defence of Wellington was entered by Mr. R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs). In past years other towns and districts had received consideration at the hands of the Government, but Wellington had been neglected. Wellington was asking so much to-day because of the neglect of the past, and was grateful for what the Government was doing. All that Wellington wanted was fair treatment alongside the other cities.

Speaking as a country representative, Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) said tho country members felt that preference was always given to the cities. So far as expenditure on country scKools was concerned, there seemed to be a complete hold-up. Nothing seemed to be done in the country districts in the way of providing a central school. Such schools were a very great success in America. The same interest should be shown in the education of the children in the scattered country districts as in the children in the cities.

Before the Minister of Education could reply the report was "talked oufc."