" MISREPORTED "

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 67, 22 March 1929, Page 6

" MISREPORTED "

MR. ATMORE EXPLAINS

JUNIOR HIC4H SCHOOLS

(By Telcgfaph.—Press Association.) GOIIE, 21st March. The Hon. 11. Atmoro, Minister of I'jduccition, questioued at Goro regarding the Press Association message from Stratford, conveying a statement by Mr. Poison, president of the Now Zealand Farmers' Union, stated that his reply to the deputation at Invercargill had not been correctly reported. In dotiling with what Mr. Poison had referred to, no reference whatever was via.de to junior high schools, but to the necessity for bringing about some change in the system. The Minister's remarks were on exactly tho same lines as thoso made at Stratford, when Mr. Poison cordially eudorsod them. In the main they dealt with tho necessity for our educational system taking on a more practical nature, and bearing a closer relationship to the life's work which tho boy or ieaviug school would take up according to his or her natural abilities, which had been developed on individual lines by the school course. Ho had further suggested that, considering that over !J0 per cont. of the annual production of wealth came from the land, an agricultural bias should bo given in our educational system to prepare the way for a successful closer land settlement .policy, which was the only hope for giving full occupation for everyone in New Zealand, and thus doing away with the curso of unemployment. Similar statements wero made by tho Minister at Stratford, and endorsed by Mr. Poison.

A Press Association messago from Invercargili stated that Mr. Atmore, iv reply to a deputation, said that the president of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union had said that Mr. Atmoro was the right man in the right position because he was endeavouring to introduce junior schools. When this remark was shown to Mr. Poison at Stratford he denied making any such statement.