EDUCATION ECONOMIES

Evening Star, Issue 20959, 25 November 1931, Page 3

EDUCATION ECONOMIES

[Per United Press Association.]

WELLINGTON, November 24. By the retirement of senior oinctns in the Education Depart meat an aifuual saving of £13,000 is being cl eeted. The economies made so far in the department have been almost entirely ot an administrative nature, and do not affect the direct teaching of the children. The do; vrtinent, nr a letter urging education boards to effect all possible economies, announces that twentythree officers arc being dismissed altoretirements include the Assistant Director of Education, Mr A. 801 l (salary £900); the assistant chiot inspector and administrative senior inspector, Mr ,). A. Cowles (£715); three stall senior inspectors, including Mr J. Robertson, Auckland (£7SJ; and Mr N. R. M Kenzie. Taranaki (£715); six stall inspectors (£605 each); the supervisor of the School of Music, Mr E. D. iaylor (£750); the assistant controlling officer of the buildings branch, Mr 1. Davcy (£590); and ten other administrative officials. None of these positions is boin" filled. The former assistant chief inspector, Mr N. T. Lambourne, is now chief inspector, and the former chief physical instructor, Mr H. E. Longworth, is acting as an instructor only. All the salaries quoted have been reduced by approximately 10 per cent, in accordance with the cut. The saving on these salaries and retirements is officially assessed at £13,000. Ihe economies effected up to tho present m the Education Department have been almost entirely on tho administrative side. Tho reduction in _ capitation o-rants to education boards is a purely administrative cut, while the iiou-oin-ployment of probationers and the reduction in the number going into the training colleges have been effected solely for the reason that injustice would be done to the boys and girls who would accept those positions in the honest belief that they were going to receive jobs as teachers later on.

£13,000 IN ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

A FEW QUESTIONS

TEACHERS' INSTITUTE BUSY -

Tho folowing letter has been sent to tho Prime Minister by the secretary of the N.Z.E.I.: —

I have the honour, by direction of the executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute, to communicate with you on references to the subject of economies in education in the newspaper reports of your speech at Rangiora on the 17th instant. You aro reported as expressing your conviction that tho teachers would remain loyal to the country's interests. In this the institute would assure you that you do the teachers no more than bare justice. All their endeavours are directed towards the improvement oi the education of the youth of the dominion, in the lull assurance that in that depends the real welfare of tho nation of the future. Prompted by this feeling the executive of tho institute requests that you at this juncture relievo tho public anxiety by a statement of tho intentions of the Government on the lollowing points: (a) Is it intended to restrict tho range of free post-primary education, as is at least indicated by the alteration in tho method of carrying out tho proficiency examinations? (b) Is it intended to close schools in remote country districts, although trained and certificated teachers are available tor them? (c) Will you be good enough to specify in some detail what you Ixad in mind when using tho word frills on tho occasion referred to? In conclusion, tho executive desires to say that it has long advocated a reform of tho administration of tho system by inaugurating unified local control of all sections of education, thereby making them parts of a single system. By this means economy would bo effected and efficiency greatly enhanced.