PRIMARY EDUCATION

Evening Star, Issue 21079, 16 April 1932, Page 20

PRIMARY EDUCATION

■“— " EOONOEVIV MEASURES STATEMENT BY MINISTERS [Per United Press Association.] PALMERSTON NORTH, April 15. The Government’s decisions in regard to the recommendations of the Economy Commission as they affect primary education were announced by the Minister of Education (Hon. R. Masters) in the course of a speech at the reopening of the Central School this afternoon, “ One of the first recommendations of the commission is that all subsidies should be cut out as a general principle for this year. I am afraid that we shall have to do it, not because we don’t appreciate what has been done by the public in regard to the finances of schools, but because of the country’s position. The cutting out of the subsidy is merely of a temporary nature. The recommendation that the 1 School Journal’ be charged for as a further levy on school committees was not agreed to by Cabinet, and it will be given free as formerly. As a result of the reorganisation of the printing and the general administration of the journal, [ was successful in reducing the cost from £7,000 to £4,500. The commission recommended that the number of manual training centres be cut out. I am not going to agree that they should bo cut out in the country and noj; in the cities. If economies are to be effected, 1 will not let them be effected at the expense of any one school, and then at the expense of the people as a whole. “ As regards the conveyance of children to shools, regarding which the commission recommended that the amount should be cut down by £50,000, this would bo a distinct hardship on children in the country districts, and it is proposed that there should be economies as far as possible without laying down any fixed amount which should be curtailed. Regarding the conveyance of post-primary children the recommendation is that they should not bo carried free on the railway. The object of the Government is to create economies, but to dispense with free railway facilities for secondary pupils is not real economy, and the Government has come to the conclusion that it would not accept the recommendation of the commission. All children going to secondary schools will be entitled to free railway travel as in the past. “ As regards the abolition of education boards, no decision was come to on this recommendation, because I thought it was desirable that until the primary boards and the secondary boards had had an opportunity of meeting in conference and submitting their views the matter should be held over. Because of my experience of the work of school committees, I cannot accept the recommendation that there should be a reduction of the capitation to school committees. 1 appreciate, the amount of special effort made by the committees throughout the dominion, and it would show a lack of encouragement if the Government did anything in the nature of reducing the capitation paid them. The commission recommended that we should do away with free books in necessitous cases, but we are not proposing to cut out the grant that had been made previously. “ I am afraid we should have to reduce the amount for the maintenance of buildings. Owing to the fine work of the education boards, we arc able to cut out £22,000 of the maintenance grant. The commission recommended a charge of 2s (Id on all candidates for proficiency certificates, but this the Government cannot see its way to accept. The recommendation is_ made that all sewing grants amounting to £3,000, be stopped for the time being. I think the mothers will have to take a greater interest in teaching their girls to sew, because I propose to cut the grant for a year at least. In coming to the conclusions we have, it has not given us any pleasure.” In a subsequent interview the Minister made reference to further decisions of Cabinet. “It is proposed,” ho said, ‘‘ to adopt the commission’s recommendation that primary • school boarding allowances be cut out in regard to small (grade O) primary schools. The commission recommended that these be cut out, but it is proposed that each case shall ho dealt with on its merits. The special capitation for science classes in the primary schools will bo discontinued. A saving of £I,OOO has been •recommended in regard to handwork material, and this has been agreed to. The recommendation that the grant for agricultural education bo cut down is still under consid-

oration.,”