EDUCATION ECONOMIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 April 1932, Page 2

EDUCATION ECONOMIES

MINISTER’S ASSURANCE.

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, April 8.

“I was never in such a position in all my born days. I find no pleasure in doing what I have to do to-day,” said the Minister of Education, the Hon. R. R. Masters, in the course of his reply to a deputation from the New Zealand Educational Institute, in connection with the proposed salary reductions, and the proposal to raise the school entrance ago to six years. “May the sun shine on the hills some day, and give me a chance to give you something, instead of taking it away,” he added. Mr. Masters told the deputationists that both matters were a question of money. He accepted no responsibility, he said, for any statements made in the Economy Commission’s report. Some of the proposals definitely would not bo adopted, others would be partially adopted, while others again .would be wholly adopted., Replying to a deputation from the Wellington School Committees’ Association, and the Educational Federation, Mr. Masters said that it was not proposed to make a charge for the School Journal, to interfere with the allowance to school committees, or to reduce the vote for free school books.

BOARDS IN CONFERENCE

WELLINGTON, April 8.

A conference of Education Boards, called for the purpose. of discussing the recommendations of the National Expenditure Commission, was opened by the Minister of Education (Hon. Mr. Masters). Mr. A. Burns (chairman of the Auckland Education Board) presided. The Minister stated he was keenly appreciative of the manner in which the Boards had met him with regard to the economies which he had been forced to effect. He wanted to say that it was not the intention of the Government to accept all the recommendations of the Commission so far as administration was concerned. The Commission had recommended the abolition of the Education and other Boards. This question had been left over on account of a promise to the Boards that they would be afforded an opportunity of thoroughly discussing the question, and of placing their representations before him and Cabinet. He wanted them to take a broad view of the recommendation. There existed a certain of public opinion that the Boards should be abolished. The onus, therefore, was on the conference to convince the Government as to whether or not there was justification for the abolition of the Boards. Perhaps, they would consider the matter from the point of view of combining in certain areas, and working effectively. Mr. Burns said they realised that economies must be effected, and it would be their duty to give the Minister every assistance.