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Grey River Argus, 8 December 1931, Page 5

MORE RETRENCHMENT

HON. R. MASTERS’ ADVICE For Boys Leaving School TAKE ANY JOBS AT ALL! (Per Press Association). WAN GAN Ul, Decembe r 7. At. his first outside function since his re-election to Parliament, Hon. R. Masters to-day spoke at the opening of the, new Technical College hostel, here, which has cost £31,000. The Minister of Education said that New Zealand had been generous in all matters pertaining to social services, and had been proud of it, but in times of industrial depression such services •became burdensome, While such expenditure, he said, was desirable in normal times, in times of depression people would have to realise their responsibilities, and give serious consideration to a reduction in expenditure. He intimated that a reduction in the expenditure in all of the Government Departments, and especially on the ad- ( ministrative side, would come under the Government’s consideration in the near future. He maintained that National wealth was not an asset at the present time, but an actual burden. The farmers of New Zealand were men who were providing money to build such structures as this new hostel Until more of their produce was sold, the country would have to slow up in expenditure.

The Minister intimated that there would be strict economies in the Education Department, but. he said definitely that the chances of the boys and girls of New Zealand would not be affected. Di regard to the reported curtailment of the free place system, he said that if he had a business mana ger in his business, he would leave him alone for twelve months and at the end of that time he would expect a balance from him, and he would take stock. That was what he was doing now in regard to secondary education. Tr was his duty to see that the basis of education was sound before children were allowed to go to secondary schools. Tn regard to the unemployment, he would advise the boys who had trained themselves for a specific profession or a specific trade to take any job that they could get. If they did not work they would not get on. Hard work and application would get an average New Zealand boy as far as he liked to go.

Mr Masters said that he had made arrangements to call a conference of all those who would be able to help in formulating schemes to give boys leaving school employment. Mr W. A. Veitch M.P., said that the presence of such a large crowd at the opening of a new hostel was evidence of a belief that Wanganui was still one of the largest and best' educational centres in New Zealand. The most important problem that would occupy the attention of the new Parliament was the employment of the young people leaving school. Mr W. Bruce (Chairman of the Board of governors of the Technical College) said that various schemes had been suggested for the employment of the boys and girls leaving school. One of them was a provision for a closer: plan for land settlement, which seemed to him to have much to recommend it. However, the matter would have the close attention of Parliament, and of a Select Committee to he called by Hon. jR. Masters at an early date.