PARLIAMENT

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 September 1924, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

ESTIMATES CONSIDERED

VOTE FOR EDUCATION. fBY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 12.' The House of Representatives net at 2.30 p.m. to-day, and after the consideration of formal business went into committee of supply to further consider the. Estimates, the first class taken being education (£275,882). The Hon. A. T. Ngata asked for greater consideration in the matter of the upkeep of native schools. The Minister (Hon. J. C. Parr) said his difficulty was that many of these schools were old and in out of .the way places. They were in constant need of repair, but it was always difficult' to get competent workmen to. go into the hackblqcks to repair them. Continuing, the Minister said the system of the exchange of teachers with other parts of the Empire was working very well. Teachers who came to New Zealand and our teachers) who went away returned home with a wider outlook and a better perspective and were in consequence better teachers. “Members are asking the Education Department to subsidise the family moke because we subsidise the trap in which children drive to school,” said Mr Parr, in replying to a suggestion that it was only fair that an allowance should be given in the case of children who rode or cycled to school. Mr E. A. Ransom (Pahiatua) pointed out that owing to the;dangerous nature of roads it was better fon- children to be on a horse or .a- cycle than in a vehicle.

Mr Parr recalled that he used toi ride to school with his little sister perched behind him. The upkeep of the old family moke, he said, was not much; lie ■ thought a shilling a week would cover it, for a pony could get a picking at the roadside.

M,r J. A. Lee (Auckland East): There are poundkeepers. about. Mr Ransom: It is the transport we want subsidised.

Mr Parr said the subject had been one of continual complaint. A scheme of subsidising was originated by the Hon. J. A. Hanan when he was Minister for Education, and it had given the Education, department trouble ever since. There were about 15,000 or 16,000 children who rode to school. Children riding over three miles would be in the majority. It would cost between £25,000 and £30,000 additional to subsidise horses. In the matter of school classes, he said he thought a class of forty was quite workable. At 11.15 p.m. the F.duaction vote was passed The Crown Law Office (£5283) and Justice Department (£46,065) were passed practically without discussion. The Marine Department (£121,544) was passed after discussion, as was also the Pensions Department (£97,354). The House ,rose at 1.50 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Legisaltive Council met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. The- New Plymouth Borough Council Empowering Bill and the New Plymouth Harbour Board Exchange Bill were read a- second time. The Chattels Transfer Bill, a technical measure, was reported from the Statutes Revision Committee with minor amendments, put through its final stages and passed: The Council adjourned ■at 3.10 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday.