EDUCATION BOARDS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 11 July 1927, Page 4

EDUCATION BOARDS

RUMOUR OP ABOLITION. REFERRED TO IN THE HOUSEEurther references to the rumour about, the abolition of education .boards was made in Parliament on Eriday. Mr. T. Eortsytli (Wellington East) referred to repent .publicity given to the rumour in the. Press ana «a i d that tne question was not new, but had been discussed .several years ago. As oka,Arman ot the Education Boards’ Association, lie held that no great economy would result from the abolition of the boards. The Wellington board's annual receipts amounted' to £36o,i<_\. and fhe administrative, charges total onuy i./3 per cent, of the receipts, iw Government Department could show such a satisfactory result. The preoent .system was more economical than .a centralised policy, because the member of tlie hoards gave their services without pay, and local interest was maintained. The Wellington Uistiiw bad not done as a veil as some others legarding building grants, hut that had not been his fault.

A hope that it .was true that education boards Ayere to be abolished Avas expressed by tlie Hon. V. H. lteed in the Legislative Council on the same day. He entirely disagreed Avith previous speakers who had dealt Avitk the matter. He could not see any use in keeping the boards going. for some years lie had been a member of a board, and the district he represented was 200 miles long by 60 miles broad. He knew very feAV of the parents in that district, and had seen less than half its schools. The hoard lie referred to had a total schools 'roll of 67,000 pupils. iSome particular size o.f board must 'be the right size, if tlie argument regarding the personal touch Avas right. Taking 10,000 children as the right number, they AVQulcl require 22 boards, and what AA'ould the cost be then? The AA'hole argument in favour of Aviping out tlie hoards avos to reduce the cost. He would not have fhe school committees abolished. They Avere on the spot and did good work. He would 1 give them far more power than they uoav had.