EDUCATION ECONOMIES

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 9 April 1932, Page 6

EDUCATION ECONOMIES

COMMISSION PROPOSALS FULL ACCEPTANCE NOT LIKELY CONFERENCE OF BOARDS. BROAD VIEW REQUESTED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.! WELLINGTON, April 8. •The conference of education boards called for the purpose of discussing the •recommendations of the National Expenditure Commission was opened today by the /Minister of Education (the Hon. R. Masters). Mr A. Burns, chairman of the Auckland Education Board, presided.

The Minister stated that he ivas keenly appreciative of the manner in which boards had met him with regard to the economies which he had been forced to effect. He wanted to say 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 education and other boards. This question had been left over on account of the promise to the boards that they would be afforded an opportunity of thoroughly discussing the question and placing their representations before him and ! the Cabinet. Mr Masters wanted them to take a broad view of the recommendation. There existed a certain amount of public opinion that the boards should be abolished. The onus was on the conference to convince the Government whether or not there was justification for the abolition of boards. Perhaps they would consider the matter from the point of view of combining in certain areas and working more economically and more effectively. Mr Burns said they realised that .economies must be effected and it would be their duty to give the Minister every assistance.

NO' PLEASURE TO* MINISTER

REPLY TO DEPUTATION

. WELLINGTON, April 8. “I was never in such a position in all my born days; I find no pleasure m doing what I have to do to-day,” said the- Minister of Education (the Hon. R:. Masters) in the course of his reply to a deputation from the New Zealand Educational Institute to-day in connection with proposed salary reductions and the proposal to raise the school entrance age to six years. Hay the sun sliiue on the hills some day and give me a chance to give you something instead of taking it away ” Mr. Masters added.

ill - . Masters told the deputationists that both matters were questions of money. He accepted no responsibility for any statements made in the economy commission’s report. Some proposals definitely would not bo adopted; others would be partially adopted and others wholly adopted. t Replying to a deputation from the Wellington School Committees’ Association and Educational Federation, Mr. Masters said it was not proposed to make a charge for the School Journal, to interfere with the allowances to school committees or to reduce the vote for free school books.