ELECTION RUMOURS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 20 October 1922, Page 5

ELECTION RUMOURS.

PATEA MEMBER'S EXTINGUISHER (By Telegraph.—-Special to Star ) . WELLINGTON, Oct. 19. _ £? Minister of Education was asked by Mr. E. Dixon (Patea) if he would inform the House whether there was any foundation for the rumours being' circulated regarding proposed reduc-1 tions m education expenditure. Hei understood that a circular had been! sent to teachers from a teachers' con-1 ference stating that the Reform Party I would, if returned to power, make a 1 reduction in the education vote ofl £1,000,000. He had also been informed j by a teacher that it was being circu-i latetT in the profession that the Gov- i ernment, if returned to power, would; make £500,000 reduction in educational i expenditure next year. | "The rumour is untrue," answered1 the Minister of Education. "It is also' untrue that the Reform Government would reduce educational expenditure next year by £500,000. I fear these reports are being circulated for electioneering purposes." He added that the record of the past few years was the best indication of the Government's mind in regard to education. The vote in 1914 was £1,400:000; this session the votes totalled £3,269,412, and he hoped to maintain that vote. (Hear, hear.) Minor economies were contemplated, but there would be no reductions which would impair the efficiency of the New Zealand educational system.