DECENTRALISATION

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4956, 16 February 1937, Page 5

DECENTRALISATION

AUCKLAND EDUCATION DISTRICT. SUBDIVISION ADVOCATED. Subdivision of the Auckland Education District is a thing to be “grasped at with both hands,” according to statements at the Te Kuiti school committee meeting last night. The discussion arose out of a circular being received from the Auckland Education Board asking’ for a vote as to whether subdivision would be favoured. The Te Kuiti committee definitealy favoured it, and recorded its vote advocating the subdivision of the present district. The circular stated that Parliament had under consideration the reorganisation of education, and one of the matters in view was the division of New Zealand in 18 Education. Districts —the Auckland District would be divided into three separate districts, with headquarters at Auckland, Whangarei and Hamilton. The chairman, Mr. J. J. Davison, held that with the Auckland Education Board covering a large district, it was impossible for the schools, and especially the smaller schools, to get the attention necessary. Though Te Kuiti had had good treatment so far as Auckland was concerned, this could hardly be said of such schools as Rangitoto and Waitanguru, because the proper attention could not be given them. The Auckland Education Board had been so congested with work that during the holidays it had been working at high pressure with increased staff to cope with the new legislation. One of the bones of contention, he said, had been that in the past there had been a difference in the treatment meted out to the city and country boards because the city representatives were always on the spot. Mr. F. Sparks agreed with the chairman that decentralisation was a step in the right direction, so he moved that the committee vote for decentralisation. The motion was seconded by Mr. Dodds. In answer to Mr. L. Towers, the chairman said the move could not affect allocations, because that was decided by the Minister on the basis of attendance. The motion was carried.