EDUCATION POLICY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 149, 25 May 1934, Page 6

EDUCATION POLICY

ASSAILED BY MR ATMORE.

ENTRANCE AGE QUESTION. Per Press Association. STRATFORD, May 20. A sweeping criticism of the education policy was made by Mr H. Atmore, M.P. (former Minister of Education) last night when addressing a large audience on the economic and monetary position of New Zealand. This country, he said, was the richest in the world in the production of national wealth, yet children were debarred from entering school for over a year after reaching a suitable a.ge. “It is not because of any desire to help the children by having them home with their mothers for another year, but simply to enable economies to be effected by dismissing teachers and, said Mr Atmore, “well-to-do people are able to send their children to private schools at five, enabling them to get a. start of a year on the workers children. “Hon. R. Masters would not dare stand on the public platform and dedend his policy of placing an imposition on the fine children of this country, for which there is no justification, he said. , Mr Atmore paid a tribute to the zeal of the Catholic community, who managed to find money for the establishment of schools throughout the Dominion. Such schools had not raised the entrance age. The Government did not realise that education was less expensive than ignorance. Money could be found foi war; it cost £5009 to kill each man who died in the Great War, yet the Government was unable bo provide £l2 10s to educate each child at a primary school. , Mr Atmore spoke for nearly three hours, receiving an enthusiastic hearing. He advocated the adoption.of the Douglas system, his address being on the lines of those delivered in other A resolution was carried unanimously “that, since the present monetary system is obsolete and a hindrance to the efficient production and distribution of goods, the Government should bring in necessary economic reforms to enable the people of this Dominion to enjoy the benefits to which their present productive capacity entitles them.”