Economies in Education

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6835, 16 April 1932, Page 7

Economies in Education

Government’s Decision Announced Several of Commission’s Recommendations Rejected

The Government’s decisions in rcgard| to the recommendations of the National Economy Commission, insofar as they affect primary education, were announced by tho Minister of Education (Hon. K. Masters, M.L.C.), in the course of his speech at the rc-opening of Central School in Palmerston North yesterday afternoon. "I would like to make reference,” said tho Minister, “to matters which have been given consideration recently by the Government in regard to the economics which have been recommended by the National Economy Commission. There is no need for me to enlarge on the fact that economies are needed in the country at the present time. Those who have read Hon. W. Downic Stewart’s financial statement will appreciate that the country faced a deficit this year of £8,300,000, and that economies in some direction or another were essential. Those are to be made to the extent of £4,100,000, and £2,200,000 in additional taxation is to bo imposed. In spite of this, the country still faces a deficit of £2,000,000. The alternative to the economies proposed was additional taxation, but this tho Dominion could not shoulder at the present moment.

recommendation there was that they should not be carried free on the railways. The object of the Government is to create economies, but to dispense with free railway facilities for secondary school . pupils would not be a real economy, and the Government came to the conclusion that it could not accept the recommendation of the commission in that respect. All children going to secondary schools will be entitled to free railway travel as in the past. “The abolition of education boards is a matter that naturally affects you and the boards of all other districts. No decision lias yet been come to on this recommendation, because I thought it undesirable until the primary boards and the secondary boards had had the opportunity of meeting in conference and submitting their views to me. In the meantime the matter has been held ever. “Because of my experience of the work of school committees, I cannot accept the recommendation that there should be a reduction as far as the capitation to school committees is coucemod. I appreciate the amount of special effort made by the committees throughout the Dominion, and it would be want of encouragement if tho Government did anything in the nature of reducing the capitation paid to them.

“I appreciate the fact that Palmerston North has dono as much by local effort for education as any other town of its size in New Zealand, and I want to express public appreciation of that. The provision of educational facilities by local effort is to be commended. During tho last 18 years £4GS,OOO has been Taised in such a manner throughout tho Dominion, which reflects great credit on those concerned.

“The commission recommended that we should do away with the provision of free books in necessitous cases, but we are not proposing to cut out in any way the grant that lias been made previously. “I am afraid that we will have to reduce the amount for the maintenance of buildings during the coming year. Owing to the fine work of tho education boards of the Dominion, we are able to cut out £22,000 of the mainten.ance grant. “The commission recommended that there should be a charge of 2/6 on all candidates for proficiency certificates, but this the Government cannot see its way to accept. "The recommendation has been made that all sewing grants, amounting to £3OOO, shall be stopped for the time being. I think that under tho circumstances mothers will have ’to take a greater interest in teaching their girls to sew, because I propose to cut the grant out for the year at least. “In coming to the conclusions wo have, it has not given us any degree of pleasure. I have found no pleasure in doing tho things I have had to do in the last six months. It is much easier to spend money than to say ‘No’ to everyone who comes along.” In a subsequent interview the Minister made reference to further decisions come to by Cabinet. It was proposed, ho said, to adopt tho commission’s recommendation that primary school boarding allowances be cut out. In regard to small (grade O) primary schools, the commission had recommended that these be cut out, but it was not proposed to adopt the recommendation; instead, each case would be dealt with on its merits. The commission had suggested that the special capitation for science classes in primary schools be discontinued, and this had been agreed to. A saving of £IOOO had been recommended in regard to handwork material, and this had been agreed to. A recommendation that the grant for agricultural education be cut down was still under consideration.

“One . of the first recommendations of the Economy Commission was that all subsidies should be cut out. As a general principle for this year, I am afraid that we will have to do it, not because we do not appreciate what has been done by the public in regard to the finances of our schools, but because of the country’s position. This cutting out of the subsidy will be merely of a temporary nature.

“The next recommendation was that the School Journal should be charged for as a further levy on the school committees. Cabinet has not agreed that the Journal should be a charge on the committees, and it will be given free to tho children as formerly. As a result of tho reorganisation of the printing and general administration of the School Journal I have been successful in reducing the cost front £7OOO to £4500, and it may be possible to reduce it still further.

“Manual training was a question referred to by the commission, which recommended that a number of centres be cut out and that manual training be confined to sixth standard children. 1 am not going to agree that it should be cut out in the country and not in the cities. If economies are to be effected, I will not let them be effected at the expense of any one school, and then at the expense of the people as a whole.

"The next question relates to the conveyance of children to schools, regarding which the commission, recommended that the amount should be cut down by £50,000. This would be a distinct hardship on the children in the country districts, and it is proposed that there shall be economies as far as possible without laying down any fixed amount which shall be curtailed. ‘‘Regarding the conveyance of post-primary children to school, the