HIGH SCHOOL FINANCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15663, 17 July 1914, Page 9

HIGH SCHOOL FINANCES

POOL OF ENDOWMENTS URGED

DECLINED BY MINISTER.

ASSISTANCE IN NEW BILL. [BT TELEGRAPH.SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington', Thursday. The disabilities under which certain of the secondary schools of the Dominion labour through not being in possession of endowments was brought before the Minister for Education, the Hon. James Allen, this evening, by a deputation of which Messrs. J. A Young (Waikato) and G. J. Anderson (Mataura) were members. The first speakers were from Palmerstott North and Dannevirke. They pointed cut local grievances Mr. W. Bain, of Dannevirke, suggested that all the endowments of secondary schools should be so as to place all the schools on a similar footing. Mr. Young referred to the difficulties that had been encountered by the Hamilton High School Board. With the present capitation ifc was difficult to get good teachers, he said. It was felt that secondary education was a national work, and the need for national endowments to assist this work was very evident. He agreed that! the whole of the endowments should be put into a common fund for the future benefit of secondary education, generally. A hostel was also required at "Hamilton. A site bad been secured for this specific purpose on condition that a building was erected within a certain timo. The board desired to be able to do this.

< Mr. Anderson suggested thatthe capitation for the weaker schools should be increased from £12 10s to £14. There was no desire at Gore to interfere with the leserves of the endowed schools, but all schools should be placed in the same position.

Mr. Allen said thai the hostel question was largely one of money. Last year an additional £25,000 for building purposes had been voted, but they conld not go on increasing grants in this way without hampering the finances of the country. Every case would be dealt with on its merits, and the most urgent cases would have first consideration. In the Education Bill he had endeavoured to make provision for the weaker schools./ Ho was not prepared no advise Parliament to nationalise, or "pool" the reserve*, as that would bo nnjnst to those districts where the early settlers had had tho foresight to set aside endowments for secondary education. Where it was possible to provide Stat* endowment for unendowed schools he would be very pleased to do it. He proposed, in his Bill, to pay a fixed sum of £100 to each school, and also to raise the capitation allowance to weaker schools from £12 103 to £13 10s. He wis not prepared to fall in with a suggestion tha', the £4 per pupil now paid to schools wit'.i reserves returning £17 and over, should be withdrawn, but his desire was rathe? to bring the weaker schools as nearly as possible up to the position of the stronger schools. The capitation to the larger schools would not he increased, but the increase would be given to schools with ■i net annual income of not more than. £8 per pupil from endowments. A minimum salary, for teachers in secondary schools was also provided for. If the Bill riid not give them all that they required, he hoped that they would believe that he was doing the best he could with the means at his disposal.