MONEY FOR THE SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19718, 18 August 1927, Page 11

MONEY FOR THE SCHOOLS.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY.

UNFAIR ALLOCATION ALLEGED.

That the primary schools were suffering financially at the expense of the secondary schools was the opinion expressed by Mr. E. C. Banks at a meeting the Auckland Education Board yesterday. Mr. S. B. Sims raised the question of expenditure with reference to the town and country schools. He said it had been stated that the education boards were spending too much money on the city schools and were not attending to the needs of the country schools. He thought the board should communicate with the Minister' and inform him that the Auckland Board at least was not doing this.

The Chairman, Mr. A. Burns: We do not authorise the expenditure. The department does that Mr. Sims: But we recommend to the department. Mr. Banks: A tremendous amount of money is being spent on the secondary schools with very little necessity. A Voice: The district high schools? Mr. Banks: No, I mean the high schools. Takapuna and Napier schools are typical examples. They are monuments, that is all. If I had my way the high schools would come under the jurisdiction of the education boards. The primary schools are left to starve while the high schools get the money. It costs us only 8s a head for the primary school children, but the minimum charge for high schools is £2 10s. That is where the money goes. No actioir-was taken in the matter.