ECONOMY REPORT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21131, 14 March 1932, Page 11

ECONOMY REPORT.

EDUCATION COSTS. PROPOSALS CRITICISED. DANGERS OF BUREAUCRACY. NEW CONTROL IMPRACTICABLE. Adverse criticism of the National Expenditure Commission's recommendations in regard to the lowering of education costs was voiced by Mr. A. Burns, chairman of the Auckland Education Board, on Saturday. " If the proposed abolition of boards is to be given effect to by Parliament, it will mean bureaucracy and central control," said Mr. Burns. " The people of this Dominion have expressed themselves as being against all forms of centralisation and I feel sure that if the wishes of the people are considered abolition will not take place. " We all realise that sacrifices have to he made and if the doing away with boards would lesult in the huge saving outlined by the report no objection could be made. The elimination of the costs of the various boards, however, will not he money saved owing to the inevitable increase in the cost of central control." Mr. Burns said in recent years the cost of education boards had not increased to any extent, but that the cost of the central authority in Wellington had grown considerably. " Attacks " on Board System. " This is not the first attack on the boards," he continued, " as a scheme was brought down during Mr. I?,. A. Wright's term as Minister of Education. The scheme was considered in camera and the boards interested had no opportunity of putting their case in rebuttal. Figures leaked out, however, and the boards challenged them and were prepared to give evidence that the stated savings could not be effected. There was such a protest from the public that the project was dropped. The next attack was during Mr. H. Atmore's tenure as Minister, when a special committee made a report, but this was also not adopted. " The proposal to save £50,000 in administrative expenditure by the abolition of boards is, I feel, impracticable, for the work now being carried out by the boards would have to be done by the Wellington head office. Under present conditions the head office would not be able to cope with the amount of detailed work and the staff would have to be augmented." Overlapping in Control. Mr. Burns said there was a great deal of unnecessary overlapping between education boards and the central authority. As an instance he pointed out that boards were not empowered to appoint teachers in technical and manual subjects. The Auckland board would this week be called upon to consider applications for the positions of metal work and dressmaking instructors at the new Olahuhu Junior High School, but before appointments were made the matter would have to he referred to the departmental officers in Wellington. " Our board is empowered to appoint a headmaster to the highest graded school without consultation with Wellington," added Mr. Burns, " and the reason why we cannot deal with junior appointments such as those I have mentioned is beyond my comprehension. " There is certainly room for economy in the. working of boards of education. One. improvement would be the amalgamation of primary and secondary school boards.

" A comparison has been made of the costs of education per capita in New Zealand with those of the Australian States, to the disadvantage of New Zealand. When comparisons are made it. should be borne in mind that in the Commonwealth the majority of the people live in the cities, whereas in the Dominion the population and schools are scattered, necessitating great expenditure." Views of Headmaster.

The headmaster of the Auckland Grammar School. Mr. 11. J. I). Malion, also expressed regret at some of the commission's proposals. Referring to the recommendation that the cumulative tenure of junior and senior free places should be reduced by two years, the free place terminating at the end of the year in which the pupil reached the age of 17, he said this clause, if adopted, would tend to ruin higher education. At present a freo place ended in the term in which the pupil attained the ago of 19. If the ago liimt were reduced it would mean that the sixth form would practically disappear, and, in consequence, the university colleges would suffer. In England about a quarter of each secondary school consisted of sixth form, or postmatriculation, students.

Mr. Mahon said bo did not think the suggested introduction of a more rigid examination for free places would bo harmful.

The likely discontinuance of free transport to all post-primary scholars was described as most serious. "It will mean that many of the best pupils will be denied an opportunity to go to the best secondary schools," lie said.