AN OVERCROWDED SCHOOL

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1716, 18 January 1905, Page 20

AN OVERCROWDED SCHOOL

DUTIES OF EDUCATION BOARDS. THE PREMIER SPEAKS OUT. NEW PLYMOUTH, January 13. A matter of some interest to Education Boards was mentioned at an interview to-day between tiie Premier and tlie chairman of the Waitara School Committee. The chairman referred to the overcrowding of the local school by fifty per cent., which teachers complained caused bad results from examinations. They wanted more room, and the committee felt it was only necessary to bring the matter before the Minister to get means provided for necessary additions. The Premier said Parliament had given education boards a much larger grant this year for building purposes. Each board got its share according to the schedule of requirements suppl-ed. at the request of the department, and the money was handed over by the Goverenment on the understanding that it would be used to meet urgent cases. He asked, what use were the boards at all? The Government must rely on their spending the money wisely, or else the people would want to know if they should be done away with altogether. The proportion of votes for these purposes was considerably in excess of increases in papulation during those years. If the case at Waitara was as stated, the Board must be to blame, and should be told so. If there was overcrowding the Board was to blame, and public opinion should be brought to bear on it. This would result in Parliament ultimately insisting upon this building fund being allocated by Government itself. There was a large sum —approaching a hundred thousand pounds voted, and the Minister, who was responsible to Parliament, had no say in its disposal. This was contrary to recognised constitutional practice. The boards could misspend or do what they liked with the money. He recommended the committee to ask the Board for an explanation, pointing out that the Health Department had emphasised the overcrowding. He would also ask the Board himself for an explanation.