THE FRANKING QUESTION

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8289, 18 September 1903, Page 1

THE FRANKING QUESTION

At- the meeting of the Education Board the correspondence in reference to the announced intention of the Government to withdraw from Education Boards the right to frank official correspondence was read, and the following resolution, moved by Mr Mitchell and seconded by Mr Marshall, was carried unanimously:—"That the, Board enter their emphatic protest against the withdrawal of the right to frank official correspondence on the following grounds : (1) That the right has been conceded and enjoyed from the initiation of the education system as a necessity in its administration, and no adequate reason has been assigned for withdrawing it and placing Education Boards in a position inferior to that of any department of the State : {'A) that, the withdrawal of the right of franking will entail upon Education Boards a. large additional expenditure for postage for which no provision has been proposed ; (3) that it will impose a heavy and unequal tax upon teachers if they are compelled to pay postage upon official correspondence enforced upon them by regulations and the requirements of a proper administration of the education system, and this tax will fall with the greatest severity upon poorly-paid teachers in the countrv districts; (4) that it also imposes some additional expenditure upon School Committees, whose means are not proposed to be increased; (5) that the withdrawal of the right of franking will disorganise the voting in the election of members of the Education Boards, by abolishing the free transmission of voting papers, and frustrate- the purpose of the Act in that regard; (6) that the withdrawal of a right "enjoyed for many years as an admitted requirement of the administrative machinery without adequate reason and explanation conveys an implied reproach and censure upon Education Boards for which there is no justification. The Board therefore hope' that the Hon. the Minister of Education will, upon further consideration, abandon the announced intention-to withdraw the fight of franking omcial correspondence.'' ' .