EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19045, 15 December 1923, Page 10

EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.

Building Grants to Otago. Mr Sidey’s Criticism. Resented by lbs Hon. J. G. Anderson.

(Pub United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, December 34. On December 12 there t was circulated throughout the dominion a statement by Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P. (chairman of tho Gtago University Council), concerning tho grants for the new buildings for the Medical Mia Dental Schools at Dunedin. Interviewed on the matter to-day, the Hon. G. J. Anderson said that Mr Sidey’s .statement was most misleading. Ho was ‘.ncorreot in stating that the Hon. O. J. Parr had left the country for something like two months without leaving anyone in authority in hi s department. "During Mr ■-’art's absence,” said Mr Anderson, “1 have been acting as Minister of Education and liaye attended regularly to all matters requiring Ministerial or Cabinet authority. Mr Sidey has not been fair to Mr Parr, seeing ■.he latter left the country on account of -il-health and on the advice of his doctor. As a matter of fact ho has been under nodical treatment ever since ho arrived in Sydney. The absence of a Minister from Wellington or from the dominion does not uold up, except in matters of policy, the business of any Government department. The report mentions only that an additional grant of £7OOO or £BCOO for the equipment of the (Medical School will bo made and omits to state that authority had been given to the coimcil by tho department to call for tenders for the new Medical School. This is a strange omission, for bo authority given would have disproved Mr Sidey’s main statement. Again, Mr Sidey is certainly not frank in his statement regarding the tenders for both the Medical and Dental Schools, for be refers only to rhe latter and does not make it known that tenders may be called for the former. Still further, Mr Sidey docs not state what is >vell known to him—that by direction of the Hon. C. J. Parr a committee of four was set up to go into the question of the requirements for dental training in New Zealand, and. the best means to meet them. The committee was further to report on the possibility of the utilisation for dental purposes of the accommodation that will be relinquished by the Medical School. The report of this committee is only just completed, and as very important matters of policy are involved, consideration of tho report will take some little time. It is noted that the Press Association report of tho interview with Mr Sidey concludes by stating that it is understood that the architect was in a position to call for tenders for both buildings, leaving it to bo assumed that at present neither can bo proceeded with, whereas, as is shown above, these are two entirely distinct buildings. Authority has been given to proceed at onno with th© building of the Medical School. “It is regretted,” remarked Mr Anderson, “that even if the chairman of the Otago University Council wished to criticise the Minister ho did not. state the position clearly and fairly.” The Minister also took exception to a statement credited to Mr J. Wallace (chairman of the Otago Education Board) that—“until Mr Parr comes back there is no ono in authority to do anything, and the whole education business seems to bo held up.” It was on all fours with that made by Mr Sidey, and was absolutely devoid of truth. Nothing'had been held back or delayed in consequence of Mr Parr’s absence. The Minister said he had noticed that Mr Caughloy had challenged Mr Wallace to furnish particulars in support of his allegations, and ho endorsed tho action of Mr Caughloy in that regard. "Statements such as those made byH.be gentlemen mentioned,'’ he concluded, _ “can only be understood as having ono intention—that is, to discredit tho Government in the eyas of tho citizens of Dunedin. They are quite unwarranted, as in educational matters Dunedin and Otago have been exceedingly well treated by the present Government in respect to university, secondary. and primary education. ! ME CATJGHLEY’S INVITATION. EDUCATION BOARD CHAIRMAN SILENT. When a Daily Times reporter asked Mr J. Wallace (chairman of the Otago Education Board) if he had anything to say in answer to the invitation by the Director of Education to prove or withdraw his (Mr Wallace’s) statement “that the whole educational business of the dominion seems to be held up by the absence of the Minister of Education and that, there is no ono left in authority to do anything during Mr Parr’s absence,” he said; “How can I be expected to reply to Mr Caughley when I do rot know what was put before him? If I have any remarks to make on the subject I shall sneak from tho Education Board table.”