WORKERS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21579, 26 February 1932, Page 7

WORKERS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION

THE YEAR’S ACTIVITIES (Pee United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, February 25. The conference, of- the Workers’ Educational Association was opened to-day by the Mayor (Mr Hislop), who stressed the value of the work that was being carried out by the association. Mr Acland (president) pointed out the necessity of the movement receiving the support of the community. The report of the Dominion Council expressed gratification at the spirit of service which had enabled more work to be accomplished than in any previous'year. The total number of classes was 254, with 7031 enrolled students, an increase o.f 30 classes, and a great increase in the number of students. An Auckland remit urging the adoption of a uniform class fee in the four centres was lost.

REQUEST FOR GRANT DECLINED. Regretfully, the Minister of Education (Mr R. Masters) informed a deputation from the Workers' Educational Association that he was unable to accede to its request that the decision not to make a grant to the association his year should be reversed. All questions of Government activity at present were bound up with finance, in which respect the Government was working, as it were, on shifting sand. “It appears to me,” he remarked, “ that those who are so keenly interested in adult education could be reasonably asked at a time like this to spend a greater amount than 2s 6d per annum on acquiring the education the Workers’ Educational Association is providing for them.”