THE SCHOOL BOOK CONTRACT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21774, 13 October 1932, Page 11

THE SCHOOL BOOK CONTRACT

TO THE EDITOR. . Sir, —In the apparently inspired letter in this morning’s issue of your journal "Light” is merely trying to draw a herring across the trail. rom June, 1919, the Otago School Committees’ Association has been agitating against the excessive cost of school books and did not 'consult printers over the matter until 1924. This is clear proof that the printers did not start the agitation. “Light” questions our claim that the contract for school books should be open for, public tender. Surely, anyone has the right to demand that all Government work should be tendered for. What would the people say if the contract for the Dunedin Post was given to a contractor at his own price without tenders being called for? The question is really too absurd. We were promised a 20 per cent, reduction in these books in 1928. This undertaking was nullified by the books having been unnecessarily increased in size, the ultimate result being that the parents were actually made to pay slightly over 10 per cent, above the former prices. The actual price of the series of books, Standards 1 to 0, in 1928, was 255, and, reduced by 20 per cent., should have been sold for 20s, instead of which the cost of the same series, prior to the immediate proposed reduction of 22J per. cent., was 27s 7d j an increase in cost to parents of 7s 7d, or 37.91 per cent, above what was intended. What is overdue is a Royal Commission to go into, the whole matter. Parents will not be satisfied unless this contract, hastily made by the Minister of Education, is cancelled. —I am, etc., 1 October 10. William H. Steele.