EDUCATION v. BEER

Patea Mail, Volume XLIII, 28 July 1919, Page 2

EDUCATION v. BEER

At the Education Board's meeting on Wednesday no small amount of indignation was expressed by members when it was reported that a school in (lie backbloeks could not be gone on with as (he Railway Department refused to carry the necessary iron. It was pointed out that the timber was on the ground, and all that was needed was the necessary iron for the roof, etc. In the meantime some 25 scholars were without means of education.

The Secretary said ho had approached both the Railway and Education Departments to try and get the iron carried, but without avail. Mr. Bruce: The Department won't carry the iron necessary for a backblocks school but they will carry tons of beer.

Mr. Frasor : You forget, beer is a necessity. (Laughter.) Mr. Hemingway : Why not consign it in cases and' call it whisky 1 Mr. Collins : Or pack it in barrels and call it beer. (Laughter.) Tho Secretary read a letter from the Railway Department stating they "regretted that under the present regulations the restricted service could not be relaxed." A -,. Mr.- Frasor : And yet they can run an empty Ministerial car on the railways.

Mr. Bruce : While here arc 25 children going without education. 'The chairman (hopefully) : I suppose the trains will be running properly in about a month's time.

Mr. TYnsor : Parliament will be siting then. Sir Joseph Ward has arranged a million loan for his own district. He ought to consider raising a loan for a hydro-electric scheme so that, it would not lie necessary to depend so much on coal. The chairman (sarcastically) : Perhaps the railway service will resume when the Minister gets back, and he will lie able to say "Alone I did it."