NEW SCHOOL BOOK SCHEME.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16186, 24 July 1923, Page 3

NEW SCHOOL BOOK SCHEME.

\VILL IT MEAN MORE EXPENSE? THE MINISTER SAYS “NO.” (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The expense incurred by parents in the purchase of school books and the probability of the existing expenditure being considerably increased, induced Mr. Wilford, leader of the Opposition, and Mr. Veitch (Wanganui) to give notice of a number of questions to Mr Pari’, Minister of Education, in the House last night. Mr. Wilford asked the Minister to look into the whole subject, including the suggested new system which appeared likely to cause needless expense. Mr. Veitch, in putting a similar question, suggested that parents should bo given a, reasonable time before the new scheme is brought into use. He also wanted to know whether any particular firm was to get a monopoly in the supply of school books. Mr. Parr said lie desired to removo some apprehension apparently existing, consequent on an inaccurate newspaper article. The school books at present in use would continue in use till the end of the year. Next year’s books would be selected from the new authorised list only. Therefore the suggestion that added expense was to bo put on the shoulders of parents was inaccurate. The result of purchasing school books from the authorised list next year would bo to cheapen the cost to parents, and not increase it. It was with that object in view that no regulation was made. Tho Department was endeavoring to secure the standardisation of school books in the primary and secondary schools. ' It. was found last year that in the secondary schools there were 71 different text books used for Latin, somo 80 for French, and ho had forgotten how many for English. The result was that largo stocks of these books had to bo kept. There was so littlo demand made for some of them that the cost of these books was very high, and parents had to bear it. “We have accomplished tho work of'standardisation of books in tho secondary schools without complaints,” continued the Minister, “and we are attempting the standardisation of books in primary schools. It is not correct to say that the new .list is a list of new books not in use. English, geography, and arithmetic books are in use to-day in every’ educational district in New Zealand, while history and copy books standardised are very generally in use. These books are the cheapest of all the text hooks obtainable. Others in use are dearer, and in tho opinion of the department are not as good. The authorised list,” concluded Mr. Parr “has been before the inspectors throughout New Zealand and tho teachers, through the medium of the Institute and both agreed that the list was the best obtainable, both in regard to the merit of the work and cheapness. He thought the only complaints wero from certain booksellers, who apparently had considerable stocks and were anxious to quit them. He was prepared to meet them in a reasonable way regarding the matter.