FREE KINDERGARTENS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17946, 25 November 1932, Page 8

FREE KINDERGARTENS

THE STATE SUBSIDY DISCONTINUANCE UPHELD (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. The Education Committee, reporting to the House of Representatives yesterday on a number op petitions asking for a continuance of subsidies to free kindergartens, recommended that they should be referred to the Government for favorable consideration as soon as the finances of the country permitted. Mr H. Atmoro (liul., Nelson) said that all that, was wanted was zeal for the work of kindergarten institutions, and lie'pointed to tip* fact that the Homan Catholics, who were not a wealthy section of tin l community, had not curtailed their educational facilities. 'The Government seemed to be ((ovoid of educational ideals. There never had been greater need for more education than at. the present time. Mr E. .1. Howard (Lab., Christchurch South) said that the -country could pot afford to neglect kindergarten training. Mr t>. G. Sullivan (Lab., Avon), declaring that kindergartens were -worthy of every support, said that at the present 'time these institutions had commitments which they did not know how to meet. Air P. Fraser (Lab., Wellington Cen-

tral) said the committee’s recommendation .seemed to lie an attempt to shelve the question. In his opinion, the raising of the school age, which, lie understood, was to be reviewed this year, because it bad proved unworkable, had made it imperative that, kindergarten work should bo expanded, Mr if. T. Armstrong (Lab., Christchurch East) moved that the petition be referred back to the -committee for fur th e r consiclor atj on. Mr F. Jones (Lab., Dunedin South) urged the Government to make every effort, to find at least a portion of the former grant for kindergarten work. Mr W. A. Bodkin, chairman of the committee, replying to the debate, assured the liouso that the -committee had no desire that, the question should bo shelved. The whole matter had been discussed by the committee on strictly non-party lines. Mr Armstrong’s amendment was defeated by 37 votes to 21, and the committee’s roport wns adopted.