EDUCATION ECONOMIES

Southland Times, Issue 21656, 18 March 1932, Page 6

EDUCATION ECONOMIES

TEACHERS PROTEST. (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, March 17. A protest against economies in education proposed in the report of the Economy Commission which were described as “clashes” rather than “cuts” was made by a large meeting to-night of the North Canterbury branch of the Educational Institute. A series of resolutions were carried declaring that the cuts were inequitable in that undue hardship was placed on training college students and that primary women teachers were treated unjustly and that, the economies will result in reducing the opportunities of children for efficient education and that the Government be asked to give an assurance that the economies to be made will be reviewed at the end of March, 1933. TRENCHANT CRITICISM. (Per United Press Association.) Dune-din, March 17. A statement covering the criticism of the whole educational economies suggested by the commission was before the Education Board and will be forwarded to all boards and members of Parliament. The board also resolved that the Minister be. asked for an assurance that he will submit any proposal fur altering the present system of local control to all boards before any legislation -is promoted and that boards be given ample opportunity to confer and submit recommendations.

Mr Wallace, chairman, said that no previous report had made such class distinctions. The whole trend was that the poor men had to pay while the rich man was let off. One glaring way in which the report was a class one was that a country child was badly hit. in comparison with the town child. The personnel of the commission was a gigantic mistake because the men composing it were stern wealthy business men, knowing nothing of education difficulties.