POLITICAL

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 84, 14 August 1923, Page 8

POLITICAL

TARANAKI VALUATIONS. In the House, in reply to Mr S. Q. Smith, Mr Massoy, in reply, said that as the executivo of the Taranaki Ratepayers' Association has pressed for a reduction in values so greatly in excess of the limits to which the department, after careful consideration is prepared to reduce v'aluej, an Assessment Court is being set up as provided under section 13 of the Valuation of Land Act, 1908, to hear and determine objections to values.

THE SCHOOL YEAR.

In hb annual report to Parliament the Minister for Education iorcyihadows an attempt to arrive, at a school year of uniform length. He says an investigation made into the number of holidays given, in secondary and technical high schools during the year revealed considerable variation in the practice of different, schools'. The longest year was one of 382 half days and the shortest 351 half days, or 35 school weeks. A working year of this length is considered much too short and the opinion is expressed that 390 half days, or 33 full school weeks, is the minimum' length of the school year desirable in schools of this type. It is proposed to take steps in the, direction of securing some measure of unrforinitv in this respect. *