The Education Vote

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 94, 25 August 1923, Page 8

The Education Vote

HOUSE PASSES .€2,637,380.

INTERESTING DIVISIONS.

Per Press Association, Wellington, August 21. The House went into committee of supply to-night to consider the Estimates of the Education Department for which a vote of ,£2,637,380 was asked. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) at once moved that tho vote bo reduced by £d as au indication that full civil and political rights should be granted to members of the public service. On a division this was lost by 35 voles to 34. Mr D. (5. Sullivan (Avon) protested against the character of many school build in gsl ; some of which he described as “slum” structures. Ho moved that tho vote bo reduced by £4 as a. protest against this state of affairh. The Minister .said that average expenditure on school buddings of lato years had amounted to £428,000, whereas in 1913 only £93,000 had been spent. He would like a larger sum to expend and it was for the committee to hay whether this larger sum should be provided or not. The Premier warned the House against extravagance in school buildings, otherwise there would simply be a boom and then the burst. Wo were now spending four hundred per cent, more on school buildings than we were doing live years ago, and that was as much as we could do at present if all the other services and enterprises were to be maintained. Members continued to stress local requirements and ventilate grievances in the matter of school buildings and residences until 12.20 a.m., when Mr Sullivan’s amendment was defeated by' 43 votes to 29. Mr Holland immediately moved that the vote be reduced by £3 as an indication that before the income tax reductions' became operative teachers’ salaries, shall be raised to the pre-war standard. This also was defeated by 4.4 votes to 27. Mr S. O. Smith (Taranaki) next moved to reduce the vote by £2 as an indication that school committees’ capitalism be increased again. This was defeated by 30 votes to 32. N The total vote was then passed.