“TRYING TO GET RID OF EDUCATION BOARDS”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 388, 23 June 1928, Page 13

“TRYING TO GET RID OF EDUCATION BOARDS”

DEPARTMENT ACCUSED CENTRALISATION OPPOSED (Special to THE SUN) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. “That this board again emphatically protests against the ever-increasing trend towards centralisation and Government by Order-in-Council by the department in Wellington,” was a motion carried after some discussion by the Canterbury Education Board to-day. In proposing the motion, Mr. E. H. Andrews said that the department was trying to get rid of all education boards. At every opportunity an officer of the department was sent down when any special work had to be done, and the board could do nothing on its own initiative. It was being quietly held down by these confidential reports and regulations coming in until it was helpless. “Where we used to have three or four inspectors,” he said, “now we have seven, and they have to bring another from Otago to help out, and why? Because they spend weeks and weeks writing to the department reports, 90 per cent, of which, I venture to say, are pigeon-holed and forgotten. “It is sheer waste and expense, and we should let the public know that we want the Minister to take his stand.” The motion was opposed by Mr. W. A. Banks, who said he could understand the department’s point of “They have had difficulties with the boards,” he said, “and very frequently it is the boards who have sinned. The board does not get the best of names from the committees in financial affairs, and they blame us In the same way as we blame the department.” Mr. H. J. Bignell: They want the whole say. “I don’t say that,” Mr. Banks replied. Mr. Andrews: They want to get rid of us. Mr. Banks said many of the boards had broken the regulations to such an extent that the department had had to take action. The chairman, Mr. C. S. Thompson, remarked: “What hurts me is the tendency, not only of the Government, but of the department, to bring in regulations by Order-in-Council. They want bureaucratic government in education, and it seems to me they want the same thing in politics.” “I did this deliberately,” Mr. Andrews said, “on general principle. We have become aware of a further attempt by the department, and I want to make a general protest.” The motion was then put to the meeting and carried, Mr. Banks being the only dissentient.