LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 278, 21 May 1912, Page 5

LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL

A GILBERT AND SULLIVAN FARCE. By Telegraph—-Press Association. Wellington, Monday. A conference of delegates representing various education boards of New Zealand was opened to-day for the purpose of considering the sections of the Local Government Bill which deal with education. Mr. Dalziell, chairman, said that the delegates were present to" discuss the Local Government Bill, which proposed to set up a new system of local government. The North Canterbury Education Board was strongly of opinion that education should stand apart, and the cost should be provided out of the con- • solidated fund, and not out of local revenue. The Bill proposed to take the power of education out of the hands of school committees, and consequently out of the parents' hands. If it could be shown clearly that the administration cf education boards at present stood in the way of a more efficient and economical system, they would have to alter their attitude, but no such data had been put forward. Personally, he was of opinion that the system would suffer through a change. The conference decided to invite the Minister for Education to be present. A reply was received by the Education Conference that the Minister would be unable to attend owing to pressure of departmental duties. Mr. Maginnity, Nelson, moved that the conference, while refraining from any expression of opinion upon the general provisions of the Local Government Bill, respectfully urges that the inclusion of education within the scope of the measure is fraught with serious danger to the education system. The mover said he thought there was a general consensus of opinion that education was so vitally divergent from any other subject coming within the scope of the Local Government Bill that it would be a great mistake to depart from the present system. Major Franklyn, Nelson, in seconding the motion, said a new spirit of innovation had taken possession of New Zealand. He was surprised to see a democratic government going so fast. The present Government was not responsible for the Bill. It bore the imprint of Sir Joseph Ward, one of the greatest Conservatives of the age, despite what he might preach. The speaker added that we were "on the way to Russia," and he objected to the centralisation of authority in Wellington. An Auckland delegate, Mr. Garland, said he viewed with alarm the first appearance of the Bill, but it was afterwards looked upon in the light of a Gilbert and Sullivan farce. People now knew what they had got, and until something better was provided it would be better to stick to the present system. FURTHER RESOLUTIONS. Wellington, Last Night. The delegates to the conference adopted the following resolutions:— That the increase in the number of bodies charged with the administration of education will lead to increased cost without securing greater efficiency; that the proposal to cast part of the cost of primary education upon local rates is destructive of the national character of our educational system, and entails new burdens upon the taxpayers, without providing any compensatory advantage, while exposing schools to the danger of being starved. The chairman ruled out of order a motion by Mr. Pirani, that education boards be asked to consider a proposal that any amendment in the system of educational administration be in the direction of the establishment of a central council of education, with the Minister of Education as president, to whom shall be entrusted the functions at present carried out- by the Education Department. This concluded the business of the conference.