CONTROL OF EDUCATION

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1927, Page 9

CONTROL OF EDUCATION

MR. WRIGHT’S VAGUE REPLY NO IMMEDIATE ACTION APPARENT MORE INVESTIGATION NEEDED. By Tt-kffrapb.— Press Associate a. Wellington, Last Night. The Hon. R. A. Wright brought down in the House of Representatives to-day the annual report of the Education Department, and moved that it be printed. The discussion which followed revealed a keen desire on the part of 1 lumbers td know whether education boards were tq be abolished. The Minister intimated that he pro* posed to make a statement on this subject later in the day. Mr. M. J. Savage said a statement was all right so long as it contained the information desired, but the Minister had already made several statements without telling the House anything. At a subsequent stage, Mr. 11. Atmore moved to strike out the words “that the report be printed,” with a view of substituting “that in the opinion of the members of this House education boards be not abolished.” During the course of the debate which followed, the Minister of Educatiort made the following statement as promised:— “Regarding the reiterated rumours as to the proposal to abolish educatlorf boards, the position is merely this: 1 have for some time past been urged from many quarters to inquire into the present status and utility of education boards, having regard to the general need for economy in all administrative departments. “This would involve an examination as to whether better results and les* overlapping could be obtained by en« larging the functions of school commits tees and imposing more work on the latter by a process of decentralisation. “The problem raised is a very far* Teaching one and involves a review of the whole organisation of the education system. It is quite impossible for me during the stress of the session to hopd to reach any fully considered opinion on st large a question anl, moreover, before any conclusion is reached, all tliq parties interested should have a full opportunity of being heard. “I do not propose, therefore, to make any pronouncement in the meantime, but, when time allows, I will make a thorough investigation and if any radical changes in the present system seem to me advisable or necessary, will submit my views 1 » Cabinet.”