BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1929, Page 11

BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT

DISCUSSION QF ESTIMATES -- - •' • EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION. MR. NASH MOVES AN AMENDMENT. ' By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Oct: 4. A petition was read in the House of Representatives for the repeal of the Arms Act. Mr. W. E. Parry having asked to be relieved of duty owing to pressure of other business, the Hon. W. A. Veitch moved that he be replaced on the trans port committee by Mr. H. G. R. Mason. Tho motion was adopted. Th© House went into committee of supply on the estimate when the Education Department estimates (£3,1/6,668) was submitted. Mr. J. A. Nash moved that the sum be reduced by £lO on the ground that no provision had been inode for an increase in salaries of headmasters of primary schools. Mr. Nash pointed out that the salaries of these officers compared very unfavourably with those of headmasters of secondary schools. Mr. H. T. Armstrong said he considered that all teachers’ salaries should be increased. Mr. Nash: “Then move a further amendment. Mr. Armstrong: “That might come, but perhaps if we give the Minister time ho will state that something is to be done.” Mr. Armstrong stated that school building was being held up owing to the delay in a decision in regard to junior high schools. Mr., R. McKeen also advocated an increase in teachers’ salaries, stating that tho duties of primary school headmasters were as important as those of headmistresses of secondary Mr. R. Wright uggested that the building of schools should -pr > Jed normally, pending a decision in relation to junior high schools. Mr. A.' J. Jordan asked whether the school journal would be made available free of charge to all pupils. He also asked whether the Government would make provision, if not to take over the Jubilee Institute, to take some steps in the direction of increasing facilities foi teaching the bind. Mr. A. M. Samuel supported the amendment. PRIMARY SCHOOL SALARIES. Mr. P. Fraser stated that the Reform administration had been in favour of increasing headmasters’ salaries, but had been hindered by finance. The .present Minister had agreed that ‘an increase was required arid any delay in granting it could only be a matter of finance. The teachers’ battle had been won and he suggested to Mr. Nash that it would be a wiser plan in their interests to support the Government’s endeavour to raise finance by taxation, than to put out of office a Government that was favourable to the increase. ' The-Minister of Education, the Hon. H. Atmore, said that he stood by his answers to the deputations when he had agreed that a disparity between the salaries of headmasters of primary schools and those of secondary schools was indefensible. Mr. Fraser had been right in stating that the matter was entirely one of finance. ■- Mr, Atmore declared that there had been no shortening in the supplies for other necessary buildings, ponding a decision in respect to junior high schools. Mr. J. McCombs stated that Mr. Nash mght inadvertently have rendered a disservice to teachers in moving the amendment. He had placed members in the position of having to decide whether to vote against the Minister, who had been favourable to increasing beadmasters’ salaries, or to vote for placing on record that the House rejected the amendment'rin favour of an increase. • ! Replying to Mr. J. S. Fletcher, tho Minister said he was in favour of open air schools and would extend the principle wherever possible. He would secure an estimate of the cost of supplying school journals free to all pupils. He would also look into the position of teachers of the blind. ’ • Replying to Mr. W, L. Martin, ’ Mr. Atmore said the Government would ‘do anything it could to assist higher edu-‘ cation in the country areas. It was the Government’s policy to carry educational facilities as far as possible into the rtnal districts.

SUBSIDY TO SHAKESPEARE PLAYS. Wellington, Last Night. Mr. Atinore, replying to Mr. F. Waite and Mr. W. J. Jordan, said the Government, recognising the educational value of Shakespearean plays, had granted a subsidy of £B5O to the Alan Wilkie company. It was regrettable that better class entertainments of this type could not. carry on without being subsidised while, performances of lower standard were run at a profit.; He mentioned that school children were admitted to plays at special prices. Mr. P. Fraser applauded this grant and said he would welcome a further grant to the Alan Wilkie company or any other company serving the same valuable purpose. He pointed out that the subsidy had enabled the company to travel the country towns which it would not have been able to visit otherwise. It was important that children in the contry should participate in cultural as well as in every other possible form of education. Mr. A. Hamilton asked whether anything further was being done in relation to the exchange of teachers with the Old Country. He said he knew some teachers who were very keen to visit Britain on transfer. Other members referred to the question of primary school headmasters’ salaries, whereupon Mr. Atmore repeated that both he and the Prime Minister were favourable towards an increase and that the whole difficulty was a matter of finance. Mr. Nash: Will you leave no stone unturned 1 Mr. Atmore said he would certainly do his best. Replying to further questions the Minister stated the system of physical training of school teachers was being continued. The supply of free books to school children had been suggested by the Leader of the Labour Party and the matter would be placed before Cabinet. Mr. A. Harris expressed alarm at the number of children transferred from the care of their parents to the care of the State. ' Mr.. P. Fraser declared child welfare work was extremely important and that very good results had been achieved by removing children from the care of parents who had shown no sense of responsibility towards them.

Replying to Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Atmore said Great Britain had exchanged only -six teachers with New Zealand in any one year. If the teachers Mr. Hamilton had mentioned sent in their names they would be placed on the list of applicants for exchange. The department had to await applications from Canada for teachers for that Dominion. Mr. Nash’s amendment calling for a deduction of £lO on the ground that there had been no increase in headteachers’ salaries was put but the mover did not call for a division. The vote was then passed. The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research estimate (£63,760) was passed. Members emphasied the importance of the department’s work, and Mr. H. E. Holland said he trusted that in view of the brevity of time available to consider the estimate that afternoon the House would be given a later opportunity to discuss the subject. The Minister said it would be possible, to do so when the department’s report was presented. The House rose at 5.30 till 7.30 p.m. on Monday.