HON. H. ATMORE CRITICISED

Taranaki Daily News, 13 August 1930, Page 9

HON. H. ATMORE CRITICISED

RESOLUTIONS BY THE P.P.A

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

. Wellington, Last Night. Criticism of the benevolent attitude of the Minister of Education, the Hou. JI. Atmore, toward sectarian schools was made at the annual meeting of the Dominion Council of the Protestant Political Association to-night. The council also recorded a protest against the extension of’dental clinic facilities to private schools. The following resolution was carried and it was decided to .forward it to the Prime. Minister: “The council views with grave anxiety and concern the Press reports proving the inroads that are being made in the settled policy of the national system of free undenominational and compulsory education by attendance at the opening of sectarian schools and the spending of public funds on and the eulogising of the work carried on in these institutions by the Minister of Education. It expresses the opinion that the needs of the national system of education are sufficient to demand the whole of the Minister s time and energy.” . . . It was also decided to bring the following resolution before the Prime Minister “Believing that the present system of election of sub-committees of householders and the election of boards of education by committeemen is entirely democratic and in the best interest of the national system of edueaion as now existing" the council de piccates any alteration in that system as suggested by the Bill now before the House in favour of -centralising the power and authority in a department oi State. It also points out that tne system of national education is being further encroached upon by the extension of dental clinic facilities to other than the national schools, and reiterates i<.s opposition to any such extension to private schools.”