EDUCATION POLICY

Waipa Post, Volume 43, Issue 3328, 28 July 1931, Page 6

EDUCATION POLICY

LIMITED EXPENDITURE.

CONSOLIDATION QUESTION.

“It has been necessary to modify the Department’s policy to a considerable extent on account of low financial resources,” remarked Mr T. B. Strong, Director of Education, while in Hamilton on Saturday. , Mir Strong explained that he and the Secretary of Education (Mr A. J. H Benge) were visiting the Auckland province investigating requests for fairly heavy expenditure in certain educational projects. At a time like the present it was essential that all schemes shduld [receive the closest personal investigation. Various proposals had been placed before them for the consolidation of schools, but these at present could be favoured only in cases where consolidation could be carried out without increased expenditure. At the same time the Department recognised that consolidation resulted in a more efficient educational system. Mr Strong added that Te Awamutu and Otorohanga were centres admirably Suited for consolidated schools, operating, of course, indeepndent of each other. In reply to a question, Mr Strong explained'that expenditure also governed the question of junior high school extensions. At’Waihi the recent destruction by fire of the junior higheschool had given the opportunity of considering the desirability of establishing an intermediate school in forms 1 and 2 and upward, and redistributing the lower classes. As a new building had to eb provided in any case, reorganisation would not involve any augmented expenditure. Asked if any development was being effected in school music, Mr Strong stated that Mr E. D. Tayler, director of school music, woul dretire in September, and no successor would be appointed on the ground of economy. The Department had lost the services of three senior administrative officers recently, and was short-staffed.