NO POLITICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 239, 9 October 1928, Page 8

NO POLITICS.

WORKERS' EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

LOCAL BODY SUBSIDIES.

(By Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Monday.

Jjabour members were supported from ths IJpited party and Government benches tq-night when they protested against an amendment to the Municipal Corporations' Bill, inserted by the Legislative Council, limiting to £100 any local body's grant to any branch of the Workers' Educational Association.

"This amendment was bprn of ignorance and prejudice," declared Mr. Fraser (Wellington Central), who paid it was nonsense tp say that tbe W.E.A. sought tp inculpate Socialistic principles. No educatiopal authority could successfplly carry on political propaganda, The W.EA. was representative ol everv shade of political, opinion. Personally, Mr. Fraser Hnew W,E : A- men whp were opposed to the Labour party, and others who were opposed to every political school, and who constantly ridiculed all parties. He h a d a fftirjy good knowledge of tbe W-E;A„ find had pever detected any ppiiiipaj bias, judging by tbe expressions of opipipp. He wag afraid that the amendment had beep mads because of a fanatical belief that political bias existed. He moved that the amendment be deleted. Mr, Yeitch (United member for Wanganui), ip seconding tbe amendment, said he knew tbe W.E.A. was not fpnctiopr ipg in tbe interests of ppy ppiitieal party, and it WHS UeUSeBSe tp say that it was. He was astounded that sucb ft statement should have been made. The organisation bad dope very fipe work,

A HimiterUi Defender. The Minister of Health (lion, <f. A, Young), as pne who fpetered the pipvp? ipent in the gftrly days pf its e*isteßPe> said the WM&. §ejf*p4 ft fejry USefpl purpose, since it helped to §presd know--lpdge op ii|i ports gf useful PUWeetf. ft \yas not associated with political proper ganda. There were people who though! if, wftg radial) ftfliii others Who thought ip wss a capitalistic org&nisatiog eg? deavpuring to te&ch the workers (?e?tajn principles. Eyen though ft deftly W»tli economics, it could do pptbipg bpt gppd, becapso it encouraged individual! tp think fctr tljenißelves op important subjects. The Reader of the Opposition, Mr. Heir lfind, pa,id his experifppe of tie W.E.A. economies plass wjis tfcat a very valuable qpportypity was giyep to djsgyss epppqmic subjects. To limit tfee amount t© £106 wa§ absurd, bepapse, $ small borough eopld contribute up to £100, V city pops?*! wopid be prevented froip contributing mere by the limitation; b»4 WltSt? ?<fM .»W common sense behind it. He wss » little i|(»t Vbe ?» PMF»? slioujd be prepared tq §cpept »?nendment.

' Thq Minister Jqgtjee, the Hoij. f. J. Holiest on) regretted that he cayJd not qccept mA hoped the amepdnient WP$4 |> e pressed. Tl}g iflsgrted P? tfl? Legislative Eptyßpil was a dist|H£s ag: vance Cji| thja existing IftW, I* admitted the elajms of the W9F*?§Fj! Educational $g If the were 4eM?4 \* W9»)4 ipeaq ihat the W.EX W9«!4 S& R9W; ing put pf the local bodies' general account,' wjierejis, if f&g SfflS94WBHt stood, iocai bodiM cpyld BB to $$$ of the geSSFS} ftcSSlffif: Formerly tljey had }j§d"tg jpfce put $ exjefidityM, WfflPfl was severely limited, The, W§l Hot thg on# involve*}, sinc|» it desired fft place «9!R» FSSWgtigR qn lqcal bgdifs |n these matteFi. Mr. Howarfl (phristchuriim Sput}i) agreed tjjat spmp. real gain na4 qbtained $y getting this authority tq qiake grants out pf the general account. W.E.A. plasms vgre useful plages where anyone With a Ijeq in ]ii§ bonnet pr any 'Hsm" |p poiild' brjifg it a)ogg it thoroughly $sgus§ed. Mr - F»§« agreed po| tp press his I amendment, and the Legislative Cgyflcil'g I amendment' was accepted.