FURNISHING OF RETURNS

Chronicle (Levin), 5 April 1946, Page 3

FURNISHING OF RETURNS

— Press Association

CR1TICISM BY EDUCATION BOARDS

By Telegraph-

_ WELLINGTON, April 4. After he had giveu an outline of the l'uture work of his departmeut to the couference of the New Zetaland Education Boards 7 Asso'ciatiou, ihe newly-ap-pointed Director of the National Euiployment Service (Mr. H. L. Bocketlj faced coiisiderHble criticisui 1 f roul delegates. The acheme by which employers, including education boards, had to furuisli deiails every six montlis of the number of -their employees aud the total wage's -p'aid was " described as "absolutely useless" aud "au uttqr waste. " Tlie ereation of his departihent was in line with the Governmeht pledge tCI1 .maintain i'ull e.mployment, said ' Mr.' Bockett. Tliough ■h.t the' present time, when there were more jobs than workers, it might seein unnecessaryj that was not so. Plans had to be made well ahead; to wait till unemployment arrived bef ore taking steps tp , 'avoid. ' would be useless. On concluding his • addrefft, Mr. Bockett was told by dele^ates that the scheme meant a lot - more work for boards, work that some of them said ' was unjuslified. lI want j'ou'r cooperation," he replied. ' rI am not here to wield the big stick. ' ' Mr. W. I. Bowyer, of Auckland, said that, with years of public service behind him, he was convinced that a lot of information the Government gathered was not worth the paper it was written on and was never heard of again. In the present ease, .public money might be going to waste. The information was required by law, so that was all there was to it, said another delegate. But was an education board expected to give up its normal work to attend to the matter when staffing' probloms were difficult? Mr. Bockett: X expeet a report to be in on time. A voice: What is the penalty if it is not? .Mr. Bockett said that study of the requirements would show that not such a great deal of work as delegates thought would be required. The Government considered that the scheme, if it was to operate at all, should be eomplete, with no section of the community left out. A delegate: But we are not au industry. "Teachers more tlian any otliers should appreciate the value of this,7' •replied Mr. Bockett. . A delegate: It is absolutely useless. The chairman (Mr. N. R. Heddou) said that it would be silly to say they were pleased to see the scheme, for executive and administrative stali's of boards were already overworked and did not want any more, but that did not interfere with their appreciation of Mr. Bockett 7s straightforwar.d liandling of the matter.