Mr Fraser Extols Labour's Education Policy

Chronicle (Levin), 2 November 1949, Page 6

Mr Fraser Extols Labour's Education Policy

NEW PLYMOUTH, Nov. 1. The Prirne Minister (Mr Fraser) discussed the Government 's policy in th.e presence of from 600 to 700 people at New Plymouth tonight. There were only a few interjectiona, the attentive audience showing its sympathy and enthusiasm by periodic bursts of applause. Mr Fraser dealt at length with education opportunities oilfered to country children under the Labour Government 'a administiation. Today, he said, the Government was spending £615,000 a year in transport ing country children to nearly 300 con solidated school ccntres. Fourteen years ago the expeuditure under this heading was only £67,800 a year. During this period the Government had consolidated uo fewer tlian 542 small country schoois into 282 bigger and better equipped schoois. The correspondence school no« had a ' roll of 9000 and the teclmical correspondence school had a roll of 900. This policy was in line with Lab our's caidinal objective of ensuring equality of educatioiial opportunity for country children on the same liberal iines as those available to children ot .cities and tovvns. The Governmoni planned to develop and give special atlention to tlie needs of district hign schoois in rural areas. The larger of these would be built up into separato post-primary schoois and the Government intended examining the desirabii ity of attacliing forms I and II to sucli schoois. Discussing the community centre inovement Mr Fraser said fmancial assistance already granted on £1 for £i basis.on money raised locally totalled just on £214, U00. The Government had given a most liberal interpretatiun tu the type of centre according to the pavticular needs of the area. Already 32 war memorial community centri scheiues, including three for Maoris, hau been approved and a further 71 schemes were being considered by the Lnternai Alfairs Department. At the couclusion of the address a vote of thanks to Mr Fraser, confidence in the success of the Labour Party at the poll and in the Labour candidate for the seat was carried without dissont.