TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 157, 15 October 1912, Page 2

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

THE NEED FOR LOCAL EFFORT. The claims of the Christchurch Technical College wero brought under tho notice of the Hon. James Allen (Minister for Education) on Saturday by a deputation .which asked for a grant of dC'SSOO in aid of the. Engineering School and. tho Girls'Training.Hostel.. _. The Minister stated that the .policy of tho Government was to make grants in such cases on a £ for -X basis.

, Mr. G. W. Russell asked if that policy was to bo. general in its application. -/ Mr. Allen: It is the policy now. It is laid down by statute. 3lr. Davey: Is that being done in Dunedin ?

. :Mr. Allen: It is being done in Dunedin. Dunedin raised a great deal more. It was true that this policy had been departed from in regard to Invcroargill, but not by him, and not on the recommendation of -the Department. , Mr. Witty: Were there any grants outside the law for other institutions? Mr. Allen: I think in Invercargill there were, but I am not responsible for that. Mr. Witty: Why not depart from it in Christchurch, then? Alh Allen: Two wrongs do not make a right.- It is surely not too much to ask of Christchurch to contribute X 1750. It is a f fairly well-to-do city. In regard to the work that was being done in connection with domestic science, he had been ill close' touch with it for several years,>and ,ho believed it would do a great deal to 'put domestic work upon a higher piano and help people to realise that home life was the best foundation upon which to build up a nation. He was, however, for tho present nimble to depart from thn policy that hnd been laid down. If a change was made for one it must be made for all, and in the present condition ol the finanoes he could not recommend Cabinet to depart from the ,£ for J! system. Ho hoped that at the end of tho financial year ho might bo justified in recommending to Cabinet more generous assistance, but at tho present time ho did not see his way to do it.

Ji'lr. Davey: Could you not recommend the Cabinet to make a grant?

Mr. Allen: It must bo on the Esl mates.

'Mr. Davey said ho hoped .the Minister would reconsider tho position, otherwise tho work at the hostel would have to bo closed down.

Mr. Allen said ho would be pleased to put the matter before Cabinet, bnt he had told them his own opinion in view of tlie financial position at the present time, and in view of the commitments. He again urged tho people of Christchurch to make 1 some local effort. In Dunediii.the public found ,£3OO a. year .for four years, and the School of Domestic Economy-did not. cost their university a halfpenny.- The other day Dunedin, in building its Technical, School, was-short some £500.0r .£OOO, and one gentlemaji put his hand in his pocket and drew a cheque for ,£SOO.