ADULT EDUCATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 286, 27 August 1920, Page 6

ADULT EDUCATION

W.E.A. SEEKS A GRANT

DEPUTATION TO MR. MASSEY

Requests for additional assistance for the Workers' Educational Association were made to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education yesterday by a deputation representing the organisation. Tho deputation was introduced bv tho Hon. J. A. Hanan, and was attended by several members of Parliament. p Mr. Hanan mentioned the growth of the workers educational movement, and added that a conference had been held which would provide for the expenditure of money on a better organised basis than at present. There was a great demand for adult education and financial assistance would bo wise expenditure for. the country. Professor T. A. Hunter said that the present grants were ,£SOO to each university college from the Government and ,£3OO from the funds of each college. Up to the present they had spent nil that on the classes, and had had no funds to organise the work and carry it into 1 the back districts. Mr. Massey: What are you doing for the back-blocks? ■ Professor Hunter replied that in the Wellington university district they had classes at Foxton, Palmerston, Hnwora, Levin, Shannon, and other place*. They asked now for n grant of .£SOO for each university district as a subsidy. 4 for 4, for local body and private contributions. That would enable them to organise tho work. At present they provided for ten classes in -each district, and they asked that tho Government shou'd grant 4GO for each additional class. The deputation asked for a grant of, say, 4100 to assist in organising a big national education conventioh. Professor Condliffo, who had had great experience in adult education connected with the ,army in England, said their efforts were directed to spreading the influence of education among all classes. Mr. Massey. Who are your tutors? Professor Condliffe: They are appointed by the university generally, tho professors, and lecturers.' Mr. Massey: I have noticed that some of the •university professors have some extraordinary views on economics. (Laughter.) Professor Condliffe 6aid they had not had funds to attract their best graduates to this work, and when a new class was started the general practice was to cut down the salaries of the tutors so as to provide for the new class. Professor Condliffe gave particulars of the assistance given by the Government mid tho universities to this work in England and Australia. The Prime Minister said that he had every sympathy with the movement for adult education, nnd he thought tho Government had proved that. Without making the comparison in any party spirit, ho might say that when tho Government came into power eight yenrs ago tho vote, for education- was 41,200,000. This year tht expenditure on education would' not be less than 43,000,000. He did not grudge it in the least. They had to keep abreast of other countries. Ho believed that the deputation's particular branch should be a i part of the national system of education, nnd ho thought it would come to that. The nssd elation was asking fir a small sum, about 42500 a year, but he would have to place the matter before his colleagues. He would let tho association know the result as soon as possible.