SCHOOL TEXT BOOKS

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 91, 14 October 1932, Page 8

SCHOOL TEXT BOOKS

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Arithmetic does not seem to be a strong point with the Wellington School Committees and Education Federation. It would be interesting'to know if this is. due to the alleged faulty text-book now in use on this particular subject. The alternative sum appearing in last evening's "Post," supplied by the federation, and worked out by "weight of facts arid qualified opinion," is very far from being correct. The chief factor in obtaining this unsound-result is simply that the federation left out one year's/contribution, of 22!4 pet- cent, on two-thirds of the books amounting to £8400, thus: bringing ..down the grand total "under, the arrangement entered into by the Minister" t0r£71,400, or £2520 less than the. cost of the "association's scheme, namely £73,920. The association should not,require to be told that the amount spent.next February will be approximately the same as in the following February of 1934. ' ' Exception, however, must be taken to the latest extravagant claim df the association that only two-thirds of the books are subject to the 22% per cent, reduction. The association,states that there.are 55 books in all, and only 26 are subject to. the reduction. As they are six teachers' answers books, and one key book, that can be ruled out at once as the parents do not pay- for these. There are seven copybooks .at 4d each,, and one at 6d; one Housecraft at-6d; one Song Book at 3d; one Cookery Book: at 6d; .all of which have only a limited use. Of the remaining series of. booksr-the Live Readers—there are eleven in all, ranging in price from 3d to 7d. This latter series also, is not in general-use, there being two other series-r one New Zealand, which carries',the' reduction—and one English, which remains unaltered. ' '■■■"•. ' .- In view of the low price of these books,.: and their limited use, the general expenditure is surely worth noticing, amounting in the aggregate of 22 to 9s 4d, as against 26 at,£l 13s lOd. Even allowing the association, this claim, which it has no right to.make, all it can gain from it is about onerflfth of the total, so that the figures would read as follows:— The Association's Case. Estimated yearly expenditure .. £56,000 Less 25 per cent, allowance on used books • 14,000 Expenditure iv Feb., 1933 ...'...'.. 42,000 New books to be purchased by all pupils in Feb., 1934, , £56,000, Jess 43 per cent. 31,920 Total over the next 18 months £73,920 -~-■ The Minister's' Case. Previous yearly expenditure ; £56,000 Less -22% per cent, reduction on four-fifths of the books ...:'.... 10,080 Present cost of all new books .. 45,920 Less 25 per cent, allowances for used b.ooks;. .......... 11,480 Estimated expenditure in Feb; . 1933 ... ..:....''.........■. 34;440 Estimated expenditure in Feb.', 1934 ■.......:.....,.......• j 34,440 '-Total over, next 18 months, .... £68,880 _ This, shows that the parents would have to pay £5040 more than they need to over this brief period, and as the object of the Minister's action was to give some relief to parents at the pr^nt time, this step has been fully justified. Oh tie other hand the association is asking those" who are up against it to-day to pay for benefits whjch cannot be enjoyed by' themselves, but possibly by other parents in 1936, who in all probability will be suffering ■no hardship-whatever. As to the alleged unsmtability of the matter in the text-books that aspect; of the dispute can quite well stand over until more prosperous "times. The teachers of the Dominion, knowing the circumstances,, will no doubt gladly suffer any inconveniences, if there are any such, until better times arrive.—l am,' etc., J. CAJIPBEI/D.