EDUCATION VOTE

Evening Star, Issue 20134, 26 March 1929, Page 6

EDUCATION VOTE

A PROBABLE INCREASE [Special to the ‘Stab.’] CHRISTCHURCH, March 25. An assurance of his entire sympathy with the object of the Open-air Schools’ League was given by the Minrter of Education (Mr Atmorc) to a deputa.ioii representing the league which waited on him to-day. In His reply he gave a deal (definition of his conception of the duties of a Minister. “ I am not posing as an educational expert, nor do 1 consider it necessary for a man to ho an educational expert to ho successful as Minister of Education I have advisers whose advice I take or reject according to whether it seems to mo to be in the interests of the people or not; consequently I am going round getting first-hand acquaintance with educational problems in New Zealand I have seen many schools and 100.000 children, and while 1 agree with Dr Bevan Brown that the health of New Zealand children ■ is only relatively the best in the world, the New Zealand boy or girl of fifteen is the tallest and best developed in the whole world. Still there is a long way to go. I don’t need any conversion to the advantages of open-air treatment, hut it seems to me Hint the general public does need a certain amount of conversion. 1 mu entirely in sympathy with the objects of the league, and as far as possible 1 shall help forward what you arc aiming at. “ I am in favour of reducing the size of classes so that the teacher will have acquaintance with each separate entity. Every child should he developed along its own individual Hues. Considerable progress lias been made in this direction In 1924 there were 487 classes of over sixty and 201 classes of over seventy; in 1927 there were 115 classes of over sixty and twelve of over seventy —considerable redactions. Thirty or forty children should be the maximum, it is very largely a financial question. The Government last year spent £3,900.000 (nearly £4,000.000). and it seems to me that this amount will have to be increased in the next few years. In connection with that, I hope to be able to make a pronouncement shortly. I have the strongest sympathy with you, but there is a long way to go.” In conclusion, Mr Atmore remarked that it seemed to him inconceivable that a Minister should be merely the mouthpiece of any permanent official. He was well served by his advisers, but he wished to lay it down that a Minister should control the policy of his department.