WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 September 1923, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL. A MAN FROM TO OLE Y STREET. (Special to "Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 17. Both sides to the controversy over the Dairy Produce Control Bill, which will he submitted to a vote of factory suppliers next month, have been trying to obtain an expression of opinion concerning the measure from Air A. AY Heyes, a member of the firm of Lane and Company, well-known produce merchants of Tooley street. The supporters of the scheme declare that the London merchants will welcome the proposed system of control" as a further assurance ol good faith arid stability, while its opponents maintain that they will look with grave disfavour upon an attempt to divert the trade from its present channels. So far Air Heyes lias managed to avoid committing himself to either side. He is here, he says, to learn what lie can of New Zealand’s conditions and to supply first hand information in regard to the dairy produce trade at tile other end. But with all this desire to avoid meddling with local dilferncces of opinion it is fairly obvious that the visitor looks upon precent developments here with some misgivings. Ho admitted in the course of a casual chat to-day that something might Ee done for the better regulation of supplies, but ho could not see how the methods of distribution could lie materially improved. COST OF EDUCATION.

The .Minister of Education well may be concerned by the growing expenditure of his Department. Including the expenditure upon school buildings the cost of education has just upon trebled since the beginning of the war. The cost per head of the pupils attending schools has more than trebled, having risen from approximately £8 per head in 1914 to approximately £25 per head in 1923, and apparently still is soaring. Air Parr has suggested— in a rather mild fashion it must be confessed—that too much is being spent upon school buildings, and that in this respect instead of making provision for a generation or so, the country is building for centuries. Of course the Alinister himself is largely responsible for this kind of tiling, since lie has power to restrict tlie expenditure to absolutely essential requirements; but in the “boom” days bo so persistently proaheed the gospel of "education, more education, and still more education” that he finds it extremely difficult in those altered times to resist the demands of the clamorous politic-mis. The expenditure last year was not quite so large as it was during the proceeding year, but this year it is threatening to eclip-e all previous records. THE RESULTS. .If the State were getting commensurate results for its large expenditure upon education, the extravagance of the controlling department might he condoned. But the weight of testimony obtained from business men and other employers of labour is to the effect that the average boy coming to them from the primary or the secondary school to-day is in no way better equipped than was the average boy ol ten or fifteen years ago. For the mere routine of an office, which usually requires little- more than a sound grounding in the three "IPS” the general opinion of the head", of the Civil Service and of other people in a position to judge is that the boy ol fifteen years ago was at least as well equipped as the boy of to-day in "book-learning” and usually much better equipped in manners and address. 'I bo explanation given for this is that the teaching of two decades ago, though less comprehensive than that of to-day, was more thorough, ami that the teachers, having, as a rule, smaller classes and n less crowded syllabus were able to give more individual attention to their pupils. However this may be, the laet remains that the State is not obtaining full value lor the money it expends upon education. BUILDINGS. Interviewed on bis ret mil Horn Ids northern trip this morning tbc Alinister attributed the increase of expenditure largely to the high cost of building in some of the school districts. He is going to meet the architects of the boards in conference to discuss this matter. "'1 here is a marked difference in the cost of building in the various education districts." He said, "the Nelson district can build one-third more cheaply than any district in the North Island. aiid, we must endeavour to seek cheaper methods of ennstiaction. The question of day labour, as against the contract system, will be discussed. Aiany of the districts arc doing their work under day labour, under experienced foremen, and secure laitliltrll.vereeted buildings at cheaper cost. For example, Taranaki. Wamgnniti and Hawke's Bay, in tbc North Island, do nearly all their work by day labour, hut Auckland and Wellington pursue the contract system.” Afr Fair would

not express any opinion of his own ns to the merits or demerits of tnc two systems. hut looking at the results, as revealed in the Depaiemeut’s expenditure, lie was satisfied a thorough over-haul of both systems was required. This is the object he has in view in calling the architects together.