HON. R. MASTERS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 October 1931, Page 5

HON. R. MASTERS

ON EDUCATION OUTLAY.

NO DRASTIC CUT.

(By Telegraph —Per Brets Association)

WELLINGTON, September 30

Exception to the drastic curtailment of educational • expenditure, winch, it aas considered, wouid be made at the cost ol efficiency, was taken by the deputation from the New Zealand Federation of Teachers which waited upon the Minister of Edu, ati 'n ten day. It was pointed out that economies totalling about £350,000 a' year had already been made.

The .Minister, in his reply, said that at HI per cent, of the annual education expenditure went in salaries, the aopo for economy was limited. He promised that no cuts would be made that would react upon the service being given to the children.

After congratulating Mr Masters upon being appointed Minister of Educaetion, Mr F. C. Brew (chairman of the Managing Committee of the Federation) said the teachers as a whole were concerned lest a campaign ol ruth ’ess pruning should he carried out It had been freely stated.that £1,000,000 a year could be cut off the education vote. Even if this were possible, he said, and it was believed it was not without doing irreparable damage, the amount saved by the taxpayers would be diverted into other channels. Being thus diffused into a thousand channels ,instead of being concentrated in one, it would bo of less value to tbe nation.

Tbe Minister said that his task in handling education was probably more difficult than that of the previous Ministers, who had administered this department in the time of prosperity. Problems had arisen to-day out of the times of prosperity, and the whole position had to he investigated. He was not going to rush things, but be would proceed cautiously. It had been claimed that the Education Department had been singled out for attack, but this was not- so. The Minister said that a great deal of nonsense had been talked about economies that might be made in education. He had heard that £1,000,000 and even £2,000,000 could oe cut off the vote, but, for the most part, those who were saying it most knew least about the position. It had to be remembered that 81 per cent of the total cost of education went in payment of salaries When that '■ ; i.-j made clear one realised just how iat one could go in the direction of limiting further economies. A suggestion has been made that an Economy Committee should be set up to go u>io tl o question. Mr Masters said: Vs far as I am concerned, 1 do not /ant, mi'' economy committee at all. If 1 cannot do'the job lam in, I will get out of it. I think 1 can do the job and if it is found I cannot do it, and they ~ ant an Economy Committee after that, well and good. In the meantime 1 am going to do the job to the best of my ability. If it. pleases, well and good, and if it does not, 1 will not have any regrets.” Mr Masters added that he would go carefully into the questions raised and he would not act until be had weighed the arguments advanced.

the eudcet. MR MASTER’S ANXIETY. WELLINGTON, September 30. A suggestion that the deficit in the pub.ic accounts wes growing progressively worse, was made by toe Muustei of Education, Mr Masters, who, in leplying to a deputation, pleaded for national and individual thrift. He said every Minister of the Crown in the Coalition Government was laced with

an immediate task of making great economies in every Depaitment of State. "In talking of economies, we have to face the country’s financial situation as we find it to-day, ’ he said. "When the Prime Minister came to balance his Budget last year, he was faced with a deficit of £3,0(79,030. The Budget was balanced then, but at the end of the financial year there was a shortage of £1,640,000 on top of the three millions. The position was reviewed in December last, when it was indicated by the Treasury that there was a deficit of £4,500,000. It was reviewed again in lebruary, when i was found that there was a shortage of £5,500,000, and when the Prime Minister prepared his Budget he found there was a deficit of £6,800,000. The liberPartv Committee investigated the position, which was found to be so serious as to cause the two 111 _ political parties to coalesce for the time being to meet very serious financial developments. I am not in a position to tell you to what hgure lus deficit has increased at tie present day. The expenditure m the Departments must come out of the consolidated revenue of the country, and not out of capital. If money is not coming in we cannot pay it out.