WELLINGTON TOPICS
PLAIN SPEAKING. NEED FOR ECONOMY. (Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, October I.' The Hon. Robert Masters, a scion o tlie old West Coast stock, who sat ii the Parliaments of 1919-22 and 1922-2; as member for Stratford in the Housi of and now figures a* leader of the- Legislative Council wit] the portfolio of Education and othei weighty responsibilities resting upoi his shoulders, spoke quite plainly, as is his wont, to representatives of tin New Zealand Federation of Teach era that waited upon him yesterday witl a plea for the continuance of the sys tern of granting free places in second •try schools to children who had show-, themselves worthy of such an opportunity to make their way in the world Tho Minister listened attentively to the representations of the members o the deputation, and finally' reassured them concerning the measures being taken to protect the interests of the children; but he let it be known thal there was a very real need for thrift and that it was the duty of every section of the community to give what assistance it could.
THE FACTS, Having assured the members of the deputation that the Government war ■making" every effort to protect the interest of the 'children and of the community at large, /Mr Masters referred briefly to the difficulties by which it wa: beset. “I was a member of the economy committee which sat for five months and raked every department from end L end,” he said, “and after economies had been made in this way these department: ar" undergoing another raking at thf instigation of the Cabinet.” When thf /Minister came to balance his Budget last year, Mr Masters went on to say he was faced with a deficit of three millions. At the end of the financial yeat there was a shortage of £1,610,000 in addition to the three nrllions. Wher the position was reviewed in February there was a shortage of £5,500,000, and when the Prime Minister prepared his /Budget a deficit of £6,800,000. One of the !of the deputation ' had pointed out to the Minister that the total wealth of the Dominion amounted to £912,000,000.
FROZEN 'WEALTH. Air Masters’s retort to this suggestion that abundance of money was available was prompt and conclusive. “The fact that the Dominion has in total wealth over nine hundred millions,” he sa:d. “does not Count one iota if that wealth is frozen. That Is the position. Much Of oUi' assets ili'e frozen, and ate not earning anything. What is the position of the farmers to-day? Forty per cent, of them can stay on their farms with out assistance; thirty per cent, of them can stay on only with a good measure of assistance, and the remaining thirty per cent, are in a position of hopeless ness. The farmers are the creators o! the wealth of the Dominion, and as the\ are not producing wealth at the present time, speaking generally, it is not avail able for the rest of the community ii any measure that will meet the general needs.” Mr Masters's remedies for "thu unfortunate state of affairs” are greater thrift and more persistent effort. With these virtues he would have no fear for the future. A SPIRITED MINISTER. Mr Masters’s allusion to his own responsibilities in regard to education are so characteristic of the strong man they well may be quoted. ‘‘The sug gestion has been made,” he reminded the deputation, “than an economy committee should be set up to go into the question. As far as I am concerned I do not want any economy committe at all. If I cannot do the job lamin T will get out of it.' 1 think I can do the job and if it is fm nd I cannot do it and they want an Economy Committee after that, well and pood. If it pleases, well and good, and if it does not I will not have any regrets.” That the Minister’s independence made some impression upon the teachers may he judged from the fact that their leader in. thanking the Minister for his candour and courtesy said it appeared the teachers had established their connection with the new Minister in an auspicious manner.
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Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1931, Page 7
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704WELLINGTON TOPICS Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1931, Page 7
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