SCHOOL BOOKS CONTRACT

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1932, Page 8

SCHOOL BOOKS CONTRACT

OONDE.MMEB BY MR KYLE. \ WELLINGTON, September 28. The action of the Minister of Eduction in renewing the school textbook contract was tile subject of critickm by Mr Kyle in the House to-n ! ght. He described it a«'a battle between'the parents and school : committees of th Dominion and the Minister. Mr Kyle said that objections to the present books' could be traced back to 192-T, and since ■ that time the books had bein'- condemned by teachers. ’t had been stated that the National Expenditure Commission had recommended that there' should 'be no change in tile hooks during the next fixe years. It seemed that while the outside public had access to the' report of the Commission, members of the House were prevented from, peeing it. According to a statement made the -Commisuion recommended extension of. the present cbntract for three years, with a discount of 22\ per cent, in price. He believed that this was a wrong way of doing business,,, and t/:at if tenders had Keen called on manuscript prepared by the' department there wou'd he .a reduction ; of 40, to 50 per cent. He wanted to know if tKe Minister .would i" his own private business renew a contract.; eighteen months before it exfor a further three' years when h' 6 knew' prices were falling. .If that ■was. 1 the way. he conducted his •awn business the only result would be failure.