SCHOOLBOOKS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1932, Page 3

SCHOOLBOOKS

PRINTERS REPLY. TO MINISTERS STATEMENT. Resentment at remarks'niade by the Minister of Education, Hon/ R. Mas- ' tens, in the Legislative Coiincil on /Wednesday when defending the Gov.ernment’s action in renewing the'contract for the supply of school books, was expressed in' a statement ’issued ori behalf of the Federation of Master .Printers of New Zealand. “The fact ’that,"Dominion-wide protest against ,the unsatisfactory and unbusinesslike .arrangement’ concluded, by the Minister ‘is expressed by such, bodies as education boards, schools an 4 parents’ committees, scliobl committee,S’ .associations, headmasters and other- teachers, branches of the New, Zealand Educational Institute, Farmers’ Union, Chamber of Commerce, by members of Parliament, and by upward of 18,000 parents who have sign-, | ed a petition, must of itself be quite, sufficient to controvert such a ,gross, misrepresentation, on the part of the Minister,” .the federation .states. “It is true . that at the re<[uest of school. committees’ mas : , ter printers’ organisations in Auckland and Christchurch expressed’ themselves in no uncertain terms as to the cost and value .of .school text books, and this ’ information was subsequently placed at the .disposal of .the National Expenditure Commission and the Min-, ristpr. Thb .statement ,clearly shoiys that- the books were 50 per cent, too dear, that they could /e produced in /quantities of 25,Q00-#only a year’s supply, as compared .with the inestimable pdvantage to .the present publish-: erg attaching ,to a 5-y.ear or a 9-year: period— at prices warranting a reduction of 33 1-3 per cent, and 2£ .per cent, to distributors; and a definite guarantee was given by responsible' and. well-equipped printing hou-es to' produce the. books on this .basis. Also,’ a definite opinion was expressed to the? effect that, .under open tender conditions,. prices would show a sulistantial reduetion.even.on this figure// With a? discount to..distributors of only 15 per; C®nt., as now obtains, this reduction would automatically extend to 43 per' ’cent. '. • ■■ ■■ /, d

“Turning fo the prospective extension pf . the ; S-year term,! it ‘ waV emohnisiged that any extension would*' • warrant an immediate reduction of . not less than 35 per cent., still'with discounts of 25. per pent; and 2/ per cent., so that with , the present allowance of onty 15, per cent., the reduction 1 effect-. ed ; CoplA fairly ;have been .45 per cent. In .effect, the Minister has obtained: one-half of the .minimum reduction; which should, have applied and ‘has sacrificed jthe.interests of parents by •£5l x 4so, or . at. the rate of £9356 per annum. . ' • . ’.’■/ ’ :■/■. ■

“Obviously it. wps upon this information' .furnished that - the-• National Expenditure Commission based its final recommendation,, y namely, immediate reduction of at least 25 per cent. 'ex-' 1 . tengjon of publishing arrangement for three years and the copyright then to revert to the department upon a payment of £SOO. The figure of. £5250 used by the Minister in all his utterances on the point as being the original cost of the manuscript is being unjustified. -As a matter of fact it lias been clearly shown that £2OOO at'the* outside would cover the cost of the manuscript. This cost would represent 'a mere 1 per cent, of the turnover .during a five-year, period asagainst- the tremendous saving which would, be passed on to the public. * ■ ■ “The Minister heeds no proof of the value of competition. -It is true that be has saved £2OOO, or 36 per cent., on.the printing'of the School Journal, and his unwillingness to similarly secure more equitable and' more adequate savings on the textbooks brings' about a situation which not only' causes' consternation, but which also is inexplicable. *-Further, ’’ the. statement concludes. “when the time , comes for the setting up of an impartial .tribunal for .the purpose of holding an inquiry into. all the circumstances of', the textbook question, it wilt doubtless be found' that this, federation can substantially ’ illuminate very material features, so' 'far not touched upon in any quarter, which will be informative to' the community generally and, most probably, to the Minister, himself.”