MINISTER OF EDUCATION

Marlborough Express, Volume LX, Issue 229, 28 September 1926, Page 4

MINISTER OF EDUCATION

VISIT TO MARLBOROUGH GTVIC RECEPTION THIS MORNING. POLICY OF CAUTION OUTLINED. The new Minister for Education, the Hon. R. A. Wright, arrived from Wellington, this morning on his first official visit to Marlborough. He was met at Picton by Mr W. J. Girling, M.P., accompanied by Mr D: McCallnm, of the Wellington Education Board, and Mr J. C. Logan, the local representative official of the Board, and secretary of the Marlborough College Board of Governors. At Picton the Minister wa,s tendered a civic reception by His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. L. Jones) and he later inspected the school andi received a deputation which UTged that it should be rebuilt. RECEPTION IN BLENHEIM. The Minister arrived in Blenheim about 10.45 a.m., and was accorded a civic reception, there being a good attendance at the Gouncil Chandlers. His Worship the Mayor (Mr M. McKenzie) said it gave him great pleasure to welcome the Hou. Mr Wright, and to congratulate him upon his appointmeint to the high and important position which he now held as the head of the Department of Education. Mr McKenzie remarked that the- last civic reception tendered to a Minister of the C'rown had been accorded S-i r James Parr, on the eve of his relinquishing the portfolio of Education to take up the d uti-es- of High Comniissioner in London. At that time, Sir James's successor as Minister for Education had not been announced, but when Mr Wright was appointed general satisfaction was expressed throughout Marlboroi.igh, as it was recognised that his long devo-tion to the cause' of education had well fitted him for his new office. (Applause). Mr W. J. Girling, M.P. said he had already welcomed .Mr Wright, a,t a Mayora-1 re-oeption at Picton, but, on b-ehalf of the electorate, he was glad of the opportunity of again doing so. The .Minister had a very busy day aliead, as he had to visit several schools and receive a deputation. and unfortunately his time was limited. Thev would have liked him tq have visited all the schools in the district, and also to have had an opportunity of enjoying the- Marlborough climate and spendinu some time in the Sounds, but that could be done on a subsequent visit, which, he hoped, won 1 d be made before very long. (Applause). Mr Girling concluded bv congratulating Mr Wright, -on behalf of the electorate, on his elevation to Ministerial rank, and added: "We trust that your visit will be an en-jo-yable oue and that you will ,give us all we a-sk for, so that we will be ab-le to send you a-way and say that you are the best Minister we have ever had in the district." (Laughter and applause). Mr W. D. Pike, chairman of the Marlborough College Board of Governors, also joined in the welcome and said that as Marlborough was close to Mr Wri-ght's headquarters frequent visits were expeet-ed from him, particularly wlien the Junior High School came into opera-tion. "YYe are sure," added Ylr Pike. "that you will watcli the development of the school with as keen interest as we shall here." (Applause). He concluded by again we-lcoming ihe Minister, congratula-ting him, and expressing the hope that his stay woulcl be a pleasant one. THE MINISTER' S REPLY. The Minister, in reply, thanked His Worship and the other speakers for their kind congratulations, and said he hoped that h-e would be able tq live up to all they expected from him. R-ef-erring to- education matters generally, the Hon. Mr Wright said : "Marlborough is inevitably linkecl up with Wellington, for you have amalgamated and po-oled -your resouroes, as it were, and we in Wellington recognise that Marlborough is very close to us, and we look forward to the time when you will be eve-n closer — when you will have a fleet of faist, Ja-rge ships t-ravelling between Wellington and Picton. When that time eomes, the association between the two. districts will be dven closer than it is at present." Phoceeding, Mr Wright said that he had been sufficiently long in public lit'e never to say a word against the press, but he notecl that the press was represented at the gathering and so he proposed to be careful in what he said — to be jucLicious — for it was the cluty of tlie press to place before its readers anything of importance to thern, and he must be careful not to commit himself linwar! ngly. (Laughter). "This year," proeeeded the Minister, "is a somewhat difficu-lt one for me. I came into office to find that there were a great many commitments, whicft must- be carried out, and I fear that, as a .result, th-e-re will not be as much money for general expenditure as I would like. I feel like one of the disciples of old, who ci'ied to the Ma-ster when it was necessary to find a meal for 5000 people and all that was available was a few loaves and a few small fishes "What are these among so many?" •The Education vote of something between three and four millions seems a big one, but what is it among so •many? There are so many demands for new buildings, playgrounds, and other matters. I know that quite a number. o-f school buildings have reaehed tlie time when they will ha-ve to be replaced, and I contend that a- building which has been up 45 or 50 years doesn't owe tlie country anything. I saw one of these buildings at Picton this morning, and it owes th© country nothing, but the unfortunate part is tlrere are such a large number of similar buildings and, whilethe Department is trying its best to replace thern, it can only be done by diegroes, as the vote is limited. Though it- is between three and four millions, I could comfortably doi with it doubled, but we must deal with the facts as we find tliem. Therefore I must- pursue a cautious path tliis first year. I don't- mean that nothing will be done, but that we have to be careful and walk warily in the meantime. 'I am sure that there are many things in your district which need attention — there are in all districts — but if I listen-ed to all tlie demands — and I may say that they are all not as modest as yours — it would run the country undier. Some people seeni to think that there is a mountain of gold somewhere, and that all the Prime Minister, the- Minister for Finance, or any -other Departmental head has to do is to get hold of a sliovel and shovel out sovereigns, but we business men and the thinking sectio-n o-f the community know that it is not so, and so restrictions have to be plgced upon the enthusiastie and

well meaning iieople whose' ideals would mean spe-nding money like water. Nothing would plea's© me better, and I could make myself oue of the nio-st popular Ministers in the Dominion. hut I have to be- as fair as possible and ©ndeavor to spend the money where it is most needed, and most urgently needed. I shall endeavor to hold the sca-les evenly between the Minister for Finance on the one hand and the Boards and Committees on the -other, andJ tliose in the great-est need will be attended to first. 1 hope the time will come when all the old buildings will be re-place-d by new ones, but it is going to take time. "One thing I am determined on," proeeeded the Minister. "I will not blake promises. It may he unpopular, but it is essentia-l that I should nqt ti© my hands. 1 admitt-ed1 at Picton this morning, when a deputation were pleading for the rebuilding of the school that all they said was justified, but I could not promise a new building, though I did pro-mise to stimiilate every effort of the Department. 1 shall endeavor to be fair to all parts of the Dominion, and where the needs are greatest they will be attended to first." The Minister oomclw-ded by again thanking the Mayor for the welcome accorded him and the various speakers for their congratulations. Subsequently Mr Wright visited Marlborough College, in company with members of the Board of Governors. This afternoon he visited the Blenheim and Springlands 'schools, and he is to receive a deputation in, eonnection with the Junior High School. The Minister leaves for Christchurch t-o-morrow morning.