EDUCATIONAL “SCRAP.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2133, 27 May 1920, Page 3

EDUCATIONAL “SCRAP.”

REFEREED BY MINISTER

Monday night wus washing-up day at the Wanganui Education Board meeting, or words to that tiled. About 8.30 pan. visitors were announced. They were the Hon. C. •!. Parr, Minister of Education, accoinpanied by Dr. Anderson, Director ot Education, and'Mr Spencer, also an otiicer of the Department. After a disputation mi technical school matters had been disposed of, the way was left open fur a genera! discussion on needs and wants. This exposed an opportunity for which the chairman had long been waiting. He proceeded to indie! ilie Education Department —hell, hook and candle —for its methods over'a series of years, and produced a pde oi documents, in substantiation of allegations that ihe Department had been deadly dilatory, and decidedly dictatorial, in its transactions with the Board. Dr. Anderson couldn’t sec it at all, and said so in phrases of great emphasis and circumlocution. and thumpings on the table, punctuated frequently by the snappy interjections, contemptuous contradictions, and ironical laughter of Mr Pirani, and once or twice by irate notes of interrogation by members of the Board. Mr Parr made commendable and very good naluml attempts to referee the scrap, and punctiliously and impartially registered the point's and body-blows made by either side, but as he had been on duty ail day travelling and receiving deputations, the process was obviously a very wearing one. especially as it was verging on midnight before (lie Iwculy rounds or so had been fought out. Ii was a very tired Minister who rose In reply, and to say how glad he was to have, been present to hear matters thrashed out, and how sorry he was that steep divergences-of opinion ahout details had arisen between two awn so celebrated fur their devotion re educational ideals as .'.lr Ihrani and Dr. Anderson were; IE hoped now tlail they were both about to retire from I heir act eve assecia; am

wit It school administration they would compose their differences and part in levins of friendship and mutual esteem of the admirable qualities they both pusses-ed. The Minis!er was afterwards heard to declare “No more night depot.-a amfor no!” —Times.