SCHOOL COMMITTEES’ ASSOCIATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2150, 15 July 1920, Page 1

SCHOOL COMMITTEES’ ASSOCIATION.

SECOND ANNUAL MEETING.

ADDRESS BY HON. C. J. PARR

The second annual meeting of the Dominion School Committees' Association was opened in the Education Board buildings, Wellington, on Monday evening. The President (Mr A. G, Wallace) occupied the chair, and delegates were present from each of the Dominion school districts, and representing schools with a total attendance of 171,000 children. The Minister of Education (Hon. C. J. Parr) and several members of Parliament were present.

* The President particularly stressed the point that education had been neglected during the past ten years, and the country must now pay up. Had education been what is should have been in the past, the present Labour unrest would be non-exist-ent. New Zealand should, and could, talk millions instead of thousands when dealing with education. The association had a special interest in such questions as; Improved schools and surroundings, assembly halls, better pay for teachers and the payment of teachers on merit, and free education —free books, free' in every respect —from Ihe kindergarten to the university, PROGRESS ESSENTIAL.

The Minister said that he realised that school committees had a considerable value in the educational system, and he spoke from personal experience, which experience was standing him in good stead in his present office. He realised that he had a difficult duty to perform, for there was an accumulation of neglected works to carry out. It was useless to impure into reasons, but he did not criticise the National Government for their tardiness m the matter of education, or anything else, during the critical war years, when Ihe sole aim was, and rightly, to win the war. A new era was dawning, an era upon which depended future success or failure. The first practical question regarded buildings and teachers. More schools, better schools, were needed everywhere. Parliament had voted three-quarters of a million for sites and buildings last session, and he would spend every penny of that monev. (Hear, hear.) Money did not go further in the building of schools than in any other direction, and a school which cost £I,OOO in 191.4 would now cost about £2,000. Already the Department had spent or had authorised the expenditure of £722,000 in the half-year from Ist .January.

Education Boards wore experiencing great dilli(‘ully in obtaining labour and material, but lie trusted lliat Hie boards would do everything possilde to speed up their building programmes. Should it be found that an increased cost of materials necessitated a greater expenditure, boards were authorised to make I ho additional expenditure, and the Department would meet them accordingly. He doubted whether it would be wise to ask tor a greater sum than three-quarters of; a million pounds, which would he available for four yeai’s, at the present lime, but should it be found later that a greater sum was necessary ho would not hesitate to ask Cabinet for an additional vote. THE NEW DIRECTOR. The Director of Education (Dr. W. J. Anderson) was shortly to retire after a long period of able service, and the appointment of the new Director of Education would he the most important made in the Dominion, because the Director must he the leader in educational matters. Mr J. Craigic, M.P.: “Pay the money and’ get the man.” The Minister replied that Cabinet had already authorised the payment of a salary some hundreds of pounds in advance of that al piesent paid. lie hoped that those responsible for the appointment would consider candidates from other countries as well as New Zealand candidates, for the best man available should he obtained. ADMINISTRATION. . Administration was a most important factor in education. The New Zealand Educational Institute had suggested that a system similar to that holding in England should replace the present hoard system, but he had an open mind on the subject, and would say quite definitely that he would not favour any change until he saw that the new system would have plain advantages. The present system had worked satisfactorily for forty years, but it might be that with the advent of a new- director, more conversant with other systems of administration, proposals for a change of system would be favourably considered by the'Government, blit only if it

was clear that the child would benefit., HE ANTS TO COMMITTEES. Parliament had made substantial increases in their grants to school committees, from 5s 6d per head 'in 1914 to almost 9s at the present time. In 1914 the Government, had granted £48,450 to school committees, and during the present year a sum of £BO,OOO would be required. Moreover, if it were shown that the present allowances were inadequate the Department would be prepared to consider the granting of a moderate increase. The address was received with warm applause. The annual report referred to the satisfactory progress made in linking up the various school committees, and urged that an endeavour should be made to bring all school committees into the association.