MINISTER OF EDUCATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 12

MINISTER OF EDUCATION.

SPEECH AT DANNEVIRKE. DANNEVIRKE, February 12. Tht Hon. Mr Fowlds (Minister of Education) delivered a political address at Dannevirke last night. The Mayor presided, and there was a fair attendance of electors. Mr Fowlds dealt mainly with the departments under his direct control. Dealing, firstly with education, he said that the position of any country depended on its education system. The increase of expenditure was alarming, but he believed it was the best investment the country could have. In 1901 the expenditure was £578,595, but it had now risen to £923,572. The ideal of the education system "was to provide free education from "the primary schools to the university. He advocated better payment of country teachers and a proper classified system of promotion. He praised the work of the Health Department, and said he considered that the Pure Food Act and the Infant Life Protection Act would do much good. He foreshadowed an improvement in the Hospitals and Charitable Aid . Act and in the law regarding mental hospitals. He commended the Prime Minister's remarks regarding the attitude of the Government towards l evolutionary Socialism. The scouring of equal opportunities for all was a splendid ideal to have before any Government. No man had a right to more than equal opportunity, and no man had a. right to put up with lees. The aim of the Government was to secure justice between man and man and, the prevention of monopolies by State ownership and operation. There should be no granting of .special privileges to any man unless he paid annually the value of the privilege held. He commended the Land Endowment and Tax: Bill, and claimed that *the Native Land Bill was an honest attempt to settle *-th« Native land problem. The remission of £405,250 in the tariff had been of great benefit to the workers. He anticipated that the system of annuities would in tima relieve the old-age pension expenditure am? provide the old with means of securing independence. Mention of a special grant of £200,000 per annum lor roads was received, with applause. A hearty vote of thanks to Mr Fowlds and continued confidence in the Go^<jrn« mo-nt was carp** with arwlauaet